European Hospitality Club opens in Baku

/By AzerNews/

By Nigar Orujova

European Hospitality Club was opened in Small Venice at Seaside National Park of Baku on June 10.

Azerbaijan’s First Lady, Chairperson of the Baku 2015 first European Games Organizing Committee Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the Club.

First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva was welcomed by Patrick Hickey, the president of European Olympic Committee, in front of the Park.

Aliyeva and Hickey cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the Club.

European Hospitality Club was created with the traditions of European Olympic Committee and Olympic Games.

The visitors will discuss the results of the competitions here. The club will offer celebrations of the athletes, receptions in honor of the winners.

The Club is considered an integral part of the Olympiads. European Hospitality Club will offer the samples of cuisine of Azerbaijan and Europe.

On the same day, Jorge Cristóvão, a 53 year-old cyclist and adventure athlete, who travelled to Azerbaijan via bicycle from Portugal, arrived to Seaside National Park.

His journey began at Lisbon’s Torre de Belém in April. Cristóvão was given the Portuguese flag by the NOC’s Chef de Mission, José Garcia, to bring the flag to Baku to be used by the Portuguese delegation’s flag bearer at the Baku 2015 European Games Opening Ceremony on June 12. This initiative was supported by the National Olympic Committee of Portugal.

First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva handed over the tickets to the cyclist and his family members to attend the Opening Ceremony of the Games.

Cristóvão also presented a letter of National Olympic Committee of Portugal to Mehriban Aliyeva. The First Lady also met the members of Portugal team who will participate in the First European Games.

The Baku 2015 Games are organized by BEGOC under the guidance and supervision of the EOC.

Baku 2015 is the first-ever European Games, an exciting and innovative multi-sport event for the continent that will take place on June 12-28, 2015.

There will be a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe will be representing their nations over 17 days of competition.

Baku was awarded the games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012