Sebastian Coe: London 2012 to step up efforts to involve the UK in Olympic Games

By Sebastian Coe, London 2012 Chairman 1242PM GMT twelve March 2010

Party"s entrance home the shutting rite in Vancouver heralds the begin of the Paralympic Games ... and afterwards it"s London 2012 Photo GETTY IMAGES

This is, of course, to be expected, but initial things first; whilst the Olympic Games might have finished, the Paralympic Winter Games begin on Friday.

I outlayed a enchanting integrate of weeks with my teams in Vancouver, shower up the ambience and saying how a city and a republic can be galvanised by the Games. We went armed with assumptions, the own plans and an open mind awaiting to be tender and awaiting to sense a lot about how a city reacts to the greatest show on earth pitching up. On both of those counts the expectations were met.

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But, as ever, it is mostly the astonishing that prompts serve thought and consideration. From the comfortless genocide that preceded the Games, to the well-documented issues with the continue and malfunctioning flame in the opening ceremony, we know that any eventuality let alone one the distance and scale of an Olympic Games can throw up challenges. And who could have likely that red $10 mittens would combine a city and yield a small of the majority iconic images of Canadian unity?

And so the teams from London 2012 head out to Vancouver for the Paralympic Games, ready to fist each last dump of believe from the experience to assistance us safeguard that the Games are the most appropriate events they can be.

When they lapse (laden with cuddly mascot toys and mittens) we will take all the report that we have collected and request it to the plans amending where necessary. As Jacques Rogge, the boss of the International Olympic Committee, pronounced when asked what London could sense from Vancouver, "testing, testing, testing". That"s the sort of recommendation you do not ignore.

But what then?

After the Beijing Games, we asked the republic to applaud we hold the celebration on the Mall, we hold events around the republic and we showed off the Union flag-filled logo. After Vancouver, we are asking the republic to get involved. This is the year of action. In a small over dual years, the Olympic flame will be creation the approach around the UK streamer for the Olympic Stadium in easterly London in time for the opening rite on Jul 27.

We regularly pronounced we longed for London 2012 to be "Everyone"s Games" this year we"re going to yield the eventuality for the UK to pointer up and be piece of this unusual event.

Wherever I go I"m regularly asked about tickets for the Games. This takes time since we need to be certain of the venues and we need to be certain of the foe schedule, together with each event for all 46 Olympic and Paralympic sports. Tickets do not go on sale to any one until 2011, but in the entrance months, we are going to give some-more report on the ticketing plan and plans.

One of the highlights of Vancouver for me was assembly the volunteers around the city. They were of all ages and they simply desired being piece of it. We already have thousands of people who have purebred their seductiveness in volunteering. Later this year we"re going to be asking them and the rest of the UK open to pointer up and turn a volunteer. We wish these people to be from all walks of life, from all over the country, since volunteers have the disproportion in between a good and a good Games.

This year will additionally see the lapse of the "Open Weekend" that will take place this summer and will set up on identical events in prior years that has seen communities celebrating London 2012 with sporting and informative events, with hundreds of thousands of people fasten in. Our informative programme continues to set up and grow, ready to reach the crescendo in 2012 when London will host the world"s greatest party.

So what will be the "red mittens"? It"s a subject that has been batted around the offices for the past integrate of weeks. In all honesty, it"s doubtful to be something we can predict. I think the fast picture of London will be the people. What they will be wearing is roughly incidental.