http://maigoc2007.sports.sina.com.cn 2006-11-08 MAIGOC
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Invitationpresentation ceremony of the 2nd Asian Indoor Games was heldyesterday (November 8) at the Macao East Asian Games Dome.
As the 2ndAIG is scheduled in late October next year， MAIGOC especially hosted a simpleyet solemn invitation presentation ceremony officially requesting with honorthe participations of the 45 OCA members to the sports meet next year in Macao. In accompany withDirector General and Technical Director of OCA Husain Al-Musallem and Chairman ofMAIGOC Manuel Silvério， Macao SAR Chief Executive Edmund Ho， the head of thehost city， presented invitations to the regional representatives of East Asia，Southeast Asia， South Asia， Central Asia and West Asia.
The chairman ofthe organising committee expressed in his welcome speech his heartfeltappreciation to the Chief Executive for joining the ceremony， and especiallyfor his supports and guidance over the years， which allowed Macao to have theopportunity to host an Asian Games event – the 2nd Asian IndoorGames， and the opportunity to welcome the 45 NOC members of OCA and theinternational sports community to the city. He also mentioned that the AsianIndoor Games was especially created by OCA to encourage greater participationin sport by the youth in the region， while at the same time giving moredifferent sports to be promoted. The hope is to tap into the less conventionalmarket with the aim to reach out further to more youths. With great marketingand promotional potential， this innovative concept features a series ofexciting sports which are neither included in Olympics nor in Asian Games，presenting the participants and the spectators with an exciting and interestingsports program.
“Macao very much sharing the vision of the Olympic Councilof Asia has been very committed in the promotion of sport to the youth and theoverall development of sport in Asia，” saidManuel Silvério.
“Withjust less than a year until we will officially welcome the OCA family and theworld to Macao to participate in this exciting and innovative event， we lookforward to continue working closely with the Olympic Council of Asia to developand promote this event， its brand and image， while together with the memberNOCs and the people of Macao， we will prepare a memorable edition of the AsianIndoor Games to showcase Asia to the world!” continued the chairman.
Afterthe ceremony part， athletes from related local sports associations were invitedto do exhibition performances of muay， dancesports， indoor cycling， as well as dragon and lion dance – someof the brand new sports suggested by OCA for the second edition of the AsianIndoor Games.
Toround off the function， the organising committee elaborated a series ofinteresting performances. “Face changing” (“bian nian” in Chinese， an ancient Chinese dramatic art) featuring the theme of the 2nd AIG， magic showand silent play by Chinese magic master， as well as Chinese drum performance bylocal school Escola São Paulo were all impressive enough to each and every participant on the scene.
Also present in the ceremony are social celebrities of Macao， including Executive Council MemberLeong Vai Tac， Legislative Assembly members Lao Pun Lap and Ung Choi Kun，Acting Director of Macau Sports Development Board Alex Vong， 2ndVice-President Ma Iao Hang and Secretary General Charles Lo of Macau OlympicCommittee， as well as Macau Sports Council members.
