The lighting of the Olympic Flame will take place on April 24th at the University of Ioannina and on April 25th at the University of Patras as part of the Olympic Torch Relay “PARIS 2024”.

The Olympic Torch Relay, which started with the lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia, will travel for ten days – from April 16th to April 26th – across most of Greece. For the first time, the Flame will be lit at the University of Ioannina and the University of Patras. Both universities celebrate their 60th anniversary this year on the academic map of Greece.

University of Ioannina

The lighting of the Olympic Flame at the University of Ioannina will take place at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024. The ceremony is part of the university’s 60th-anniversary celebration. The first torchbearer will be Elena Papastamatopoulou, a member of the National para TAEKWONDO team, who will receive the Olympic Torch and run within the university campus to the “Karolos Papoulias” Conference Center, where the altar will be lit.

There will then be a flag-raising ceremony for the Olympic Games, France, and Greece, as well as the singing of the respective anthems by a band and student choir from the Department of Music Studies at the University of Ioannina.

Subsequently, the ceremony will be addressed by the Rector of the University of Ioannina, Professor Anna Batistatou, the Consul General of France, Mr. Jean-Luc Lavaud, representing the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games “PARIS 2024”, and the President of the Olympic Torch Relay Committee, Thanasis Vasileiadis, as a representative of the Hellenic Olympic Committee.

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The ceremony will conclude with a musical program by students of the Department of Music Studies, supervised by Mr. Antonios Ververis, a faculty member of the Department. The Olympic Flame will depart from the university premises with the second torchbearer, student Aris Zaragas, a gold medalist in judo.

The University of Ioannina is participating for the first time in the grand celebration of the Olympic Games, honoring the ideals of peace, unity, friendly competition, and inclusion, expressed the Deans.

University of Patras

The lighting ceremony of the Olympic Flame at the University of Patras will take place on Thursday, April 25th, 2024, at 5:40 p.m. at the outdoor area of the University’s Rectorate.

“It was an idea that emerged from the Rector Christos Bouras, on the occasion of the University’s 60th anniversary since its establishment, so the thought was to try to have the Olympic Flame pass through the university. It is something that has never happened before. The idea was embraced by the Olympic Committee, therefore the University of Patras first in its history to claim and achieve such an honour. The idea was born symbolically and semantically. The Flame itself symbolises hope, creation, rebirth, and knowledge. The Torch is a reminder that Prometheus stole this Flame from the gods and gave it to humans, transferring knowledge to them. The University is the epitome of the place where the Flame passes through the paths of education, knowledge, and culture,” said Lena Albani, the Deputy Rector for Student Affairs. She added, “The Flame will cross our University campus, and it is a significant moment not only for the University but also for the wider area of Patras.”