At a civic reception in Wellington today, the city's LGBT-friendly Mayor Kerry Prendergast will officially launch the website for the second AsiaPacific Outgames, planned for the capital in March 2011.

The Outgames will involve a range of sporting, cultural, and conference events for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and intersex community and their friends from the Asia-Pacific region and further afield.

"Wellington celebrates diversity in our community and is recognised as a high energy, exciting location for successful events," says Mayor Prendergast.

"The Outgames will be a weeklong opportunity to get together and share energy, ideas, and culture with our Asia-Pacific neighbours. We look forward to supporting the Outgames organising committee in the build up to this fantastic event."

Swimming, tennis, fast-pitch softball, running, volleyball, same-sex dancing, and soccer are sporting events now confirmed for Wellington's Outgames, confirmed for 12 - 19 March 2011.

"We encourage members of the Asia-Pacific GLBTI community to jump on to the new website to see what will be on offer over the week and make suggestions for any events they would like to see represented at the Outgames in 2011," says the Outgames' organising committee Co-chair, Virginia Hopkins-Burns.

The first Asia Pacific Outgames, held in Melbourne in 2007, was a well-attended success andreturned a profit used to form a legacy fund for the Asia Pacific region.