According to the planning of the Olympic Torch Relay Committee, on the 2nd Torch Relay Day, late at noon on Wednesday, April 17th 2024, the Olympic Flame will be hosted in Nafplio! The Municipality of Nafplio and many people will welcome the Olympic Flame, in view of the Olympic Games "Paris 2024".
The reception event at Syntagma Square will start at 15:00, with an artistic programme and a demonstration of Olympic sports. The event will last 35 minutes, immediately after the last torchbearer has placed the Olympic flame on the altar.
Program
15:08 – Arrival of the Olympic Flame - at the Nafplio-Nea Kios coastal road, near the 1st Gymnasium, handover to the 1st torchbearer of the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
15:11 – Nafplio-Nea Kios coastal road, near the Municipal swimming pool - handing over to the 2nd torchbearer of the Municipality of Nafplio.
15:14 – Polizoidis junction - handing over to the 3rd torchbearer of the Municipality of Nafplio
15:17 – Town Hall, Vassileos Konstantinou street - handing over to the 4th torchbearer of the Municipality of Nafplion
15:00 – Syntagma Square - Start of the Flame Reception event
Given the special symbolism of the Olympic Flame, the reception will be held following the honors of the Head of State and is always an object of global interest, being broadcast by national and international television networks, news agencies and online media.
15:20 – Syntagma Square - Arrival of the Flame
Reception Ceremony - Structure
15:06 - Demonstration of Olympic fencing.
Opening of the event with a reception by a group of female athletes carrying the Olympic Flame.
15:20 - Arrival of the Olympic Flame in Syntagma Square.
Arrival of the Mayor of Nafplion, H.E. Mr. Dimitrios Orfanos, a delegation of Hellenic Olympic Committee officials and representatives of the Organizing Committee of the "Paris 2024" Olympic Games.
Lighting of the altar by a torchbearer.
Recitation -in absolute order- of the anthems: a) Olympic Anthem, b) National Anthem of France, c) National Anthem of Greece, with simultaneous hoisting of the three flags.
Greeting by the Mayor of Nafplion, H.E. Mr. Dimitrios Orfanos.
Address by the representative of the "Paris 2024" Organising Committee.
Greeting by the representative of the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
Exchange of gifts between the Municipality of Nafplio, the Organizing Committee "Paris 2024" and the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
Opening of a cultural programme entitled "The story of the Olympic champion Diagoras of Rhodes", which includes narration of hymns and poems. The Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra, the mixed polyphonic group of the Nafplio Municipal Choir and Mr. Georgios Karasis, Mr. Giorgos Chronis and Mrs. Matina Goga participate.
Torch relay - continuation
16:20 - Receipt of the Olympic Flame from the altar by the 1st torchbearer of the Municipality and delivery at Philhellenon Square.
16:23 - Receipt of the Olympic Flame from Philellinon Square by the 2nd torchbearer of the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
16:26 - Transfer to the 3rd torchbearer of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, at Akti Miaouli and Emmanuel Sofroni str.
16:29 - Arrival of the 4th torchbearer of the Hellenic Olympic Committee at Akti Miaouli and Polizoidis str. (finishing 200m later).
The "Chorokinissi" Cultural Sports Association of Nafplion and the "Taxiarchis", Sports & Culture Centre of Nafplio participate with events. The ceremony will be attended by the schools of Primary and Secondary education.
Tip
No vehicles are allowed to stop, park or cross the streets through which the Olympic Flame will pass, from 14:00 until the Olympic Flame departs.
Did you know that?
From the 16th to the 26th of April, the Olympic Flame will travel across Greece as far as Kastelorizo island, while on the last (11th) day it will be handed over in Athens, with a ceremony at the Panathenian Stadium.
The Lighting of the Olympic flame traditionally takes place in Ancient Olympia and is carried out by the Hellenic Olympic Committee. Its history begins in 1936, on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Berlin. With the help of a concave mirror and as the ritual defines, the Lighting is performed by the High Priestess in the Temple of Hera (Heraion), in the archaeological site of Olympia. There, the priestess asks the help of the sun god Apollo to light the torch as she makes the invocation.
The Olympic games forged the national, racial and spiritual unity of Greeks. They combined the deep religious spirit with the heroic past of Greeks, the highest degree of cultivation of the body, mind and soul with the universal philosophical values and the promotion of individuals and cities with the utmost ideal of freedom.
The Olympic Anthem was composed in 1896, its verse being written by Greek poet Costis Palamas and set to music by music composer Spyros Samaras. It was first struck up at the 1896 Olympic games in Athens. It gained official IOC sanction as an Olympic symbol in 1958, at the LV IOC Session in Lausanne.
The Olympic Emblem consists of the five interlaced rings and represents the union of the five continents calling upon athletes all over the world to take part in the Olympic Games.
