www.olympic.orgOLYMPIC REVIEW7PRESIDENT ROGGE FOREWORDTo see the 3,600young athletesfrom all cornersof the world atthe OpeningCeremony willsurely be anunforgettablemoment for allthose who haveworked so hardto make theseGames a realityThree years ago the Youth Olympic Gameswere still merely a vision; one that aimedto provide the youth of the world with aplatform on which they would be inspired to take upsport, live healthy lifestyles and embrace theOlympic values. Now, thanks to the involvement andencouragement of the National Olympic Committees,the International Federations and countless othermembers of the Olympic Family, we stand proudlyon the eve of the first-ever edition of the YouthOlympic Games this August in Singapore.To have come so far in such a short period is nomean feat, and to see the 3,600 young athletesfrom all corners of the world unite for a commonpurpose at the Opening Ceremony will surely be anunforgettable moment for all those who have workedso hard to make these Games a reality.It goes without saying that we are lookingforward to seeing some outstanding athleticperformances this summer. Some of the world'sgreatest athletes between the ages of 14 and 18 will participate at these Games. But equally as important as what takes place onthe field of play will be the way these young peoplefrom different cultures and backgrounds cometogether to share their experiences and get a tasteof the Olympic values through our Culture andEducation Programme. The programme is critical tothe success of the Youth Olympic Games. Through itwe hope to educate the athletes on a host of topics,including the benefits of exercise, the dangers ofdoping and the value of friendship, solidarity and fairplay. Our mission is to inspire the athletes to act as ambassadors and be active in their communitiesby sharing what they learn when they return.Above all, these Games must be fun. While someof the participants may go on to become futureOlympians, the focus at this stage of their livesshould be less on the pressures of winning than onenjoying the experience. We want to encourageyoungsters to strive to be the best they can but alsoenjoy sport for sport's sake and to continue enjoying it long after dreams of medals have faded.The foundations for a successful first YouthOlympic Games are now in place thanks to the workof a great number of highly dedicated individuals, in particular those at the Singapore Youth OlympicGames Organising Committee. The Host City hasworked resolutely from day one to produce an eventthat will be both memorable and beneficial to all,and I have no doubt that the Games will be just that. But this is not the time to rest on our laurels.Rather, this is the time to build on the momentumthat we have created and to continue workingdiligently to get more young people around the worldphysically active in all levels of sport.This will not happen overnight. It will require oursustained efforts across a broad range of platforms,with the Youth Olympic Games at the core, and it will require continued support from the entireOlympic Family.To all those involved in helping to get the YouthOlympic Games on its feet: our sincere gratitude. Let us continue to work hard to ensure the Games -and the youth of the world -have a bright andhealthy future ahead of them. ?FOREWORDBY JACQUESROGGEPRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE