Welcome Message From The EBL President

Mr. Mayor of Warsaw, Mr. Vice President of the Polish Olympic Committee, Mr. Director of Sport of Warsaw, Mr. Director of Sport of the Region, Mr. President of the Polish Bridge Union, Authorities, distinguished guests, dear colleagues and dear friends,

Good evening and welcome to Warsaw to participate in the 48th Prokom European Bridge Teams Championships, almost 40 years since this event was held in Poland. In this year, 2006, the Polish Bridge Union celebrates the 50th Anniversary, the Golden Jubilee: a great event for a great bridge Federation, which achieved a tremendous success both in developing bridge, thanks to a remarkable schools bridge-teaching project, and in competing at the highest level in the World and European championships.

I am sure that, with teams representing some 35 countries, this will be another great bridge event, thanks to the Polish Bridge Union and its President, my colleague and dear friend Radoslaw Kielbasinski, and the Organising Committee, led by Mr. Marek Zieleniewski, who have worked with such commitment, passion, professionalism and enthusiasm towards its success. To all of them go our most sincere thanks. We are also very grateful to the local Authorities for their significant and essential contribution and to Prokom Software Company and all our Sponsor-friends who have allowed us to organise this Championship. A special thanks to the AEGON Company which welcomed and hosts us in this Opening Ceremony.

At present we are living through a difficult and troubled time in our history. The world is in turmoil, the 11th of September 2001 and all the dramatic consequences which resulted from it and continue to result from it daily, with a tragic escalation, which seems as dramatic as it is unstoppable, have changed history, equilibriums, politics, economy, hopes and prospects.

The peace, serenity, solidarity, common intent, which seemed an ambitious but obtainable goal for humanity, have left us open to the most wicked terrorism and fanatical egoism which have caused fear, uncertainty, and economic recession, triggering widespread religious, political and social conflicts.

Sport in general and bridge in particular are among the last bastions to stand up to these attacks. We play together, we compete together, we interact with each other, rejecting any discrimination. I have just come back from Bangkok where youth from Israel, Jordan and Pakistan played and enjoyed together, celebrating the Youth World Bridge Teams Championship.

This is and continues to be the true message of sport and bridge and we, all together, should do our utmost to ensure that this message is not in vain due to disruptive forces and misleading influences. This has to be and is our firm and resolute replay.

I am sure that, once again, this event will reflect our way of being and thinking. Let me repeat that our motto 'Bridge for Peace', which is our flag, must fly even higher.

Under these auspices I declare the 48th Prokom European Bridge Teams Championships officially open.

Enjoy the Championship and your stay in Warsaw.

Un abbraccio to you all.
Gianarrigo Rona

Welcome Message from Mr Lech Kaczynski

President of the Republic of Poland
Honorary Patron of the 48th European Team Bridge Championships

Organizers and Participants of the 48th European Teams Championships Warsaw 12-26 of August,
Dear Sirs,

I warmly welcome the organizers and all the players who have come for the 48th European Bridge Team Championships which officially start today in Warsaw.

It is really satisfying that the most important event in the EBL Calendar, which at the same time is the qualification event for the World Teams Championships, takes place - after 40 years - again in Poland. I have the pleasure to be the Honorary Patron of this Championship. The choice of Warsaw for the Championships is a proof and acknowledgment of the achievements of the Polish Bridge Union and for the many spectacular international successes of Polish bridge players, who have been considered as top players since the early 70's. The Gold medals of our University Team in Istanbul, our Schools Team in New York and the Silver and Bronze medals won by Polish teams 2 years ago in Malmo are good examples.

Intellectual battles are one of the best forms of competition, and bridge takes a place at the peak of the sporting hierarchy. Bridge has already achieved Olympic recognition in its challenge to become an Olympic Sport. That may happen in 2008 during the first "Inttelolympiad" in Beijing. I am confident that the sporting ideas of competition will accompany all sportsmen and women during this Championship in Warsaw too.

This European Team Championship is the main international point of the 50th Anniversary of the Polish Bridge Union. I congratulate the Union on such a beautiful Jubilee. I thank the organizers of this Championship for their efforts made in staging this prestigious event. I wish the players success and satisfaction from their play, and I wish the kibitzers many emotional and truly sporting expierences.

Prof Lech Kaczynski
President of the Republic of Poland