A number of times over the past twenty years I have seen major programmes or events that I felt could have been enhanced by additional participation or inspiration. We tend to have large scale events that could have been so much more, that could have involved so many in ways that would have left a permanent legacy, with a positive effect on hundreds of millions or even billions instead of the limited exposure.

I mention here four specific large media events for which I made proposals and the effect I believe that would have been made.

 

 

Millennium Dome

The Millennium was obviously a huge event around the world and the Dome was to be London’s centrepiece celebrating moving from one era to the next, as such it had the potential to capture the imagination, to cast the mind back a thousand years and forward to what might be. Despite the magnitude of the occasion there was a lack of suitable ideas of what to place within the Dome and I had read that a young boy had been invited to say what he would like to see displayed, the feeling was obviously that it should be more than just another exhibition.

I had been creating inspirational messages for some years before and I thought one of them could be used in a way that would see thousands actually having a personal involvement in the structure. The idea I put forward was to have had a message in the press –

This is my oath as I am born

To strive for peace or be forlorn

To leave this world proud of my name

And a better place than when I came

Underneath there would be a place for someone’s signature.  Anyone who cut out the message and sent it back to the Millennium Commission would have their name projected in some way within the Dome giving them a personal involvement. Also I had envisaged a walk through wonderful scenes with actor’s voices speaking inspirational words so that one emerged somewhat spellbound into the new era with a renewed spirit and positive outlook.

 

2012 London Olympics

 

Having already been working on my peace project for many years I saw the  London Olympics as an incredible chance to portray our wish for a better and more peaceful world. As a showcase for nearly two billion people the thought of what might be achieved was mesmerising, so three years before the event I put forward my concept.

I wrote to Lord Coe suggesting that the 20112 Olympics should be on the theme of World Peace and that competing nations could hold competitions for anyone to submit inspirational peace messages, the best of which would be sent to the Olympic committee and then some selected to be read out by the authors during the games and also made into a book for posterity. I wrote a number of my own messages to give examples to show how powerful this concept might be. Lord Coe replied in a positive way suggesting I take the idea further. Unfortunately it was such a huge project, I was unable to spend the time needed to pursue my idea with all the relevant people and so the opportunity was lost.

The games could have taken on a magical feeling, left a huge legacy, and gone a long way to help the worlds mindset towards more understanding and better communication. In view of the deteriorating environment and continued violence I am sad that this concept was not taken up being so logical and needed.

Here are my examples submitted –

 

London Olympics 2012

 

Suggested Theme   -   World  Peace

Example inspirational peace messages relating to The Olympic Games.

Author   William Royce

1/9/08

wgroyce@hotmail.com

07947 353602

 

 

 

 

OLYMPIC SPIRIT 2012

 

Let challenge and honour combine all nations to remind us that it is natural to compete for the greatest prize of all, the respect of others, no matter their origins.

Peaceful games are the foundation for a peaceful world, those who take part and represent their own country, do so in the knowledge that they are helping to keep a torch alight that will enlighten all people to understand the future of the world depends upon our ability and wish to create harmony.

There will always be victors, but in peace victory is respected by the defeated. Let us fight a game not a war, where victory receives respect and not condemnation.

 

©

William Royce

 

25/8/08

 

 

LONDON FLAME

 

London Flame that burns so bright

There for all to see the light

A symbol burnished in our mind

The flame to unite all mankind

 

©

William Royce

29/8/08

 

NATIONAL PRIDE

 

Let every nation play their part

And put their doubts aside

For here we think of honour

And a sense of national pride

 

Here the world begins anew

A beacon lights the way

For all to take the path of peace

And have their part to play

 

©

William Royce

29/8/08

 

 

OLYMPIC DREAM

 

More than the hopes of any individual, is the dream that the spirit of the games will draw on the collective consciousness of the world, to unite in an enduring peace that will forever more be remembered as the

 

‘Olympic Dream’

 

©

William Royce

29/8/08

 

 

ULTIMATE CHALLENGE

 

The ultimate challenge is to compete at the highest level, the ultimate reward is to receive an honour. The ultimate outcome should be the realisation that before us stand athletes who had incredible belief in themselves, and whose path to glory was without doubt not without sacrifice. Those with the will to surpass all others have endured pain in order to satisfy their personal and nations goals, they are modern day gladiators whose sword is dedication, and shield undying spirit.

 

©

William Royce

29/8/08

 

 

 

COMMON PURPOSE

 

Bright is the flame that lights a vision of the future, where all compete for a better world, where injustices of the past become a shadow, and where common purpose lies in the protection of our planet and those less fortunate than ourselves.

 

©

William Royce

31/8/08

 

 

 

MY DREAM (WORLD PEACE)

My dream is larger than life
So powerful it is awe inspiring
So real it is reality
So intense it numbs all else
So simple it seems naïve
So necessary it defies ridicule
So peaceful it is all conquering

'This is no dream'


©

William Royce

 

 

 

‘Let us not be defeated by the thought of Peace’

 

©

William Royce

1/9/08

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mayor of London

 

I submitted to both Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson, the concept of using advertising space in public places in London to display inspirational and thought provoking messages aimed at producing a calming effect within such a highly populated area. Advertising spaces on the station escalators , on hoardings, and other areas, could have a major effect subliminally creating peaceful feelings .

 

Princess Diana Concert

I had written two pieces for Princess Diana which she acknowledged, one was for the Landmine Campaign in which she was very involved In the days following her death I created a memorial set of verse inspired by the intense news coverage, this set was sent to all the Royal Family and various close friends , plus her brother and mother. I received acknowledgements from all of them, and when the charity concert was staged in her memory, I presented the idea of having the set produced as a small book and also for individual pieces to be read out in between the acts to the organisers. 

 

Invictus Games

Whilst watching the news about the Invictus Games I noticed that the ‘I AM ‘ had been highlighted in the logo, as those competing would be people injured as a result of violence again I had similar thoughts to my Olympic concept years earlier.  I remembered I had written a verse entitled ‘I AM’  and together with this sent a concept to the sponsors and also Prince Harry the originator. I received a very nice letter from Prince Harry suggesting further contact with the organisers,  again time constraints prevented me from being able to press home the potential.

I Am

I am the earth I am the sea
I am the sun that shines on me
I am the day I am the night
I am the stars that shine so bright

I am the love I feel inside
I am the pain I cannot hide
I am the vision that I see
I am the things I want to be

I am the hope I am the goal
I am the spirit and the soul
I am the person I could be
But most of all I am me.

©
William Royce