Today, Patras welcomes the Olympic Flame of the 33rd Summer Olympic Games “PARIS 2024” at its City Hall.
The Flame is expected to arrive in Patras via the Rio-Antirrio Bridge, which this year completes 20 years of operation, following the route from Agia Sophia and Korinthos, Agia Sophia and Constantinople, Maizonos to the new City Hall and after the event, Maizonos to Georgiou Square .
The program for welcoming the Flame at the Rio-Antirrio Bridge is as follows:
-14:50 Arrival of Olympic Flame
-14:53-14:57 Torch Relay to the site of the Ceremony for the Reception of the Olympic Flame 1st Torchbearer: GEFYRA employee, 2nd Torchbearer: Panagiotis Giannakis
-14:57-15:20 Reception Ceremony of the Olympic Flame (East parking lot, near the Liturgy Building) with touching of the altar, raising of flags and national anthems that will be performed by the soprano Gina Foteinopoulou and the Choir of the Kotroni Modern Schools with piano accompaniment by Zizi Korkonzelou.
Greetings will follow and from 15:20 to 15:47 the Olympic Torch Relay will take place on the Bridge, heading to Patras.
The Olympic Flame, with its powerful symbolism, will be honored by the Municipality of Patreon in a special event that will take place at 4 p.m. in the forecourt of the Town Hall (Maisonos 19). The flame will be carried by the torchbearers: Evangelos Gouzouasis (Disabled Athletics), Sotirios Michopoulos (Taekwondo), Fotini Plea (Boxing), Christodoulos Kolombos (Water Polo), Nora Drakou (Swimming), Nikos Argyropoulos (Classical Sports).
The program includes: Arrival of the Olympic Flame – Touching of the Altar from Christodoulos Columbus torch relay. Arrival of a Delegation of Officials of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the Organizing Committee of the 33rd (XXIII) Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024. Playing of the Olympic Games – National Anthem of France and National Anthem of Greece and raising of flags simultaneously with the playing of the respective Anthems. Greetings from the Mayor of Patreon, Kostas Peletidis. Greetings from the Representative O.E. Olympic Games “PARIS 2024”: Catherine Sanielonze, Consul of France in Greece. Greetings from the representative of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Petros Synadinos, EOE Member – Representative of the Hellenic Archery Federation, Head of Mission Paris 2024. Exchange of gifts with the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the Organizing Committee. Departure of the Olympic Flame with a torch relay on Nora Drakou.
While waiting for the arrival of the Flame, the percussion ensemble of the Municipal Conservatory of Patras, “KROUSIS” taught and conducted by Maxim Mankovskiy, will perform.
The ceremony of the Touching of the Olympic Flame at the University of Patras will take place at 17.40 in the outer area of the Rectorate.
The program of the ceremony is as follows:
17:38 – Arrival of the Olympic Flame at the central gate of the University of Patras 17:38 – 17:41- 1st torch relay – route to the Rectorate building – Touching the altar from the torch relay Ceremony – 17:41-18:11 Touching the altar from the torch relay – Arrival delegation of officials of the E.O.E. and of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games “PARIS 2024” Revival in absolute order of: Olympic Anthem by Cantelena Choir of Patras – National Anthem of France – National Anthem of Greece Raising of flags Greeting Christos Boura, Rector Greeting Catherine Sanielonze, Consul of France in Greece Greeting Petrou Synadinou, EOE Member – Representative of the Hellenic Archery Federation, Head of Mission Paris 2024 Exchange of gifts Cultural program: University Gymnasium Student Dance Team 18:11- Departure of the Olympic Flame – 2nd torch relay.
The Olympic Flame will also pass and make a “stop” at the house of Kostis Palamas, at 241 Corinthou Street, while in the afternoon the historic Panachai Gymnastics Union, which has contributed to the support of the Torch Relay since its foundation in 1936, and the Calon Association Patras Arts “Kostis Palamas”, which projects the Olympic anthem as World Cultural Heritage, organize an awarding ceremony on the same day at 8.00 pm, at 30 Germanou Street, in the Art room, “Gallery Odeo” of the Kostis Palamas Culture-Olympics Center. The event includes speeches, while the Deputy Regional Governor of Western Greece, Charalambos Bonanos, will address the greeting. Memorials will also be awarded to Petros Synadinos, Architect, Head of the Greek Olympic Mission for the “Paris 2024” Olympic Games, Koureta Dimitris, Panachai athlete, University professor, Thessaly governor and Mallia Theodoros, Panachai international decathlete, University professor miu, President of the “Kostis Palamas” Fine Arts Association and founder of the Olympic initiative for the promotion by Unesco of the Olympic anthem as World Cultural Heritage. At the event, songs set to music will be heard from the poetry of Kostis Palamas and Greek poets from the Ionian Orchestra by the Musicians, Christos Panagiotopoulos and Elena Voulgaris.
