Programme Directors, Tumi Makgabo and Marcus Ziegler,
Your Excellency, President of FIFA, Joseph Sepp Blatter, Your Excellency, UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, Your Excellency, CAF President, Issa Hayatou, Your Excellency, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Alpha Omar Konare, Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Distinguished guests, Distinguished members of the media, Musicians, Soccer ambassadors, fans and friends, Ladies and gentlemen:
I am truly delighted to address you on this auspicious occasion - indeed a double celebration of the unveiling of the FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010 South Africa Emblem and the 14th anniversary of the re-entry of South Africa to the international football arena which took place on the 7th July 1992.
On behalf of the Organising Committee South Africa, the government and the people of South Africa, we wish to express our heartfelt thanks to FIFA, the Organising Committee Germany, the government and people of Germany for their magnanimous gesture in allowing us the privilege of unveiling the 2010 Emblem during this glittering sporting tournament in Berlin.
May I also congratulate FIFA, the Organising Committee Germany and the government and people of Germany for hosting a magnificent tournament and for sharing your world-class wisdom and expertise with our 2010 Organising Committee.
It is fitting that, on 9 July, Germany hands over to South Africa the hosting of the FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010 in this city of Berlin. I am saying it is fitting because the Brandenburg Gate, in all its glorious splendour, stands testament to the changing fortunes of Germany from a divided to a re-united nation in a spirit of reconciliation, togetherness and growing prosperity on both sides of the Gate.
Indeed, the Brandenburg Gate is now a symbol of German resilience, pride, dignity and joy. As Germans will recall, it was football that played such a pivotal role after the Second World War in re-defining and healing the trauma of a devastated nation.
Who can forget Helmut Rahn's magnificent winning goal that brought victory to the underdogs, Germany, against the favourites, Hungary, in that memorable 1954 FIFA World Cup in Berne? Indeed, the "Miracle of Berne", as it then became known, was widely considered to be one of the major catalysts in Germany's economic recovery as it ensured a growing and prospering soccer industry.
For Franz Beckenbauer, that historic World Cup day when German hearts beat in unison was not simply a sporting victory. As he says: "The Boss (as Helmut Rahn was called) contributed to the most important success in German sporting history. - Germany became someone again. We gave ourselves the feeling of self-respect again."
We are confident that the 2010 Soccer World Cup will do the same to consolidate our self-respect and dignity gained when we attained our freedom and democracy in 1994 and in a unique way help our own nation and the continent of Africa also to bask in the "Miracle of South Africa".
This will clearly be a special tribute to many South Africans and Africans who have triumphed over the pernicious system of apartheid which even denied a black child the right to play football with a white child. The 2010 Soccer World Cup belongs to the many Africans, who in many parts of the world engage in a continuous struggle against racism and xenophobia.
As many of us in this room are aware, everyday we take important steps to reunite what was a divided nation. We continue to work together to ensure that every South African enjoy dignity, freedom and justice and that our children grow up in an environment that nurtures their talents, infusing the spirit of resilience and determination even in the face of difficult challenges.
This is the same spirit that helped us overcome such formidable trials and tribulations as presented by the system of apartheid. In many ways this spirit has for years been best manifested within the game of football as players, administrators and fans defied and outmanoeuvred the apartheid system to keep the game alive.
Read the second part II of Mbeki's speech Molo Says:
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