Ahead of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) 2020 host city decision at its Session in Buenos Aires on September 7, Arat is here to gain a further insight into the components necessary for a successful Games.

His main observations concern sports' ability to bring people together and to create opportunities to progress at a competitive, but also at a more general, level and this is something integral to his 2020 vision:

"Youngsters are travelling the world because of sport but it is not just about the medals but the experiences and being able to say that I was there," he told insidethegames.

"I would want to be in their position staying in the village having fun and gaining unforgettable memories - it is a gift from the sports world and in return these youngsters will encourage more people.

"In Turkey we will be able to do this as well and we will inspire a whole generation."

Hasan Arat proving that his basketball skills remain formidable at the Asian Youth Games



Although Arat was unable to be treated as a competitor in the Athletes' Village he did impress the basketball crowd at the Jiangsu Wutaishan Centre to prove that he has not lost the skills garnered during a professional career.

As a former sportsman his awareness of the plight of the young athletes and their need to be cultivated through events such as these is clear and he aims to repeat the good work done here by the organisers from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

"You can build stadium and anything you want if you have a good economy and the right technology, but the legacy for us is to the young population," he said.

"Here it is fantastic and the parade in the Opening Ceremony showed how the athletes really can integrate through sports and this is something we will see again in 2014 at the Youth Olympics.

"I have seen how big the OCA's commitment to the youth has been and how they organise things very well, come together and have a very good alliance with the committed Chinese Government.

"Working with politicians is very important and we have huge support in Turkey from the President, Prime Minister and Ministers as well as the private sector, universities and even the opposition parties."

The athletes parade was something that impressed Arat during the Opening Ceremony in Nanjing



Before learning from the Games here, Arat was similarly influenced by the case of the Beijing Olympics - which he saw as a big turning point for Chinese and Asian sport due to the new role-models created - and he hopes that a similarly galvanising effect would occur in Turkey.

As it was during an inspiring visit to Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium with the Turkish President Abdullah Gul in 2009 that it was first realised that Turkey must seize the opportunity to bid again, Arat also revealed that Istanbul's "bid dream started here in China."

Yet the subject which clearly excited him the most concerned the mobilisation of volunteers which was so successful at London 2012 and has been evident again here in Nanjing.

"I never forget the volunteers in London: 70,000 of them from every age group from doctors to students - with some taking their holidays to work at the Games and serve their countries.

"Here I feel the same energy and they are really proud and show that Nanjing's 2014 Youth Olympic Games will be very successful.

"Volunteers are a big part of the Olympic family and without them there would not be the same family."

There are over 13,000 volunteers such as these here in Nanjing



He added that from this pool of volunteers new managers will move into the sports world and as they tell others of their experiences more and more people will eventually want to be involved.

As Turkey has a particularly vibrant youth population this is certainly something which can be inherited by Istanbul 2020 and Arat is confident that his youth message will be a similarly successful one:

"Istanbul is a hub of the region and a meeting point between two continents - this will teach young people about both European and Asian cultures.

"Due to our geography and history we build a bridge between the east and west and people will be able start the day on one side and have lunch on the other side.

"Our bid is so connected to youth and the region that's why these games mean so much to us.

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