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World Cup Soccer 2010

On Friday 7 July, the Tempodrom in Berlin witnessed a welcoming to South Africa, and in turn South Africa welcomed the world. The official emblem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ was unveiled in a vibrant ceremony organized by the 2010 South Africa Local Organizing Committee (LOC). The host cities for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ also showcased their cities in order to inform the watching world what is in store four years from now. Molefi Oliphant, President of the South African Football Association, summed up the occasion perfectly when he said: "We (South Africa) are receiving the baton from Germany, like in a race, and now we are running our lap."

South Africa have certainly got out of the blocks quickly and made an impressive start. The speakers at the event included Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki. They all spoke of the continent's immense pride in the hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup on African soil, and the need to 'Win in Africa, with Africa.' Indeed, CAF President and FIFA Vice-President Issa Hayatou is so optimistic about the success of Africa in 2010, he declared it will 'mark the renaissance of Africa.'

The Official Emblem: dynamic and descriptive
The emblem depicts the energy and vigour of the African continent. The inspiration for the footballing figure over the shape of Africa is drawn from Khoi-San rock paintings, and is also representative of its deep and long history. Upon unveiling the emblem President Mbeki declared: "We are showcasing a new forward-looking and dynamic South Africa."

Danny Jordaan, CEO of the 2010 South Africa Local Organizing Committee, reflected upon the success of the event, saying: "the unveiling of our logo will hopefully show football fans around the world of the organization and sophistication which underpins South Africa. I think that many people who left this hall with a different perception of the country. Hopefully they have seen that we are techno-smart and we understand the business of the World Cup. We want to convince the world that the 2010 World Cup will be the best World Cup ever in the more than 100 years of FIFA football history."

Meanwhile, Mr. Blatter reiterated his belief and confidence in the Host Country saying: "There are more than one billion people behind the FIFA family who have said yes to South Africa, we trust South Africa

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