Melbourne will be hosting a large anniversary in November 2006 to celebrate 50 years after the staging of the �friendly Games�. The major events will be a re-enactment of the opening with hopefully representatives from each of the 67 nations which took part in 1956 joining the parade on the Olympic stadium, plus a full programme of entertainment in front of some 50,000 people. We look forward to making very welcome all of the 1956 Olympians, officials & media.

An Olympians Club of Australia dinner will also be held to which all 1956 Olympians will be invited as guests. The national sporting bodies & ethnic communities in Melbourne will invite 1956 visitors to their special events and the state will host a reception.

The dates to keep free for Melbourne are 18-22 November 2006. We will shortly have available special rates at several hotels for visitors plus the full schedule of events. The organising committee has been working for more than 12 months already to make sure that this is an occasion to be remembered.
Further information is available at �[email protected]� (all lower case).

We are indeed lucky to have John Landy, who won bronze in the 1500 in 1956, as the governor of Victoria & IOC member Kevan Gosper, a silver medallist in Melbourne, both involved with the anniversary. "On behalf of the Olympians Club of Australia I look forward to seeing all 1956 athletes & officials in Melbourne in November 2006," said Leon Wiegard, President of the Olympians Club of Australia & member of the Organising Committee 1956-2006.

reprinted from World Olympians Association

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