World swimming champion Spyros Gianniotis will be the first torchbearer to receive the Olympic flame following the special ceremony in Ancient Olympia on May 10. The Ceremony will be held in Ancient Olympia on May 10 at noon in the presence of IOC President Dr. Jacques Rogge. The Flame will be handed over to the British delegation on May 17 at 19:00 at the Panathenaic Stadium.
In his address, the President of the HOC, Mr. Spyros Capralos, said among other things:
"The Torch Relay this year, despite the extremely difficult economic conditions experienced by our country, includes several innovations. You will of course wonder how it is possible, in times of crisis and spending cuts, to prepare a Torch relay that travels across the biggest part of the country, and, of course, entails a significant cost.
The answer is simple. From the first time, our efforts were focused on how not to burden the Greek state with any costs and on how not to spend money coming from taxes paid by Greeks, who suffer so much. And we're really proud because our goal has been achieved. The costs of travel of the Flame came from donations and offers of local municipalities and individuals, who contributed greatly to making this dream trip.
But more important for us is the particular symbolism of the torch relay and its messages. Messages, more timely than ever. We believe that in times not only of economic crisis, but rather a crisis of human and social values, the ideals of Olympism and sport, peace, cooperation, fair play, participation, friendship, concord and harmonious coexistence of different cultures and mentalities, are ideals that can give us hope again for a better future and more importantly the strength to fight for it.
The Flame symbolizes all these ideas and ideals and that is why we wanted the Flame to go everywhere in Greece. Its birth and journey is a great opportunity to remember that it all started from here. The culture, the arts, democracy, respect for human existence, were the legacy of Hellenism to all humanity and still are the main reasons that the modern Greeks should feel proud and use this legacy as an answer to those who try to discredit the country.
Closing, I would like to point out once again that without private initiative neither the Torch Relay nor many of HOC’s events would be possible, "concluded Mr. CapralosThe Torch Relay was presented by the Chairman of the Torch Relay Commission Mr Spiros Zannias, noting that the Flame will cover approximately 3000 km on Greek soil, passing through 43 cities in the hands of approximately 500 torchbearers. The event was attended by the High Priestess Ino Menegaki who said: "It's a great honor for me to be High Priestess in the Lighting Ceremony of the Olympic Flame and I promise to always try to be worthy of this honor."
The Choreographer Artemis Ignatiou who also attended stated: "This year's Lighting of the Flame will be very important for us Greeks and this is because at a time when our national pride has been hurt, at a time when Greece as a country and the Greek people receive negative publicity, the Lighting of the Olympic Flame can be a positive promotion of Greece abroad. It can make us feel proud again and remind the international community and ourselves that Greece can continue to produce light. We will be ready on May 10, along with Michael Messinis who is the composer of music for the ceremony, to light the flame in a simple and imposing ceremony and pass values around the world. "
1st DAY 10-5-12
- ANCIENT OLYMPIA (LIGHTING OF THE OLYMPIC FLAME) - PYRGOS - AMALIADA - ANCIENT ILIDA - KORIVOS - GASTOUNI - LECHAINA - KORINTHOS - PIRAEUS
- (TRANSFER TO CHANIA, CRETE BY BOAT)
2nd DAY 11-5-12
- KISSAMOS - CHANIA - RETHYMNO - KNOSSOS - AGIOS NIKOLAOS - MALIA - CHERSONISSOS - IRAKLIO
3rd DAY 12-5-12
- PIRAEUS - PATRAS - RIO - AMFILOCHIA - VONITSA - PREVEZA - PARGA - IGOUMENITSA - IOANNINA
4th DAY 13-5-12
- IOANNINA - KOZANI - VERIA - THESSALONICA - KAVALA
5th DAY 14-5-12
- KAVALA - KOMOTINI- KIPI (FRONTIER GUARDHOUSE) - FERES - ALEXANDROUPOLI - XANTHI - DRAMA
6th DAY 15-5-12
- DRAMA - ALISTRATI - SERRES - KATERINI - LARISA - VOLOS - LAMIA
7th DAY 16-5-12
- LAMIA - CHALKIDA - PERISTERI - PIRAEUS - ATHENS - ACROPOLIS
8th DAY 17-5-12
- ACROPOLIS - ACROPOLIS MUSEUM - CENTRE OF ATHENS - ZAPPEIO -
- PANATHENAIC STADIUM (HANDOVER OF THE OLYMPIC FLAME)
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