From Germany to South Africa
7 July 2006
The four-year journey to the 2010 Fifa World Cup kicked off with "the biggest football party ever" at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Friday.
As the responsibility for hosting the world's biggest sporting event was officially handed over to South Africa, a free concert featuring some of Africa's brightest musical stars got football fans dancing in the German capital.
Africa comes to Berlin
South African musicians Vusi Mahlasela and Freshlyground and African stars Youssou N'Dour and Angélique Kidjo joined German acts Xavier Naidoo, Wir sind Helden and Die Fantastischen Vier, South American star Ivete Sangalo and others at Fifa's "Football for a Better World: From Germany to South Africa" show.
The official emblem of the 2010 Fifa World Cup was unveiled by a delegation including Fifa President Sepp Blatter, South African President Thabo Mbeki, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and 2006 Organising Committee president Franz Beckenbauer.
Former South African president and Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela also addressed the show audience in Berlin - and millions of television viewers watching the broadcast in over 120 countries - with a message relayed by video from South Africa.
We'll keep our promise: Mbeki
Speaking at Friday's event, President Mbeki has assured the world that the 2010 World Cup would be out of the ordinary, saying South Africa would stun the world with its friendliness and unique culture.
Comparing hosting the event successfully with bringing an end to apartheid, Mbeki said: "Some people didn't believe us - but we kept that promise."
"Africa is ready, Africa's time has come," Mbeki said, urging football fans to seize the opportunity to spread "human solidarity" as Africa emerged from "many, many centuries of great difficulty."
Win in Africa with Africa
Fifa president Sepp Blatter
said the world trusted South Africa to deliver a world-class event, adding that 2010 would be "justice for African football, but also justice for Africa - for all the women and the men of this continent."
In 2004, Fifa announced its vision to "develop the game, touch the world, build a better future". The first project to follow from this, "Win in Africa with Africa" - which is also the slogan for the 2010 Fifa World Cup - aims to ensure that the entire continent benefits from the event in South Africa.
Friday's concert also highlighted Fifa's "6 Villages for 2006" charity campaign, which aims to fund the construction of six new SOS Children's Villages in Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Ukraine and Vietnam, offering a new home to at least 800 children in need.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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