Zuma: World Cup South Africa’s “greatest opportunity” 22/04/2010 |
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South Africa president Jacob Zuma believes this year’s football World Cup is the country’s “single greatest opportunity” to show off its diversity to the rest of the world.
Speaking at a day of festivities to mark the 50-day countdown to the tournament on Wednesday (April 21), Zuma said that South Africa had a responsibility to the whole continent to stage a successful event.
"This is the single greatest opportunity we have ever had to showcase our diversity and potential to the world,” he stated. “We must rise and tell the story of a continent which is alive with possibilities and resilient people who embrace people from other nations and cultures.”
Danny Jordaan, head of the local organising committee, said at the same ceremony that the World Cup would be a defining moment comparable to the release of Nelson Mandela from jail and the end of apartheid.
He pointed out the attention of the entire world would be on South Africa in June and July and added: "The same South Africa the world once called a miracle nation when in 1994 we made a peaceful transition to democracy, defying all the sceptics.
"The world has heard many more stories about us since then, sometimes more negative than positive, but this World Cup gives all South Africans the opportunity to show the world who we really are 16 years into our democracy."
Fifa said on Wednesday (April 21) that 180,000 of the remaining 500,000 tickets for the tournament had been sold in the last six days, mostly in South Africa.
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