2003 Torch Run Across Europe — Calendar of Events City Date Event Athens, Greece Wednesday, June 04 Flame Lighting Ceremony. The Special Olympics Flame of Hope will be lit on the Sacred Site of Pnyx, at the foot of the Acropolis of Athens, joined by the President of the Hellenic Republic. The Flame will be carried through the city past the Acropolis, the Temple of Zeus and the Hellenic Parliament. At night there will be a concert at the Ancient Theater of Herod Atticus for 4500 people. Madrid, Spain Wednesday, June 04 The Flame arrives at 21:15 at Baraja Airport of Madrid, from where the Torch will be brought to the Puerta Alcala where it will burn all night guarded by members of the Polica Municipal. Thursday, June 05 The Flame will stop at various sites in the city where it will be greeted by sponsors and dignitaries. The run ends at the Plaza Mayor where a major event will take place involving a torch lighting ceremony, Special Olympics athletes, Spanish celebrities and dignitaries. Gibraltar Thursday, June 05 5 km run involving 2003 runners. Full day of activities throughout the city. Reception hosted by the Gibraltarian Government. Ceremony and concert at night. Helsinki, Finland Thursday, June 05 Torch Run along the harbor to downtown. Possible stops at the Presidential Palace, City Hall and government buildings. 2003 runners to join at the Finlandia Concert Hall. Pass the Olympic Stadium on to the Olympic grounds for activities and Torch Lighting Ceremony. Olympic legend Lasse Viren will lead the run. Istanbul, Turkey Thursday, June 05 The World Torch Run team will be joined by 2003 Special Olympics Turkey athletes and family members; the Torch Run will begin on the Asian side of Istanbul, at the historic Beylerbeyi Police Club, and proceed over the Bosporus Bridge to Dolmabace Palace Garden on the Europe side. The Torch will be officially received by the Mayor at a public reception in the historic gardens. In addition, more than 600 boats, each flying a Special Olympics World Games flag, will be in the Bosporus beside the Castle. Following the presentation and public concert, a formal reception will be held at the Turkish Military Museum for officials and dignitaries. Plans are underway to hold three other Torch Run events in Turkey in conjunction with the World Games Torch Run. These would be held at the Incirlik Air Base in Adana, and Canakkale Martyr Memorial and the other in Ankara starting at the Ataturk Memorial and ending at the Turkish Parliament. The National Lottery of Turkey has agreed to sponsor the events and television channel sponsors are CNNTurk and SkyTurk TV. Nice / Monaco Friday, June 06 Arrival at Nice airport from where the Flame and the Torch Runners will start a 28 km run along the Mediterranean Sea to Monte Carlo. Full day of sports activities. Unified football match with athletes, famous football players, HRH Prince Albert and friends. In the evening a gala show will take place in the famous Monaco Circus. Riga, Latvia Friday, June 06 Start of the 11 km run from the Open Air Ethnographic Museum, outside of Riga, beautifully located in the forest next to a lake. The run will end in the heart of the city, in the central square next to the Dom Cathedral. Possible basketball tournament, events and concert. Budapest, Hungary Friday, June 06 120 police officers from around the country will start in their cities and will join the Flame when it arrives at the airport. From there the route will pass by all the city landmarks. Events will take place all day long at Heroes Square; in the late afternoon the Hungarian delegation to the 2003 World Games will receive a send-off by the President of the country. The day will end with a concert and fireworks. Milan, Italy Saturday, June 07 Three-day sports event will take place at the foot of the famous Milan Duomo. Highlight will be the Torch Run on Saturday with a 5 km run through Milan's pedestrian area. 2003 runners will join at 2 km. Italian National Police marching band will play at Torch Lighting Ceremony. Concert to take place that evening. Warsaw, Poland Saturday, June 07 Start run at airport. Activities all day at Old Town Market Square concert, sports activities, speeches and Torch Lighting Ceremony. Vienna, Austria Saturday, June 07 Route will depart late afternoon, starting from Schoenbrunn Palace and will end at the main square in front of City Hall. Event on the square with various dance and music groups. President of Austria will send off the Austrian delegation to the 2003 World Games. VIPs from sports, politics and entertainment will attend. Lausanne, Switzerland Sunday, June 08 Torch Run along Lake Geneva. Event at the Olympic Museum. Gala evening at the Olympic Museum. Hamburg, Germany Sunday, June 08 Start of events at the Hamburg City Hall. Torch Lighting, speeches. About 400 runners will join the Torch in its8 km run through the city, where it will end at the Hamburg Stadtpark with a closing event. Prague, Czech Republic Sunday, June 08 Run across the famous Charles Bridge. Community run will join at Wencelas Square and will continue to the Old Town Square. Concert by popular singer Lucie Billa and other famous Czech performers at Old Town Square. Ceremony with Czech delegation to the 2003 World Games, possibly Slovak delegation. Paris, France Monday, June 09 The Final Leg team will be met by the Police Motorcade Stunt Group. The Hague, Netherlands Tuesday, June 10 Torch Run will take place in the morning with stops at Europol and government buildings. Police and Fire Department demonstrations will enhance the excitement along the route. Brussels, Belgium Tuesday, June 10 Three Torch Run routes will reunite in Brussels. Start of a 5 km run at the Atomium then on to the Parcof Laeken, past the Japanese Tower, Chinese Garden, Belgian Olympic Committee and Child Focus.Concert in the evening at Palais des Beaux-Arts with European Union choir and Charlemagne Orchestra. London, United Kingdom Wednesday, June 11 Arrival at Waterloo Station, run along the South Bank from County Hall to City Hall. Events to take place along the route. Community run (2003 runners) will join at Tate Modern Museum. Lord Mayor to welcome Flame. Event at Pottersfield at the foot of Tower Bridge. Police officers from all 47 regions of Great Britain to join the run. Glasgow, Scotland Thursday, June 12 A sports event in the morning with 400 athletes will see the Flame off to Ireland. From here, the Flame will board the HMS Bangor to sail across the Irish Sea to Bangor, Northern Ireland. Belfast-Dublin June 12-21 Torch Runners arrive in Belfast. On June 13, the team is joined by members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda Siochana and will begin to carry the Torch through more than 130 communities before bringing into the Opening Ceremonies of the 2003 World Games being held June 21 at Croke Park in Dublin. Return to Final Leg Home