Faith leaders welcome Olympic teams to London

As one of the London Church Leaders, Archbishop Vincent Nichols of the Diocese of Westminster added his voice to those of other Christian leaders and leaders of different faiths in the capital in a statement welcomeing athletes and officials to the 2012 Games:

We believe every human being to be ultimately a pilgrim in search of truth, goodness and the fulfillment of potential. When this pilgrimage is lived out authentically, it opens the path to dialogue with the other, excluding no one while committing everyone to building a fraternity of peace.

Our hope, therefore, is that all people of faith, and those of none, would "pursue initiatives for peace and reconciliation in the spirit of the Ancient Games"*.

We, as Christian leaders of London, joining with our neighbours and partners from many different faiths across the city, welcome to our great city the athletes and officials of the 30th Summer Olympic Games from across the globe. May this be a time of new, and renewed, friendships where deeper peace and understanding is forged between us all as a common humanity.

* The United Nations Resolution (A/RES/48/11) "Urges all Member States to take the initiative to abide by the Truce, individually and collectively, and to pursue in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations the peaceful settlement of all international conflicts."