Rt Hon Helen Clark
Prime Minister

Speech at the reception For the opening of the Giant Rugby Ball Venue

Champ de Mars
Paris
France

7.30pm

Friday 5 October 2007

It’s my pleasure this evening to welcome you to the New Zealand rugby ball venue here in central Paris.

Rugby football is a very big part of New Zealand’s heritage, and the All Blacks team is an iconic kiwi brand.

So what better way to promote New Zealand in France during the Rugby World Cup than to erect this great rugby ball as a symbol of our small nation’s devotion to the game?

The giant rugby ball, however, also expresses much more about New Zealand.

New Zealand prides itself on its capacity for new thinking and innovation.

The concept behind this ball is to use a traditional symbol to convey the essence of contemporary New Zealand and all we have to offer. New Zealand is a sophisticated first world country. It excels in science and technology and in the creative arts. It is a country of unparalleled beauty with a great lifestyle.

Through the high tech audiovisual displays in this giant rugby ball, we can convey the beauty, the dynamism, and the spirit of New Zealand.

Over the next two weeks through a variety of events here, we will also promote New Zealand trade and tourism, investment and migration opportunities, and New Zealand arts and culture.

And of course we are reminding all who pass by this giant rugby ball that New Zealand will be hosting Rugby World Cup 2011, and that we look forward to hosting many tens of thousands of visitors to our country for the Cup that year.

This giant rugby ball project would not have been possible without the support and agreement of the Mayor of Paris.

We thank him and his Council for enabling us to have this venue right by one of France’s iconic places, the Eiffel Tower.

We hope the rugby ball’s high profile here will also add to the buzz around Paris over the next two weeks leading up to the Rugby World Cup grand final on 20 October.

Friendship between New Zealand and France goes back to the first half of the twentieth century when New Zealand fought in two World Wars for the freedom of France.

We are nations with shared values and with many many ties. Of course we are also rivals on the rugby field, as will be seen tomorrow evening in Wales.

France has set a high standard as the host nation for this Rugby World Cup, and we in New Zealand are committed to doing the same.

So, for this evening, enjoy New Zealand food and wine, enjoy our wonderful singers and performers, and enjoy the spectacular audiovisual presentation on our beautiful country.

Ends

© Scoop Media