Opening of the Congress by the Minister of Education

Abstract

On behalf of the Government of Finland, I have the great honour of welcoming the distinguished delegates of the Congress on Sport and International Understanding to Helsinki, capital of Finland, and to the Finlandia Hall, where the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe was concluded in 1975. That conference, which is of major importance to our country, to our continent and to the whole world, was held under entirely different international political circumstances than those which dominate the international relations of today. Seven years ago the High Representatives of 35 participating states agreed upon, among other things, the development of international sporting relations in the following way: “In order to expand existing links and cooperation in the field of sport the participating states will encourage contacts and exchanges of this kind, including sports meetings and competitions of all sorts, on the basis of the established international rules, regulations and practice.”