Imagine if...

My family at The Canadian Mint Pavilion
carefully touching our Canadian Medals (2010)

I am a huge fan of the Olympic Games for many reasons. I have had the opportunity to work in Beijing and Vancouver (and while having a small envy for my friends in London, I also know how much you have to be able to put into it), on the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and have made many friends and been impressed by so many things. As an Event Producer it is a long road as you prepare for and bring to life the vision for an Olympic Games - but we do this for the challenges! Ultimately it is about the spirit, the drive, and the global community!

Imagine if...

All wars between countries were fought on a sports field; where you lose proudly to a friend knowing you always gave it your best effort.

People from around the world, speaking dozens of languages, sat beside each other in office "cubes" all working towards the same common goal.  (hint: they do!)

An entire city / region / country embraces a positive spirit, and from morning until night people greet each other warmly, watching their countries compete on screens available everywhere.

The cultures of a region are brought together and celebrated through a continuum of music, dance, many mediums of art, cinema and film, in ways we have not seen or even necessarily contemplated before.

The pride in your country is celebrated through sport and culture. (the alternative of how we consider winning through wars is incredibly depressing)

We all faced every day like the athletes. They all have abilities and then combine it with the highest level of mental drive, physical ability, hours of practice, an ability to be coachable, and pure spirit. There is an amazing range of physicality through the Olympics and Paralympics and it truly showcases the very best we can be across this amazing range of sports.

The entire world watched as you celebrated your country! Everyone will have an opinion on the Opening Ceremonies, and I personally admire the focus on the history that was celebrated of a country that has had an amazing impact on most of the developed world.

The opportunity was for anyone to win. All of us have good days and better days and days we wish for a do-over. Whether you are the first woman to run from Saudi Arabia or a woman from Ethiopa who wins, the world truly is yours to celebrate with. My favorite personal memory from Beijing will always remain seeing the 800m of the Women's Heptathalon. At the end of that race, they knew who had won gold, silver and bronze in that event. EVERY SINGLE WOMAN in that event went together and ran a victory lap. That is the power of people who know that as much as we compete, being part of something bigger is what really matters.

Imagine if we approached every single event imagining that it will have an impact on every single person who touches the event. Imagine if we truly understood the power of what we create on a daily basis.

Imagine the possibilities.

2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games

Thank you world, for coming to Vancouver and Whistler to share the fabulous Games with us. It all began with a 107 day Cross Canada relay that began before Halloween 2009, a relay that was designed to and successful in embracing all Canadians. From dogsled to canoe, floatplane to foot, the methods of transport covered everything we could imagine, and a little bit more. Whether it was plus 10 or minus 20, Canadians came out and celebrated. When I have asked friends and colleagues, many from countries around the world, who were part of the team that traversed the country what their highlights were, it always came back to the people. From our First Nations reserves and military bases, to the small towns and capital cities, the welcome was consistently overwhelming and their memories are unlimited. The Ceremonies including the nightly victory and medal presentations, the Sports, the athletes and their vast supporting teams, the visitors and the fantastic weather all wove the fabric for a fantastic experience shared by so many. The many pavilions were a highlight for both visitors and for locals, and again the experiences, even with lines from one hour to eight (the wildly successful Royal Canadian Mint was beyond popular) all contributed to the emotion. The National Houses, from Russia to Italy, Switzerland to Holland, and so many more showed off the best of these locations as they presented the face of how they are now wanting to be perceived in the world provided a reason to go out and see these. The Canadian pavilions beyond the Mint, from our country pavilion to each province, the Northern House (still open through April) all showcased the best coming out of these provinces from music to sports and culture and provided a great reason to come downtown. Oh downtown... Robson and Granville at the heart of the city, became the must attend place. With six hour line-ups to ride the zipline across to the Art Gallery landing pad, a skating rink, live bands and the collective energy of thousands daily, this was Canadian-ism at its best. CODE is the forum set up at www.vancouver2010.com that provided the avenue for all people to contribute their digital memories to be shared with the world, and its success also unprecedented. We were lucky to have had a hand in pavilions, hospitality programs and to get out and attend a variety of ceremonies and sporting events at both the Olympics and Paralympics, and what a positive experience. Everyone on our team was lucky to have been a part of this, and as we settle back into the routine, we are excited to bring this energy and positive force to the programs that build on the reputation developed even further of Vancouver and Whistler as truly exciting destinations that must be added to everyone's bucket list. Welcome world, we look forward to seeing you here.