"To use the famous phrase of President John F Kennedy, we should think not what the European Games can do for us, but what we can do for the European Games," Arat told delegates on the concluding day of the 43rd European Olympic Committees (EOC) Seminar.

He was following up on the discussions that had taken place the previous day about possible further improvements to the European Games sports programme.

Arat was responding "more specifically" to requests made by two delegates for a "sport expert group" to be established to deal with future editions.  

"With less than 40 days to go we must show respect to all work done and focus on what is just in front of us," Arat told delegates. 

"As we have just mentioned with our introduction of esports in only the third edition of the Games, we are already among those who are leading the way.

"This is a great testament to work done previously on Baku 2015 and Minsk 2019 to bring us so far so quickly.

"In the EOC we bring a spirit of trying to do all we can for the athletes, even in difficult times.

"We know that this attitude is shared by the 2023 European Games organising committee, and for this we are very grateful.

"It’s an approach that is also shared by the European federations.

"They are bringing extra people, extra resources to make the Games a success.

"We all do our best.

"Yes, we need a solid programme and we are going to discuss about all the issues for the Games at a debriefing, as always we do.

"But I need to remind you that the Kraków Games will have the best sports programme these Games have ever had, as 18 sports are European qualifiers for the Olympic Games.

“They are artistic swimming, archery, basketball 3x3, badminton, boxing, breaking, canoe slalom, cycling BMX, cycling MTB, diving, fencing, judo, modern pentathlon, rugby sevens, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo and triathlon."

Arat reminded delegates that the all National Olympic Committees part of the EOC were invested in the success of the European Games, which are due to take place between June 21 and July 2. 

"Dear friends, we must remember that these are our Games, not the Games for someone else," he said. 

"So we all have a responsibility to help, not just for our athletes but for the Games as a whole.

"Please speak to your national media about sending more journalists to the Games - there will be so much to write about.

"Please speak to your TV broadcasters, and if they are already covering the Games, please speak to them about showing even more - there will be much to show.

"Let us speak not of the problems that we must cope with, let us speak of opportunities in the future.

"This is the way we talk to people in the same team, as we all are in the EOC.

"We are all working so hard for the success of these Games, and the more we give the better will be the results."

In his closing address at what he described as “a successful Seminar”, the EOC President Spyros Capralos underlined the comments made by Arat regarding the European Games.

“As Hasan stated earlier, these are not the Games of some other organisation, these are our Games,” Capralos said.

“Their success depends on us, and I have no doubt they will be successful.

“But the level of that success depends on us all.

“Please consider how you can help our colleagues on the Co-Ordination Commission in making the Games a success beyond your excellent work with your own athletes.

“Together let us make sure all of Europe sees our athletes’ successes in Poland.”