(MENAFN- The Peninsula) In June 2015, Azerbaijan will become the centre of the sporting world, when capital city Baku hosts the inaugural European Games.
The Baku 2015 European Games will be a spectacular showcase of elite athletes that will unite Europe in a unique celebration of sport - and have a transformative effect on the city itself.
The Games are part of President IIham Aliyev's vision to cement our country's position as a dynamic, hospitable cultural and business centre.
In December 2012, Azerbaijan was awarded the Games by the European Olympic Committees. For Baku, this was the perfect opportunity to put sport at the heart of its social, cultural and economic development and to show the world what its people are capable of. As the first ever event of its type on the continent, the Baku 2015 European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC) has been tasked with creating a memorable and innovative competition.
The opening ceremony will be held in the newly-built National Stadium on June 12, and the following 17 days will see more than 6,000 athletes competing for the right to be called European Games champion.
And by the time the curtain falls on the closing ceremony on June 28, 253 gold medals will have been won and a fresh perspective of Azerbaijan and Baku will have been embraced by the people of Europe.
The Games will have 18 competition venues including newly-built venues for the sports of Gymnastics, BMX, Aquatics and Shooting and a purpose-built 65,OOO-seat stadium that will host Athletics and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
Add that to the impressive Flame Towers that dominate the Baku skyline, the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center and the gleaming new airport terminal and it is little wonder that many marvel at just how transformative the Games have been for Baku.
The European Games also represents an opportunity to introduce innovative types of sport to the international calendar. In total, 20 sports will be represented, with four exciting non-Olympic sports including Basketball 3x3, Beach Soccer, Karate and Sambo - set to feature.
Baku 2015 has ensured that everything is in place for competitors to excel, and the results will grant a lasting legacy for Azerbaijan in infrastructure, sporting and human terms. The population of Azerbaijan is one of the youngest in Europe, and the inspiration that the European Games will provide will be passed on to generations of Azerbaijani athletes through the world-class facilities built for Baku 2015.
Azerbaijan has always had a passion, for sport, and its investment in these Games will pay dividends in the future as the country hosts further events such as the Baku Formula 1 European Grand Prix in 2016, the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games and four matches of the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.
By June, Baku will be ready to host a memorable and historic first edition of the European Games.
The spectacular Opening Ceremony will captivate the capacity crowd in the National Stadium and be enjoyed by a worldwide television audience of millions thanks to the announced deals to broadcast the Games in 57 countries, including in Japan.
But the true impact of Baku 2015 will be much greater, extending beyond those two weeks in June, and creating a new legacy of sporting brilliance in Europe's most dynamic new destination.
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