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Georg Rosenthal
The City of Würzburg is delighted to be the
venue for the European Championship of Transplants and Dialysis Patients, which
this year is held in Germany for the first time.
Würzburg has a lot to offer its guests. Its 1300-year history
has left Lower Franconia's metropolis a rich heritage of architectural
monuments and art treasures, among them the Residence, one of the World
Cultural Heritage sites. Other major attractions are the Lower Franconian
Museum located at the fortress, which houses the world's largest collection
of Riemenschneider sculptures, and the
Museum at the old Storehouse boasting the largest collection of concrete art in
Europe. Other regular highlights on a busy calendar of events include the
internationally renowned Mozart Festival and the Africa Festival featuring the
largest European festival for the music and culture of that continent. And
after savouring all that art, cosy
little wine bars beckon the visitor to enjoy some Franconian wine appreciated by connoisseurs worldwide.
Not only is Würzburg a city of art and culture
though, it is also enthusiastic about
sport - so much so that one in three Würzburgers is a member of one of the
city's nearly 120 sports clubs. It is these clubs that provide the basis for
both a wide range of sporting activities
offered to the amateur athlete and for allowing professional athletes to excel
in their field, notably in water polo, rowing, and swimming. This means that Würzburg
offers ideal conditions for the 2008 ETDG to be a success, and my heartfelt
thanks go to all those clubs that make their facilities available for the
competitions. Inevitably, large-scale events such as the ETDG require a
considerable amount of preparation, and on behalf of the City of Würzburg I
wish to express my gratitude to and appreciation of the TransDia association,
the organising committee, the sponsors, and the numerous volunteers.
However, the European Championship of
Transplants and Dialysis Patients is not just a sporting event. Without
appearing to be preachy, it is designed to raise the public's awareness of the
most important issue of organ donation
and contribute to alleviating the shortage of life-saving donor organs
that is particularly acute in Germany. And it is meant to provide encouragement
to all the people affected by demonstrating to everybody that dialysis and
transplants make it possible to live a life that is worth living. ETDG stands
for the enjoyment of life and impressive achievements in sport, making participants
in the games a role model even for all those whose health is impaired less.
I am confident that the 2008 ETDG to be held in
Würzburg will live up to the expectations cited above. I wish the organisers a
hassle-free event and hope that all the participants will not only enjoy the
success in their sport that they richly deserve but also many stimulating
encounters with old and new friends from all over Europe as well as a pleasant
stay in what is arguably one of the most beautiful cities in Germany. Take the
time to savour Würzburg's hospitality as well as its cultural and culinary
riches. We are looking forward to seeing you.
Georg Rosenthal
Lord Mayor
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