Throwback Island Games

As the Island Games return this Saturday, this time on Orkney for the very first time, I find myself reflecting on a journey that began on the Isle of Man in 1985.

I have had the great privilege of attending every Games since then and serving on the Executive Committee from 1997, including seventeen unforgettable years as Chair from 2007 until 2024.

Now, in my new role as Speaker of the Åland Parliament, I must follow this year’s Games from afar but my heart is very much with the athletes, volunteers and organisers in Orkney. You are the heroes of our time and you will understand the importance of what you do when the Opening Ceremony starts on Saturday. 

The soul of the Island Games is about sporting development on our islands, and it is particularly meaningful to see Orkney, as a first-time host, take on this important role with such enthusiasm and commitment. The strength of the Games lies in the energy of the islands, and I am proud to say that interest in hosting remains strong, with the Faroe Islands next in 2027, then the Isle of Man, Gotland and others to follow. All of them examples of cooperation and a will to take part in something larger. 

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have led this remarkable organisation for so many years. I offer my warmest congratulations and best wishes to my successor Andrew Inkster and his colleagues on the International Island Games Association Executive who together with Gordon Deans and his crew has made this possible. I also extend heartfelt thanks to all the local organisers and volunteers who so generously and courageously ensure that sport continues to bring life, hope and pride to our islands.

Today, I am honoured to be a Life Member of the International Island Games Association (IIGA), and while I may no longer serve in an official capacity, I remain committed to supporting future hosts, whenever and however time allows.

Let the Games inspire, connect, and uplift. Good luck, Orkney, and thank you. And to all the competitors; enjoy and make sure to meet friends, the more the merrier.

The pictures are from previous meetings in Orkney, 2013 and 2022. Behind every successful Games lies meetings, discussions, planning, trust and wilfulness.