Rio is to be the safest city in the world during the Olympics next year, organizers said on Monday after a minute of silence for the victims of the Paris attacks and a signing ceremony for the French language to be used during the Games.
Despite growing concerns that the Games will become a target for terrorist attacks, Rio Olympics communications director Mario Andrada insisted security would be at a maximum for the Aug. 5 through Aug. 21 sporting extravaganza.
“Rio is going to be the safest city in the world during the Olympics,” he said.
“Security teams are already prepared for this type of event and there are already the intelligence services to protect people, the athletes, the Games. We’re going to communicate with the population to reassure people,” he added.
During a special ceremony, the International Olympic Committee also signed an agreement ensuring that French would be an official language for next year’s Games along with English, as it has been at all modern Olympics.
Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango, who was chosen by the International Francophone Committee as their Olympic ambassador, said the tribute showed the world that they were united behind France.
“It is precisely against this [terrorism] that we need events like this, to bring people together, to have common dreams for unity,” Dibango told reporters.
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