Azerbaijan, Baku, April 14 / Trend /
Baku has made its bid in Moscow on Saturday to host the Summer Olympic Games 2020. The presentation has been held within the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), which is taking place in the World Trade Center in Moscow, ITAR-TASS reported.
"This is our house and we would like to share our home with everybody, Azerbaijani First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva said. "People gather in Baku to share their cultures. The diversity of our past will be able to create the positive future. Our country wants to prove that the Olympic Games are not just reliable investments in sports, health and standard of living. Azerbaijan wants to prove that it prepares such a big event with great responsibility. Just imagine holding the games in the world new region. They will open one of the oldest, but still unknown cultures. Our country will arrange a real sports holiday. There are changes and acute social problems worldwide. Azerbaijan knows that the values, it supports, can influence the host cities' future."
AFFA Secretary General Elhan Mammadov added that Azerbaijan follows the path of progress with great strides. "Baku has an ideal climate for sports, a beautiful sea and a great history," he added. "Our country has one of the most powerful and fastest-growing economies. I am sure that Azerbaijan's future will change for athletes and our people. Azerbaijan must work together with the Olympic movement. Our country must have partner relations. This is a unique opportunity to open a new page in the history of the Olympic movement. Not only our country makes bids and gives favorable predictions. Our country wants to propose a model of the Games, which meets the requirements to serve local and regional athletes. Holding the Olympic Games is responsible investments in the future."
It was stressed that the government, the city, the National Olympic Committee and 95 percent of the Azerbaijani population support the desire to hold the Games.
"Baku is ready to welcome you on the shores of the Caspian Sea, to host millions of athletes and visitors from the world countries," the bidders said."The country has a rich historical heritage. The East meets with the West here. The interethnic tolerance has become the core of our unity. The country has recently begun participating in the Olympics as a separate, independent country. But Azerbaijan has been taking part in such competitions for a long time. Azerbaijan understands that it needs political and financial investment to hold the Olympics. Our country is ready, because it really wants to hold these competitions. Our country is doing everything to improve the lives of our nine million people. Azerbaijan fully supports the values of the Olympic movement. If they do Azerbaijan the honor and entrust to host the Games, the country will hold them in a spirit of fair competition in the name of peace, humanity and friendship."
The representatives of 203 recognized National Olympic Committees have arrived in Moscow. Besides the presidents of the National Olympic Committees, sports ministers of many countries attend the Assembly. The main event of the forum is the presentation of the candidate cities' bids to host the Olympics in 2020. Besides Baku, five cities, including Doha, Qatar, Madrid, Spain, Istanbul, Turkey and Tokyo, Japan claim for hosting the Olympics-2020.