November 28, 2008 – It was a special occasion when sports, corporate sponsorship and the finest in German automotive engineering and design came together as Daimler SEA and the International Olympic Committee jointly presented a Mercedes-Benz Vito the Singapore National Olympic Council at the Singapore Arts Museum today.
Daimler and the IOC donated the 11-seater mini-bus Vito as logistical support to the SNOC for ferrying visiting dignitaries from the airport as well as equipment for annual events and activities such as the Olympic Day Run and, of course, the Youth Olympic Games in 2010 and the Asian Youth Games in 2009.
Corporate sponsors such as Daimler “help us do our work better,” said Minister of Defence and President of the Singapore National Olympic Council, who described Daimler as a great corporate citizen for the generosity of its gesture.
Singapore will need many more such gestures of support from the corporate world to make the Youth Olympic Games an overwhelming success, he said.
“We are meeting not only as business partners, but also as friends united for a common social goal,” said Dr. Rainer Thiel, President of Daimler South East Asia. “Today we are here to show our support for the athletes of Singapore and especially for those preparing for the next Asian Games, the Youth Olympic Games and the Olympic Games.”
Much to the amusement of the 30 athletes and officials on hand from Singapore’s sports fraternity, Minister Teo immediately got behind the wheel of the mini-bus and took Dr. Thiel and Ng Ser Miang, an executive board member for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Vice President of the SNOC for a quick test drive.
Guests at the event were also treated to several demonstrations by some very young but very impressive athletes from the Singapore Taekwondo Federation. The event was emceed by Andrew Saunders, chief executive officer of Singapore Sailing Federation.
Daimler has had a long relationship with the International Olympic Committee through its involvement in the Olympic Solidarity development assistance programme, which promotes fair play, the strengthening of intercultural ties and outstanding athletic performance.
For National Olympic Committees around the world, Daimler and the IOC have helped provide logistical support to NOCs through the gifting of mini-buses. Since 1996 Daimler AG and the IOC have provided more than 100 Mercedes-Benz mini-buses to NOCs in all five continents.
However, the IOC and Daimler have gone further in Africa, Asia and Oceania by providing assistance with athlete development programmes through the construction of training centres for children and young people. “We are very pleased with this long and proven cooperation,” with Daimler, said Mr. Ng. “For the IOC, it is really a strategic partnership.”
As an IOC board member, Mr. Ng also had high words of praise for the SNOC’s work over the past few years. In 2005, the SNOC hosted the overwhelmingly successful 117th Session of the IOC. This past year, the SNOC was the principal driver in Singapore’s contribution to the IOC’s Giving is Winning campaign. Working with Singapore’s schools and national sports associations, Singapore collected sports clothing, equipment and accessories for people living in refugee camps.
The SNOC is also the first Olympic council in Asia to incorporate the IOC’s Athletes Career Programme run with Adecco. The programme helps athletes gear up for life after competitive sports,” Mr. Ng said.
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