Faith Leaders Tour London 2012 Site

‘The diversity of London and the rest of the UK was one of the reasons why London was chosen to host the Games and I am thrilled that representatives of all faiths had the opportunity to tour the Olympic Park and see the progress we have made."

As part of London 2012’s ongoing commitment to creating the most diverse and inclusive Games ever, leaders from the nine faiths which will be represented during the London 2012 Games today toured the Olympic Park.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Indarjit Singh, Director, Network of Sikh Organizations and Dr Nathubhai Shah, President of the Jain Academy UK were amongst the faith leaders and representatives who toured the Olympic Park and visited the Velodrome.

The vision of the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is to use the power of the Games to inspire lasting change and it is committed to making sure that people from all faiths feel involved with the London 2012 Games and are able to take part.

All nine faiths - Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Bahia's, Jain, Buddhist and Zoroastrian – will be represented in the Multi-Faith Centre in the Olympic Village during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. There will also be a chaplaincy service assisting around 17,000 athletes and officials, up to 200,000 staff and volunteers and 20,000 members of the press. During the London 2012 Games the Multi Faith Chaplaincy Service will involve 193 chaplains recruited from the faith communities.

LOCOG also set up the Multi-Faith Reference group in 2007 which encourages faith community engagement with the London 2012 Games at a community level. The group meets regularly with representatives from the faith communities and has advised LOCOG on many areas and policies including Volunteering, Food and Chaplaincy services.

As part of their visit, the Faith leaders and representatives helped launch the Faith pin badge, the fifth badge created to celebrate London 2012’s six strands of diversity and engage all communities to support London 2012. The Multi-Faith Reference Group worked together to come up with the simple design which is a visual statement of the world's faiths working together to engage with and serve the Games.

Paul Deighton, LOCOG’s Chief Executive, said: "The diversity of London and the rest of the UK was one of the reasons why London was chosen to host the Games and I am thrilled that representatives of all faiths had the opportunity to tour the Olympic Park and see the progress we have made.

"The Olympic Games and Paralympic Games are not only a showcase of sporting excellence but also a celebration of different faiths and cultures. Over the last four years, we have worked closely with all nine faiths to ensure that people of all faiths feel they can play their part in the London 2012 Games – whether they are a spectator, athlete or member of the local community. And the launch of the Faith pin badge demonstrates our commitment to leaving a legacy of greater inclusion and understanding of diversity long after the Games have finished."

The Archbishop of Canterbury said: ‘The Olympic site is a really impressive testimony to what can be achieved by a clear vision, working with sustainable materials and a long-term conviction about the common good. It is very encouraging to see how communities of faith are being drawn in to this great enterprise of celebration and regeneration.’

Dr Nathubhai Shah, President of the Jain Academy UK, said: "The transformation of the site for the public good is unbelievable. The Olympic Games, sports and faith work together for the progress of the British people."