On 25 July 1992, against a backdrop of local and global expectation, the Barcelona Olympic Games were inaugurated and on 3 September 1992, the Paralympic Games followed suit. In 2017, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of those Games, which are universally considered as one of the turning points in Barcelona taking a forward-looking and global-orientated path. 

The celebration of the 25th anniversary of the 1992 Olympic Games represents the perfect opportunity to restore the values linked to sports and the Olympic Games such as solidarity and peace, respect for others, an effort-based culture, the pursuit of excellence and fair play. Restoring these values must serve to promote more participative and committed attitudes amongst citizens to the development of society as a whole.

In 1992, Barcelona and its citizens witnessed one of the most significant and transformational chapters in the city's contemporary history. The range of activities planned by Barcelona City Council and local authorities, institutions and organisations, therefore aims to keep the memory of the Games alive and interpret exactly what they meant to the city.

We also view this anniversary as an opportunity. An opportunity to create a forum in which to exchange different accounts of what the Games meant and how cities have to overcome the challenge of making such large-scale sports events compatible with co-existence, social cohesion and sustainability.

The dynamism and momentum of the time have left a legacy encompassing both tangible assets and many other intangible assets. To name just a few, the urban transformation of the city, the installation of first-rate neighbourhood and municipal sports facilities, the contribution to greater participation in sports amongst residents, the strong sense of belonging to a city and a project and the cohesion and excitement generated by experiencing and participating in such a unique event. However, we must reflect on the business transformations over the years and continue working to improve infrastructures, services, co-existence and participation in order to keep alive the Olympic flame that warmed our spirits 25 years ago.

Barcelona City Council is truly honoured to include all groups, platforms and institutions linked to the 1992 Olympic Games and the world of sport in the city in its celebrations. It must be stressed that without the voluntary workers, collaborating associations, members of the Olympic Organising Committee of Barcelona and sponsors, the Games would not have been possible. Likewise, the 17 cities that served as locations at which Olympic events were held also deserve acknowledgement and will play an important role in the celebrations.

• Keeping the memory of a contemporary event that transformed the city and its residents alive.
• Stressing the importance of physical activities and sport in the process of changing and transforming cities.
• Enhancing knowledge of sports facilities and sports programmes run in Barcelona.
• Promoting the educational, social, cohesive, health and well-being values that involvement in sports represents to all of us, in addition to awakening a critical spirit in terms of the regrettable aspects of sport.
• Creating synergies between the different cities that served as locations during the 1992 Olympic Games.
• Including all groups, platforms and institutions linked to the 1992 Olympic Games and the world of sport in the city in its celebrations. Volunteers, collaborating associations, etc.
• Making culture, history and sports tools for remembering, debating and and sharing, as a means of living life to the full.
• Harnessing ICTs to make the city's sports history and culture more freely accessible to the city's residents.
• Seizing the opportunity to boost more critical visions and encourage discussions on future challenges posed by large-scale sports events.