The 2010 Winter Games Bilingual Experience
The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games provide an unprecedented opportunity to showcase our unique Canadian identity to the world. As part of its commitment to hosting the Games in a distinctive Canadian way, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) has devoted a great deal of time and resources to ensure these Games reflect our country’s world-renowned diversity, including its linguistic duality.
We invite you to discover the bilingual experience of the 2010 Winter Games.
Read on to find out what you can expect . . .
Bilingualism: a Core Team Value
Hosting the 2010 Winter Games in both French and English was always top of mind for VANOC. In Canada, most large-scale events such as the 2010 Winter Games are expected to be held in both official languages so that every Canadian can join in. Bilingualism is present throughout this nation, from the Atlantic Provinces to the West Coast. Whether you’re in Sydney, Nova Scotia or Sidney, British Columbia, chances are you’ll find someone who has some knowledge of both English and French.
As Canada’s linguistic duality is a fundamental characteristic of our country’s identity and cultural diversity, VANOC firmly believes it is imperative that we seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show the world who we are and offer our guests the best possible bilingual Games experience in 2010.
International Field of Play
Beyond being Canada’s official languages, French and English are also the official languages of the International Olympic Committee. The founder of the modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin was a French nobleman who considered sport education to be an important part of youth development. In honour of de Coubertin’s mother tongue, both French and English were declared the official languages of the Olympic Games.
