Olympic Torch Lights Up Strasbourg: A Symbolic Journey Through the Heart of Europe

Olympic Torch Lights Up Strasbourg: A Symbolic Journey Through the Heart of Europe

Blog Article

Strasbourg, France – In an unprecedented event, the Olympic Torch was warmly received by parliamentarians representing 46 European countries, alongside the Secretary General and representatives of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers and staff, at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. This marked the first occasion where the Olympic Committee approved the Torch's entry into a building and a Parliament on its route to the opening of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The exceptional reason for this historic moment was the celebration of the Council of Europe’s 75th Anniversary. A torch-bearer carried the flame through the streets of Strasbourg, greeted by crowds of well-wishers, before running past the flags of the Council of Europe’s 46 member states. The Torch was then honored with a red-carpet welcome as it ascended the steps of the Palais de l’Europe and entered through its main entrance, making its [ website ] way into the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly chamber.

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Theodoros Rousopoulos, welcomed the Torch with a poignant speech. He recalled the 2,800-year-old origins of the Games in his native Greece and their historic revival in France by Pierre de Coubertin in 1896.

“We welcome the Olympic flame of peace into the cradle of human rights!” declared President Rousopoulos as the Torch burned brightly in the center of the Chamber. “We send our best wishes to the International Olympic Committee and to France for the organization of the Games of the 33rd Olympiad. Bonne route pour Paris!”

The Torch's journey is a monumental one, carried by approximately 11,500 runners over a distance of 12,500 kilometers from Ancient Olympia in Greece to the [ check here ] host city of Paris. This symbolic passage through the Council of Europe not only underscores the unity and shared values of the continent but also highlights the significance of the Olympic Games as a beacon of peace and international cooperation.