Lausanne July 2008
Dear Friends of Gymnastics,
The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique and the Organizing Committee of the 14th World Gymnaestrada – Lausanne 2011 has pleasure in inviting all the FIG affiliated federations to take part in the World Gymnaestrada to be held in Lausanne, Switzerland, July 10-16, 2011.
The World Gymnaestrada is one of the worldwide Gymnastics for All FIG events. This event is conducted under the responsibility of the FIG Gymnastics for All Committee. It is managed by a Local Organizing Committee, under mandate of the affiliated federation, whose bid was accepted by the FIG Council in 2006.
This will be the third time that the Swiss Gymnastics Federationhas will have hosted the World Gymnaestrada. The first was in 1969 in the city of Basel and in 1982 Zurich was the host city.
Now the event will be held in LAUSANNE, in the southern part of Switzerland, 50 km northeast of Geneva. Lausanne, surrounded with high mountains, is situated on the shores of Lake of Geneva. The city is also called the Olympic capital as the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Museum is to be found here. Many International Sports Federations are also in Lausanne and from July 2008 the FIG will have its new headquarter there.
The World Gymnaestrada, organized by the FIG since 1953, gives everyone the opportunity to participate in an International Gymnastics Event, without competition. We hope that we can welcome gymnasts of all ages and from the whole world to join us in the largest gymnastics’ event that the FIG organizes.
In September 2008, all affiliated federations will receive the first Information Bulletin from the Organizing Committee and the first information meeting for the Federations’ Delegation Leaders will be held in Lausanne in March 2009.
WELCOME TO THE 14TH WORLD GYMNAESTRADA IN LAUSANNE 2011
Bruno Grandi, FIG President
André Gueisbuhler, FIG General Secretary
Margaret Sikkens Ahlquist, FIG GFA Committee
Hanspeter Tschopp, President Swiss Gym Federation
The USA Gymnastics Delegation to the 14th World Gymnaestrada
The USA Gymnastics GFA Committee along with National Travel Systems has already started planning and preparing for this spectacular world event. Following the March information meeting, USA Gymnastics is co-hosting the 2009 International Sport and Cultural Festival with American Sokol in Ft. Worth, Texas, June 23-28.
This event will include special workshops, information meetings, and choreography sessions regarding the 2011 World Gymnaestrada. Additionally, interested USA performance groups will have the opportunity to verify their performances for the USA Gymnastics Delegation Committee.