2008 Olympic flame to burn bright for China

Source: China Daily | 04-27-2007 09:21

IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Hein Verbruggen (L) and Chinese State Councillor Chen Zhili hold the Beijing Olympic Torch during its unveiling in Beijing April 26, 2007. Beijing announced the 2008 Olympic torch relay route and unveiled the Olympic torch on Thursday in China's capital. [Xinhua]

The Beijing Olympic torch relay will reach the world's highest peak, cover the longest distance, and involve the most people in Games history, it was announced last night.

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) unveiled its torch relay route and the torch - a red and silver cloud-design tube shaped like a Chinese scroll.

"As the prelude to the Games, the torch relay is one of the most important ceremonies and a major means to spread and promote the Olympic spirit," BOCOG President Liu Qi said at the launching ceremony at the China Millennium Monument in Beijing.

The Olympic torch will be carried across all five continents, along the ancient "Silk Road" and 135 cities, covering 137,000 kilometers over 130 days, the longest time the flame has ever been carried.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) praised the planned route.

"By traveling along the 'Silk Road', a symbol of ancient trade links between China and the rest of the world, crossing the five continents and going to new places, the Beijing 2008 Torch Relay will, as its theme says, be a 'journey of harmony', bringing friendship and respect to people of different nationalities, races and creeds," IOC President Jacques Rogge said.

"I have no doubt the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will leave many extraordinary memories and create new dreams for people around the world."