One London
London has always been a place that welcomes people, ideas, information and goods from around the world. As a result London is famously diverse. Three hundred languages are spoken amongst seven million people – with approximately 160 within Haringey alone. In the North London sub-region 30% of the population comes from an ethnic minority background, but that figure is much higher in the Upper Lee Valley and eastern Haringey, the areas closest to the Olympic site. The voluntary sector in North London is already mapping out significant host communities that would act as cultural ambassadors and welcome athletes from their countries of origin or descent. North London is already working to play its part in welcoming contestants from around the world. Community Planning and the Borough’s Local Strategic Partnerships provide the vehicle to promote and embrace the Olympics, and connect strategic ambition with local needs.
Cultural Olympiad
The 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are not just about sport. They will offer a unique opportunity for the British people to engage with and participate in a major cultural celebration.
From the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Games, the UK will commence its "Cultural Olympiad", a developing, four-year period of cultural activity designed to celebrate the Olympic spirit throughout the UK.
The Cultural Olympiad will showcase British talent and innovation and will reflect the key themes of the London 2012 Games:
- Celebrating London and welcoming the world
- Inspiring and involving young people
- Generating a positive legacy
It will inspire people around the country to participate in a range of cultural activities, which will reflect and celebrate the diverse communities which make up London and the UK.
The Cultural Olympiad is intended to encapsulate the widest possible range of cultural, from the arts, museums and galleries, to the historic and built environment, to libraries and archives, to the moving and digital image. From the biggest institutions to the smallest community groups.
Major public areas, both in the capital, and across the UK, will be the settings for a whole host of live events, including music, dance and comedy, all in addition to the sporting events themselves.
The festival will culminate in the high-profile opening and closing events which will provide a platform to celebrate the excellence, energy and diversity of the UK’s cultural sector.
