Athens Olympic Torch Relay

by Courtesy Athens 2004 on 2 Mar 2004 The Olympic Torch Relay is the transfer of the Olympic flame from Ancient Olympia, Greece, to the stadium of the city hosting the Opening Ceremony of the Games.

The Olympic Torch Relay takes place before the big celebration of the Olympic Games, while the Olympic flame is the primary symbol of the Olympic ideal, noble competition, friendship and peaceful coexistence.

The objective of the ATHENS 2004 Torch Relay is to give to the Olympic flame the possibility to light the universal values of Olympism and to touch people’s hearts. The entire world will get to know Greece, by uniting the municipalities with sports and culture.

The ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay will be the first to travel the globe and return to the country that gave birth to the Games and the city of their revival.

In a journey that will last some 78 days, the Olympic flame will cover a distance of more than 78.000 km, throughout the world and light every prefecture of Greece.

Beyond the borders of Greece the Flame, in the hands of 3.600 Torchbearers, will travel to Africa and Latin America for the first time and it will finally return to all the previous Olympic cities. A total of 260 million people will have the opportunity to see the Flame in their city.

In Greece, the Olympic Torch Relay will pass through the 54 prefectures of Greece. For 43 days, approximately 7.700 Torchbearers will travel across the country, passing through large cities as well as small border towns.

The first leg of the Olympic Torch Relay will start on March 25th 2004 with the Lighting Ceremony in Olympia. The Flame will travel around Peloponnese and the islands of Argosaronikos for seven days. After its international journey it will return to Greece for the second leg, which will take place from July 9th 2004 to August 13th 2004.

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