Queen Elizabeth II used her Christmas Day message Saturday to highlight the importance of sport as a way of building communities, 19 months ahead of the London Olympic Games. In her traditional televised address to the nation, which is regularly watched by millions of Britons celebrating Christmas at home, the British monarch pointed to October's Commonwealth Games as an example of how sport unites people.
"During this past year of abundant sporting events, I have seen for myself just how important sport is in bringing people together from all backgrounds, from all walks of life and from all age groups," the 84-year-old said. In her Christmas message, the queen cited how, across Britain, "countless thousands of people every week give up their time to participate in sport and exercise of all sorts, or simply encourage others to do so."
"These kinds of activity are common throughout the world and play a part in providing a different perspective on life," she said. "We see this vividly at the Commonwealth Games, for example, which is known to many as the Friendly Games and where I am sure you have noticed that it is always the competitors from the smallest countries who receive the loudest cheers," she said.