“Welcome to Slovenia, dear participants of this year’s European Youth Olympics Festival in Maribor, which you will be imbuing with your Olympic spirit these next few days. I wish you every success in your sporting performances and more invaluable experience as you pave your way to the next Olympic Games. To the spectators at the sports venues, I wish much pleasure as they enjoy the action. I have no doubt that Slovenia will more than prove itself as the organiser of this year’s festival and that the 3600 or so participants from 48 countries on the European continent will leave our country at the end of the festival with great impressions and fond memories.”