Full coverage: Olympic flame handover ceremony

Source: beijing2008.cn | 03-30-2008 20:42

Special Report:   2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Olympic flame handover ceremony

Date/Time: local time 12:00 GMT, Monday, March 30, 2008

Venue: Panathenaikon Stadium, Athens

Greek presidential guards dressed in traditional attire have entered the stadium. The handover ceremony is about to start.

The philharmonic band of the city of Athens is now entering the stadium.

President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias is entering Panathenaikon Stadium. Marching next to Papoulias is Hellenic Olympic Committee President Minos Kyriakou.

President Papoulias shakes hands with members of BOCOG and the IOC.

Now flag bearers enter the stadium with the Chinese and Greek flags.

The national anthem of China is played.

The national anthem of Greece is played.

The host: Welcomes the guests to the Olympic Flame Handover Ceremony and introduces the philharmonic band of the city of Athens and the choir.

The priestesses enter the stadium. The sequence was choreographed by Artemis Ignatiou, who also choreographed the torch lighting ceremony.

High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou enters with the Beijing Olympic Torch.

The last torchbearer in Greece, Pigi Devetzi, enters with the Olympic Flame.

Devetzi lights the altar.

The host: Now the Olympic anthem.

The Olympic anthem is sung by the choir.

The host invites Hellenic Olympic Committee President Minos Kyriakou and BOCOG President Liu Qi to the stage.

HOC President Minos Kyriakou:

Mr. Liu Qi, President of BOCOG, I feel very excited and honored to hand over to you the Olympic Flame. I wish the Games of the 29th Olympiad a great success!

BOCOG President Liu gives an address.

The High Priestess lights the torch from the altar and hands it over to the president of the HOC.

The HOC president hands over the torch to BOCOG President Liu Qi.

Liu passes the flame to the safety lamp.

The two presidents depart the stadium accompanied by the two flags.

President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias departs the stadium.

 

Editor:Du Xiaodan