| City Celebration Programmes The Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame (JYOF) seeks to connect youth around the world to the Olympic Movement by inspiring them to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect. The JYOF will start in Ancient Olympia, Greece with the lighting of the first Youth Olympic Flame in July 2010. The Youth Olympic Flame will travel to one city in each of the five continents, namely: - Berlin, Germany, representing the continent of Europe
- Dakar, Senegal, representing the continent of Africa
- Mexico City, Mexico, representing the continent of Americas
- Auckland, New Zealand, representing the continent of Oceania
- Seoul, Republic of Korea, representing the continent of Asia
At each city, the Youth Olympic Flame will travel to iconic sights in the city to allow as many people as possible to welcome the Flame to the continent. The day will end with a City Celebration where the people of the city and continent can join in the festivities to celebrate the world’s first Youth Olympic Games (YOG). A torch pass ceremony will be held at each of the City Celebration where representatives from each member National Olympic Committee (NOC) of that continent will participate to signify the unity of the youth and for them to inspire everyone to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values. Together with the people of the city and the continent, they will witness the lighting of the Youth Olympic Flame in the Community Cauldron at the City Celebration. After journeying through the five cities, the Youth Olympic Flame will reach Singapore, where the journey continues through five community districts with a traditional six-day torch relay, and ending off each day with a Community Celebration. The Flame's journey will culminate in the torch being brought to the Float@Marina Bay in Singapore, the world's largest floating stage on 14 August 2010 where it will ignite the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games cauldron as part of the Opening Ceremony, signifying the start of the Games. Once lit, the Flame will continue to burn brightly throughout the 12 days of the Games until the Closing Ceremony on 26 August 2010.
FLAME LIGHTING CEREMONY
ANCIENT OLYMPIA, GREECE
23 JULY 2010 AT 11.00 AM The Flame Lighting Ceremony for the first Youth Olympic Games will be held in Ancient Olympia, Greece, following in the tradition of previous Olympic Games. However, for the first time in history, the Singapore flag will be flown on the grounds of Ancient Olympia, and the Singapore national anthem will be played. Heralding the start of the Youth Olympic Games, the first Youth Olympic Flame will be lit in the Temple of Hera, by reflecting the sunlight with a parabolic mirror and carried by the High Priestess on the torch for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games
BERLIN, GERMANY
PARISER PLATZ, BRANDENBURG GATE
24 JULY 2010 AT 1.30 PM The first stop for the Youth Olympic Flame after it is lit is Berlin, Germany, representing the continent of Europe. Sport enjoys a strong following in Germany, with over 90,000 sports clubs in the country. It is therefore most appropriate that the Flame will visit Siemensstadt, a famous sports club in Berlin built in 1984, with over 650,000 visitors a year. Sports try-outs such as basketball, tennis and volleyball by the youth in the community will greet the Flame. Following the stop at Siemensstadt Sports Club, the Flame will travel to Pariser Platz, Brandenburg Gate where the city celebration will be held. The journey to Pariser Platz may include a boat ride down Spree River, through the Haus del Kulturen de Welt - one of the leading European centres of contemporary art and culture. Pariser Platz will be transformed into a carnival of festivities set against the backdrop of the iconic Brandenburg Gate, with activities such as sports try-outs as well as cultural and musical performances by youth groups. Also present at the City Celebration is Germany's youth athletes heading for Singapore for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. The Singapore Showcase comprises three separate segments. The first introduces singer Erick Guansing performing the much-loved Singapore song Bunga Sayang (Flowers of Love). This is followed by "The Roses", a group of four spunky girls taking to the stage with an energetic performance of hip-hop dance. It closes with Singapore’s own "Football Freestylers" who will perform some nifty footwork combining dance and football.
DAKAR, SENEGAL
PLACE DE L’OBELISQUE
25 JULY 2010, TIMING TBC Upon the Flame’s arrival at the second stop of its journey in Dakar, Senegal representing the continent of Africa, it will travel to Yoff, a community located north of the Dakar airport, known for its low crime rate. Thereafter, the Flame will journey to Goree Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was an exit point for slaves departing for the New World in the 16th to 18th centuries. Rounding off the celebrations in Dakar will be at the Place de L’Obélisque, of great significance among the Senegalese as it commemorates Senegal’s independence from the French in 1960. The Singapore Showcase presents Supernova striking up the song Singapore Town with a calypso beat, and continuing with their own original compositions. With influences that spread across the spectrum of modern rock, this quintet aims at striking emotions into their listeners every time they perform.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
ZOCALO (PLAZA DE LA CONSTITUCION)
27 TO 28 JULY 2010
(CITY CELEBRATION ON 28 JULY 2010 AT 7.00 PM) An exciting two-day awaits the arrival of the Youth Olympic Flame to Mexico City, Mexico, representing the continent of the Americas. The Flame will be welcomed at the Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA). Located in Santa Fe, one of the main business centres in Mexico City, the UIA has played a significant role in many social development programmes in the city. Thereafter, the Flame will journey to Los Pinos, the residence of the President of Mexico. The second day's programme includes iconic sites which demonstrate Mexico City’s commitment to youth development, culture and the environment. First stop is to La Ford, a community centre in Iztapalapa, which was built to provide the less privileged children in the neighbourhood a place to gather, learn and have fun. Next is to Ecoguarda Centre, a symbol of the Mexico City government's campaign to reduce pollution and protect the environment. There, youth and members of the public learn more about nature and ways to care for the environment. Hidalgo Garden in Coyoacán is a community where popular artists, musicians and the like gather. Some of its residents included the artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, and Bolshevik revolutionist Leon Trotski. The last visit of the day before the City Celebration is to the Angel of Independence, a tribute to the heroes instrumental to gaining Mexico's independence from Spain, and where the remains of some of these heroes are interred. Coincidentally, in 2010, Mexico celebrates 200 years of independence and 100 years of revolution. As such, on the steps of the Angel of Independence, 100 Mariachis or traditional Mexican performers will perform a Mexican birthday song alongside a giant birthday cake. Finally, the Flame will arrive at the City Celebration site at Zócalo or Plaza de la Constitución, a place that holds much significance for the Mexicans since Aztec times. Measuring 240m x 240m, the Zócalo is one of the largest city squares in the world. Present at the City Celebration will be the naming of Mexico's Youth Olympic team heading to Singapore, as well performances by popular Mexican artistes and bands. The Singapore Showcase features Ethnicity, Singapore's ethnic fusion pop band. Singer Erick Guansing then performs the much-loved Singapore song Bunga Sayang (Flowers of Love) and continuing on with the popular Chinese song Voices from the Heart. Singapore Idol finalist Gayle Nervas will then take to the stage to perform Home to complete the medley of Singapore songs. "The Roses", a spunky all-girl hip hop group will up the mood further with their performance, followed by the “Football Freestylers”. The Showcase will end with all performers on stage with a striking finale of song, dance and movement.
AUCKLAND CITY, NEW ZEALAND
TELSTRA CENTRE
1 TO 2 AUGUST 2010
(CITY CELEBRATION ON 2 AUGUST 2010 AT 10.00 AM) Auckland, New Zealand, representing the continent of Oceania will welcome the Youth Olympic Flame on 1 August 2010 at the Manukau Civic Centre Gallery with the Powhiri, a traditional Maori ceremony for welcoming visitors to the island country. The ritual involved a series of warrior chants and dances and ending off with a hongi, a Maori greeting performed by pressing one’s nose to another. On 2 August 2010, the City Celebration will be held at the Telstra Centre. School children from Manukau City, one of the cities in the Auckland region, will put up cultural and traditional performances to welcome the Flame. The Singapore Showcase begins with "The Looking Glass Ensemble" performing its original compositions of fusion music that embraces the Chinese erhu and the Indian violin. Dancers from "Maya Dance Theatre" then emerge in their traditional Indian dance steps laced with a modern beat. Joining in the finale is the “Rasa DB Fusion Group” breaking into their traditional Malay dikir barat vocal chants before transforming into a modern dikir hip hop performance led by rapper MC Rendy.
SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
GWANGHWAMUN SQUARE
4 AUGUST 2010, 6.00 PM At the Youth Olympic Flame’s last stop in Seoul before it concludes its journey to all five continents, the Flame will start from the Olympic Park, down Olympic Avenue with statues of the various Olympic sports and the flags of all the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), and towards the Jam-Sil Stadium, the main stadium of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. After crossing the Hannam Bridge which straddles the Han River, the Flame will stop at Mizy Seoul Centre for Cultural Exchange, established by the Seoul Government to encourage interaction between youth in Korea and around the world. The next stop is at Cheonggye Square, flanking the Cheonggyecheon, a stream that runs through the heart of Seoul and is a symbol of the city's commitment to the environment. In the post-war years, the river had an elevated highway built over it but in 2003, then Seoul Mayor and current Korean President, Mr LEE Myung-bak, initiated a project to demolish the highway and restore the stream. The stream was opened to the public in 2005 and is now a popular tourist attraction. Gwanghwamun Square is the location of the City Celebration. The Flame will be accompanied by costumed musicians playing traditional Korean music as it heads towards Gwanghwamun Square for performances that include the Seoul Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, made up of 120 young musicians. Also present at the City Celebration will be the team of athletes from Korea heading to Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games. The Singapore Showcase segment in Seoul will be the same as that in Mexico City.
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