Olympic flame handed over to Beijing organizers

Chinese President Hu Jintao hands the Olympic torch to Olympic hurdler and gold medallist Liu Xiang (L) during the "Welcome Ceremony for the Olympic Flame and the Launching Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay" at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, March 31, 2008. Hu officially announced the beginning of the Beijing Olympic torch relay on Monday.

Minoa Kyriakou, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, handed the Olympic flame over to Beijing Olympic chief Liu Qi at the Panathenan Stadium on Sunday afternoon, after the six-day torch relay in Greece was wrapped up.  

The flame is to arrive in Beijing on Monday, to 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 countries' national flags into the Panathenian Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games was staged in 1896.

The national anthems were performed by the Philharmonic Band of the City of Athens.

The priestesses, all wearing pleated white dresses and sandals, entered the stadium to practice ancient Greek rituals. Chrysopigi Devetzi, silver medalist of triple jump in the 2004 Games, was the last torchbearer of the Greek relay, running into the stadium holding the flame and lighted 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 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.

"The Greek leg of torch relay brought inspiration, passion and emotion to people. As a symbol of Olympic flame, respect, pride and sticking by cause and value are bound with it."

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 altar and passed it to HOC president Kyriakou, who handed it over to BOCOG president Liu Qi.

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 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," said Liu.

"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.

The Panathenian Stadium, rebuilt around 300 BC, had hosted the athletic portion of the Panathenaic Games in honor of the Goddess Athena.

In the 2004 Olympic Games, the Panathinaiko Stadium hosted the archery competition and the finish of marathon.

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

The Beijing Olympic torch relay includes three parts - the relay outside the Chinese mainland, the one in the Chinese mainland and Mt. Qomolangma expedition.

The Olympic flame will visit 21 cities outside the Chinese mainland 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.

Preparations for the Olympic Torch Handover Ceremony are completely in place, Minos Kyriakou, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) said on Saturday.

At the press briefing jointly organized by HOC and BOCOG, Kyriakou assured reporters that Greece is ready for Sunday, but he refused to provide details on the ceremony, saying that he'd like to keep it a surprise as it will be broadcast live around the world.

He reflected on the sacred flame's journey through big cities and remote villages in Greece, where it withstood tests of rain and snow. Through the hands of torchbearers, the flame sampled passages of Greek history and ignited passions for the Olympic Flame, bringing out the Olympic spirit while conveying a message of Olympic peace to the world.

On March 30, the sacred flame will leave from the ancient Acropolis in Athens to its last destination in Greece. BOCOG will be presented with the sacred flame at the torch handover ceremony, which will take place in Panathenaikon Stadium, the site of the first modern-day Olympic Games.

Wang Wei, executive vice-president and secretary general of BOCOG, said the Olympic Flame is the premier symbol for the Olympic ideal and spirit. Its pursuit of "excellence, friendship, and respect" stands for human beings' common values.

The Torch Handover Ceremony between Greece and China will mark a new chapter in the history of the modern Olympics as it manifests the integration of the Olympic spirit which was originally born by western civilizations and is now being extended to the most long-standing oriental culture.

Wang spoke about the short pageant that is scheduled to be hosted in Tian'anmen Square as the flame arrives in Beijing. The Chinese people have been long anticipating its appearance, dreaming about the international symbol of hope and peace.

Qu Yingpu, spokesperson of the Olympic Torch Relay Center, told reporters that before the handover ceremony, the Olympic torch will travel a distance of more than 1,000 km and involve 629 torchbearers, 26 of whom are Chinese.

He continued to say that the torch relay has deepened mutual friendship between people in Greece and China. Greek fans braving rain and snow to welcome the Olympic torch as it moved through the peninsula have left an indelible impression on him.

The Olympic Torch will travel across five continents.