(ATR) The Czech Olympic Committee welcomed the ANOC General Assembly to Prague in style on Wednesday evening with a 30-minute reception that mixed technology and verve.
Perched on a balcony above the throng of ANOC delegates alongside Association of National Olympic Committees President Sheikh Ahmad and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, Czech Olympic Committee President Jiri Kejval delivered a short but hospitable welcome.
"We have almost 1,300 years of history in our city of Prague and we have never welcomed such a big number of nations at one time," Kejval said, referring to the record number of 1,300 delegates.
"I wish you in your schedule to visit the downtown and our lovely city of Prague," he said.
Association of National Olympic Committees President Sheikh Ahmad was impressed with the large crowd in the lobby of the Hotel Prague Hilton that was indicative of the record attendance.
"This number of participants, we are breaking the records of Doha," Sheikh Ahmad said. "We have more than 1,300 participants present, NOCs, IFs, and IOC host cities that we are welcoming them."
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach spoke last, reminding the packed crowd that those in the Czech Republic have always showed a strong passion for sport.
"At the IOC, among the founding members was a Czech, Pierre de Coubertin said that the Czech’s were among the first ones to keep the flame of Olympism alive," the IOC President said.
The three presidents were welcomed to the reception by Olympic tennis doubles silver medalist Andrea Hlaváčková and European figure skating championship medalist Tomáš Verner.
The two star athletes opened with an innovative, colorful and entertaining multi-media video mapping presentation on the interior walls of the Hilton showcasing Czech sport and architecture accompanied by live music.
The reception provided a festive atmosphere where food and spirits flowed ahead of the two-day XXII ANOC General Assembly that began today.
Click here to view photos from the reception and delegate arrival in Prague.
Written by Kevin Nutley in Prague, Czech Republic.
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