Sydneysiders are joining the Welcome the World campaign on Sunday, 13 August as part of Clean Up Australia’s special Olympic clean up.

Sydney 2000 will supervise a site at Wentworth Drive near Sydney Airport, where volunteers from the Games workforce will join with the local community in cleaning up the parklands surrounding the airport.

‘This is an opportunity for Sydneysiders to demonstrate their pride for their city as we prepare to put on our best face to welcome the world,’ said Glen-Marie Frost, SOCOG’s General Manager of Communications and Community Relations.

‘With two months to go, now is the time to make sure the city and surrounds are sparkling in anticipation of the influx of international and interstate visitors who will come to Sydney for the Games. First impressions are lasting ones, and Sydney Airport, as many of our visitors’ first glimpse of Australia is an important site in setting the tone for the rest of their stay.’

Clean Up Australia Day is the largest community participation event in the country, attracting over half a million volunteers every year. Sydney 2000 saw an obvious link to the Welcome the World program when Ian Kiernan and his team decided to hold a special second Clean Up in preparation for the Olympic Games.

Welcome the World recognises the vital role all Australians play in the success of the Games. Working with tourism, hospitality, retail and transport industries and the general community, it aims to ensure that Sydney provides gold-medal service, enhancing our reputation as the friendliest, most welcoming people in the world.

Other Welcome the World initiatives at the airport include a customer service training program and extensive branding program which will see airport retailers decorate their stores with welcome banners and decorations, immediately giving visitors a taste of the rich flavour of the Olympic host city.

Source: SOCOG