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Olympic flame heads for Beijing

— Photo: AP

Journey of harmony: Chief Beijing Olympics organiser Liu Qi (left) receives a torch with the Olympic flame by Minos Kyriakou, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee at Athens’ Panathenian Stadium on Sunday.

ATHENS: Minos Kyriakou, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, handed over the Olympic flame to Beijing Olympic Committee chief Liu Qi here on Sunday, after the six-day torch relay in Greece was wrapped up.

The flame will arrive in Beijing on Monday and start a month-long “Journey of Harmony” across the world. The handover ceremony started at 3:00 pm. Four bannermen from China and Greece each carried the two national flags into the Panathenian Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games were staged in 1896. The national anthems were performed by the Philharmonic Band of the City of Athens.

Chrysopigi Devetzi, silver medallist in triple jump in the 2004 Games, was the last torchbearer of the Greek relay, running into the stadium holding the flame and lighting the altar. “It’s a great moment for us to transfer the Olympic flame to our Chinese friends in the wake of the Greece relay,” said Mr. Kyriakou.

“Greece, with truthful good-fellowship, hands the flame over to China. The follow-up international relay will spread the message of peace, cooperation and mutual respect. Following the IOC anthem, three flame guards from China stepped up taking a flame safety lantern and lighting stick.

The High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou kindled the torch from the altar and passed it to Mr. Kyriakou, who handed it over to Mr. Liu.

Mr. Liu preserved the flame in the lantern.

“I like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Greek people. Thank you for your elaborate arrangement for the Olympic flame lighting, thank you for the hard work ensuring the successful torch relay in Greece, and thank you for your unswerving support for the Beijing Olympic Games,” said Mr. Liu.

“Tomorrow, the Olympic flame, brimming with friendship and good wishes of Greek people, is heading for Beijing. From its origin, the flame will reach the Great Wall. Full of Olympic spirit, the flame is to traverse five continents to spread Chinese hospitality and friendship to the world.

“The Olympic spirit of peace, respect and friendship is set to be rooted in China. The ideal of Olympic movement will prevail as the flame reaches the summit of Mt. Qomolangma.” President of Greece Karolos Papoulias attended the ceremony.

A welcome ceremony will be held on Monday at the Tiananmen Square, heart of the 2008 Olympic host city.

The torch relay includes three parts — the relay outside China, the one in the country and Mt. Qomolangma expedition.

The Olympic flame will visit 21 cities outside China and travel across 113 cities and regions in China before it returns to Beijing on August 6 to start the three-day relay in the Chinese capital.

Greece handed the flame despite attempts by pro-Tibet protesters to disrupt the ceremony. A small group of activists tried to stop the flame from reaching the Athens stadium but quickly removed by police.

Protesters holding Tibet flags and shouting “Free Tibet” and “China out of Tibet” failed to break through the police cordon, said a witness.

Police detained 21 Greeks and foreigners for staging the protests but said they would be released later. Several others were moved away from police cordons. — Agencies

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