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Thank you, Dölfi.

Dear friends,

- I am delighted to accept this report on the achievements of the International Year of Sport and Physical Education. Let me thank Adolf Ogi and his team, as well as all our partners around the world, for making the year such a success.

- Let me also thank Ambassador Hachani of Tunisia and Ambassador Maurer of Switzerland, co-chairs of the Group of Friends of Sport for Development and Peace.

- During this year, we have reached millions of people -- largely thanks to Adolf Ogi and his passionate belief in the power of sport to transform lives.

- I am grateful and heartened that our message has been embraced by the world of sport -- including the great athletes that have joined us today, a range of national and international sports organizations, and many companies in the private sector and the media.

- Our task now is to take our mission to the next stage, and make sport an essential component of efforts to reach the world’s development goals -- as reflected in the General Assembly last November and the Magglingen Call to Action in December.

- That means ensuring full support from Governments and from the UN system for programmes using sport as a tool for development and peace -- from the fight against HIV/AIDS to the empowerment of women and girls, from mine action to the reconstruction of societies emerging from conflict.

- It means working together to realize the potential of sport across the full spectrum of partners -- including development agencies and civil society, the private sector and research institutions, the military and the media.

- Friends, the International Year has charted a course for action and implementation. We must now maintain the momentum. I am glad that we can count on all of you in the months and years ahead.

Thank you very much.

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