Games theme: “Come Out and Play”
The Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi will commence at Buckingham Palace on 29 October 2009 and end 340 days later at the opening ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi on 3 October 2010.
During this period the baton will visit the home of the one third of the world’s population and cover a distance in excess of 190 000 kilometres. This marathon event will involve travelling for 240 days through the other 70 nations of the commonwealth, before spending 100 days visiting all the capital cities in India’s 28 states and seven union territories.
The baton will visit South Africa from 9 to 13 January 2010. The baton’s journey symbolises the unity and shared ideals of the commonwealth nations, and enables communities beyond the host city to share in the games celebrations. It also serves a functional purpose in carrying Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the second’s message to the athletes’ from Buckingham Palace in London to the opening ceremony of the games.
The relay will conclude after the final baton bearer enters the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium during the opening ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games on 3 October 2010 where Her Majesty’s message will be removed from the Baton and read aloud, officially opening the games.
Baton route in South Africa
The Baton arrives in Ekurhuleni at OR Tambo Airport on 9 January 2010 and leaves South Africa on 13 June 2010. The baton will travel or touch base in four provinces within South Africa: Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape. The baton will be in Bloemfontein on 11 January 2009 and the programme will unfold as follows:
11 January 2010, Bloemfontein Airport
08h00: Arrival in the Free State
Meet and greet at the airport
Welcome address by the MEC for Sport
Address by South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) second vice president
Handing over of the baton to the MEC
Handing over the baton to the first baton bearer
08h30: Depart to the Mangaung Indoor Sport Centre
09h30 to 10h30: Arrival at Mangaung Relay race with the Baton to the stadium
Programme:
* Opening and acknowledgement of guests
* Address by the province or city
* Address by SASCOC
* Vote of thanks
* Sporting activities
12:30 Lunch
Your media house is cordially invited.
General enquiries:
Kagisho Moeca
Tel: 051 430 5791
Cell: 083 2433 128
E-mail: sobi@sacr.fs.gov.za
Media enquiries:
Tankiso Zola
Tel: 051 4104742 or 4786 or 4719
Cell: 082 940 2392
E-mail: tankiso@sac.fs.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Free State Provincial Government
6 January 2010
Source: Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Free State Provincial Government (http://www.sac.fs.gov.za/)
