Barcelona is a city that grows through its dreams. We now wish to work hard in collaboration with the Pyrenees to realise a new dream: to host the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in 2022.

A process is now getting under way which should result in our being nominated as a candidate city by the Spanish Olympic Committee in January 2013, surviving the International Olympic Committee cut in 2014 and Olympic nomination in October 2015. This is our goal and the path we have to take.

Whereas the 1992 Olympic Games helped to redevelop the city and equip it with the necessary infrastructures and social structures, the 2022 Barcelona-Pyrenees bid, however, represents a unique opportunity to improve our city's links between with Catalonia, consolidate the model of an open, cohesive city with its own character and reaffirm its leadership and international profile as the economic power house of southern Europe.

However, no-one can be unaware of the enormous capacity the Olympic Games have for creating effort, resources and opportunities, and this is something that Barcelona wants to take advantage of, that Catalonia can and wants to take advantage of. The 2022 Olympic Games can play a decisive role in developing a large part of Catalonia, particularly in the Pyrenees. That is how we should interpret the proposal's shows of support from every social, political and institutional sector based in the Pyrenees.

The 2022 Barcelona-Pyrenees bid is a Barcelona project for Catalonia. A project of a Mediterranean capital city that has enjoyed long and fruitful ties with its mountains. A project that is fundamental to Barcelona's, Catalonia's and Spain's role within Europe. A Catalonia project on a world level with its capital at the helm.

The 2022 Barcelona-Pyrenees bid is also the proposal of a city that is hugely appreciative of the Olympic movement. A city which has known, better than any other, how to tap into and integrate the Olympic spirit. Therefore this project, Barcelona feels committed to working with institutions and sports agencies to promote and develop the Catalan and Spanish winter and ice sports.

Now that Barcelona's desire to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics has been announced, it is time we pooled our aims and resources. And joining forces will be the best way to ensure we create the best possible bid.