39th World Team Championships Page 2 Bulletin 1 - Sunday 30 August 2009


Opening Speech by JosÉ Damiani

Mr Gilberto Kassab, Mayor of Sao Paulo

Mr Jaime Ortiz-Patiño, President Emeritus of the World Bridge Federation

Mr Ernesto d’Orsi, President of the South American Zone, President Emeritus of the Brazilian Federation, President of the Championship Organising Committee

Mr Luiz Fernando Amaral, President of the Brazilian Federation

Dear Players, Dear Friends

What a great pleasure it is for us to be back in Brazil, a country that has staged no less than four previous Championships starting in 1969 in Rio, followed by ‘73 in Guaruja, ‘79 in Rio and ‘85 here in Sao Paulo.

And my dear friend and colleague Ernesto d’Orsi has been on-site organiser for all except the first his experience is legendary, and I know that we can all look forward to another wonderful, successful and enjoyable Championship here at the Hotel Transamerica. Ernesto, I know how hard you have worked for this event, and I know how deserving of our thanks you are.

It is also important that, on your behalf, I thank our corporate aponsor, the Generali Group, under the leadership of Antoine Bernheim, who is represented here by Mr Mario Cruz and Mr Stefano Convertino. We greatly appreciate Generali’s generous and continued support of our Sport of Bridge and I do thank them most sincerely.

I am sure you are all going to have a wonderful time here in Sao Paulo, and now would like Mr Gilberto Kassab, Mayor of Sao Paulo, and my friend Ernesto to join me so that we can open the Championship ...

Ladies and gentlemen, we are very honoured to declare the 2009 World Bridge Championships open.

José Damiani, WBF President



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