The presentation was held at the Barcelona Swimming Club appropriately located on the Barcelona seafront. Mrs Maite Fandos, deputy Sports Mayor and Mr Fernando Carpena, President of the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation assisted the act. Both of them stressed the importance of creating engaging fan projects. Today marks the 500 day countdown until the start of the Championships that will be staged from the 19th July until the 4th August 2013.
“Planet Water connects people, cultures and will never cease to surprise” explained Mengual who was surrounded by Champions from the 5 disciplines, Erika Villaécija (swimming), Claudia Gilabert (diving), Ana Copado and Iván Pérez (water polo), Alba Cabella and Paula Klamburg (synchronised swimming) and Kiko Hervás (open water swimming). “In 2013 Barcelona will host a huge celebration, the city will become the capital of Planet Water and will inspire the world”.
The athletes took turns to read phrases from the Planet Water manifest and then painted two distinctive blue gills on their necks that are the symbol of belonging to Planet Water.
Fandos made reference to the importance of the sea and water within the city and announced the intention of the Organising Committee to “implicate the city, its citizens, swimming clubs and companies in such an important sporting event”. Carpena thanked the President of the Barcelona Swimming Club Juan Luis Abellán as well as outlining two of the most important objectives of Planet Water “We need to work towards helping the environment and ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn how to swim”.