On Wednesday (24/4) we welcome her Shine. Who are torchbearers? The program & events
The Municipality of Central Corfu is intensively continuing its preparations to welcome the Olympic Flame next Wednesday, April 24, on its journey to Paris, where from July 26 to August 11 it will host the 33rd Modern Summer Olympic Games. The route, which will be crossed by the six elite Corfu torchbearers, has already been planned, culminating in Kato Platia, where modest but appropriate events will take place. The organization has been coordinated by Fotis Skurtiswhile the events were overseen by the Corfu “priestess” at the Olympic Flame lighting ceremony, Katerina Payataki.
The events in Corfu
The Olympic Flame is expected to pass through Igoumenitsa and arrive at the port of Corfu at 3 pm next Wednesday. The first torchbearer, who will be the former world record holder in the junior 2000 steeplechase Arsenis Tsiminos will pick it up at El. Venizelou Junction – Lt. Sp. Blaikou on the outskirts of the New Fortress. Then the flame will be received (near the Diapon-Laiki Agora cellar) by the second torchbearer on behalf of the disabled, the Noon. The iceman Haris Theodosisas the third torchbearer will pick it up near the entrance of the Gymnasium (St. Desyllas) and deliver it near Orpheus to the World Softball Champion, Bouziou Ioanna. She, in turn, at the height of the Ionian Academy, will hand it over to Sydney’s Rhythmic Gymnastics Bronze Medalist Maria Georgatou, which shortly after Actaeon will leave it in the hands of the silver medalist in Rio, Spyrou Gianniotis, who as the last torchbearer will take her to Kato Plateia, to light the Altar, which will host her until the following day (Thursday 25/4), where at 8 am she will depart for Messolonghi. In the Lower Square there will be a Mixed Music Ensemble of four Philharmonics (Palaia, Mantzarou, Kapodistria and K. Korakianas), where they will play the Olympic & National Anthems and other songs. At the same time, dance performances from dance schools will be presented. It should be noted that the “Flame” is accompanied by a 40-member delegation of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and Olympic Sports Federations.
The journey of the Olympic Flame in Greece
From the hands of the Corfu-born “golden” rowing Olympic champion Stefanos Duskus, who was the first torchbearer, after the lighting ceremony, which took place on Tuesday, April 16 in Ancient Olympia, the journey of the Olympic Flame in Greece began. The Olympic Flame will tour Greece until the evening of Friday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. which will be handed over to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, in a ceremony open to the public, to then arrive in Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. The Torch Relay in Greece will last 11 days and the Olympic Flame will travel 5,202 kilometers and 563 nautical miles miles, in the hands of 600 Torchbearers. It will travel from Crete to Alexandroupoli and from Corfu to Kastelorizo and will pass through 13 Regions, seven Islands, 43 Cities, 41 Municipalities, five Communities, 10 Archaeological Sites and two Olympic Museums (Athens and Thessaloniki). One day before arriving in Corfu, he will have spent the night in Ioannina, since he will first start from Alexandroupoli and pass through Eleftheroupoli-Veroia-Vergina (Aiges). On Wednesday morning (24/4) he will travel from Ioannina to Igoumenitsa to spend the afternoon in Corfu. It will leave our island on Thursday morning (25/5) for Messolonghi-Rio Bridge-Patra-Spiti Palama-University of Patras and will end up in Corinth. Friday (26/4) is the last day of her stay in our country. After Corinth it goes Megara-Marathona-Sounio-Foundation St. Niarchos-to the Center of Athens to end up at the Panathenaic Stadium, where it will be handed over to the French organizers of the Olympic Games
The Olympic Flame passes through Corfu for the third time
The Olympic flame appeared for the first time in the opening ceremony of the 1928 Games, a practice that was repeated in 1932. Four years later the rituals were enriched with the touching ceremony in ancient Olympia and the torch relay. On its first route, the flame was carried from ancient Olympia to Athens, the Acropolis and the Panathenaic Stadium. Then about 3,000 runners carried it to Berlin, crossing Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Austria. The rituals were repeated in 1948 and the following year they were adopted by the IOC. However, in 1948 Greece was in the midst of civil conflict. Thus, the touching ceremony, which for the first time took place at the altar of the temple of Hera, took place in a climate of insecurity and intense military guarding. In fact, for the first time it was not transported by runners to Athens. Instead, it was transferred to the nearest port and from there traveled to southern Corfu. The flame reached the port of Lefkimmi. There was a reception of people and women in traditional costumes. The sailor Vlachopoulos received the flame in a boat and with acato reached the land, handing the flame to the sailor Kanda. From Lefkimmi the flame traveled to Spianada while the residents showered the torch bearers with flowers. Salvos Agios lit the flame in the center of the square. At the same time planes were flying low. A parade of athletes from all sports clubs followed, followed by volleyball and cricket matches as well as gymnastic demonstrations. In the evening the flame was given to the captain of the ship White Sand Bay, while she was accompanied by boats with women in traditional costumes. The Corfu Philharmonic was also on a ferry. The flame traveled to Bari, Italy. It was then carried by runners to the west coast of France, crossing areas of Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium, and then crossed by ship to Great Britain.
In 2004, universal participation
In 2004, the year of the Olympic Games in Athens, the Olympic Torch Relay crossed the Hellas and the 54 laws of the country. It arrived in Corfu on August 5, 2004 and was welcomed by thousands of our fellow citizens, as well as visitors, who were on our island due to the tourist season. The last torchbearer was our Olympian Maria Georgatou, who lit the flame on an altar, which was on a platform set up in the Lower Square, where events took place. It is worth noting that a large number of people had flooded Kato & Pano Platia, creating an inseparable atmosphere.
Lazarus Saturday 2016
After twelve years the Olympic Flame passed through Corfu again to continue its journey to distant Brazil and carry the Olympic Light to the city of Rio, where the Olympic games will be held. It was Lazarus Saturday, April 24, 2016. The Flame arrived on the island at 12.00 noon (from Igoumenitsa) and followed the following route: Corfu GS (St. Desyllas), “ORFEAS” (contribution of Ionian Academy and Kapodistrio), Spianada. A special ceremony was held in front of the Pano Square Stage with the playing of the Olympic Anthem and the National Anthems of Greece and Brazil, the raising of flags, followed by greetings from the officials.
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