🔥 PARIS 2024: Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony • FRANCE 24 English • FRANCE 24 English

Paris 2024 Olympic Games:  Join us for LIVE coverage on @FRANCE24 of the Flame Lighting Ceremony from Olympia, Greece 🇬🇷, with Stuart Norval and James Vasina

The lighting of the Olympic flame is a symbolic moment that has been a tradition of the Olympic Games since 1936. The flame not only represents the positive values that man has always associated with the symbolism of fire, such as peace and friendship, but also acts as a link between the ancient and modern Games.

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rehearsals for the event have been held yesterday to light that sacred flame and these live images coming into us uh from Olympia at the moment that flame they will burn throughout the games here in Paris really is a very special event then full of symbolism and ritual we’ll bring it to you in full here on France 24 I’m going to be joined by a series of guests as well so do stay with us [Music] so it is then a ceremony that harks back to the ancient Olympics when a sacred flame burnt throughout the games and today it will be lit in ancient Olympia the birthplace of the ancient games at the start of its epic torch relay from the Acropolis to the South Pacific to Marseilles and then to here in Paris for the start of the games in July hundreds of dignitaries and Spectators as you can see already from these live images coming into us a 10 that ritual today in Southwestern Greece where the ceremony is held every two years in fact for the summer and winter Olympics as you can hear we’re already hearing uh the uh the Olympic hymn let’s just have a little listen to [Music] [Music] that [Music] fore [Music] [Music] foree [Music] [Music] fore [Music] [Music] for for [Music] [Music] that’s the American metso soorano there Joyce duno delivering the Olympic Anthem we’re shortly I think going to hear the marcier as well so I’ll try and keep a little bit quiet because it’ be nice to hear that if we possibly can in the meantime uh we’re going to cross as well and talk to our correspondent Natalie sarus who’s at Olympia for us oh just let’s listen to the marcier as [Music] [Music] well [Music] for and I [Music] so as the flag is raised there after those school children sung us the marz of course the French naal Anthem let’s talk to Natalie sarus her correspondent is’s at that ceremony for us Natalie uh obviously the antip anticipation has been building and we’re now underway [Music] know [Music] [Applause] [Music] bit loud for Natalie to talk at that point but Natalie just tell us then now about what the atmosphere is like there I can tell you one full of symbolism and emotion a very moving starts to uh the ceremony we had the American Meto soprano singing as you heard the lipic atham followed by pupils singing both the Greek and the French uh uh anthems are very moving and now we will proceed of course with uh a series uh of speeches by dignitaries In This ancient Stadium where the first uh Olympics kicked off uh over 2,500 years ago a very uh moving day uh both for Greece and for France as the spirit of peace unity and hope uh is conveyed throughout the world the big question of course is who will heed this message uh but uh a great effort by the organizers here let’s bring in as well Michael Payne he’s a former director of marketing for the international Olympic committees was alsoo author of tunin which is the unofficial and entirely unsanctioned history of the Olympics he’s joining us as well on the program thanks very much for being with us we had a quick chat just before we came on air you were telling me it’s your 22nd Olympic games you’ve been involved in now uh that’s correct although should add that Summer and Winter Olympic Games but Saro 1984 was my very first Olympic Games uh I’ve also been privileged to run the Olympic torch six times and it is as your correspondent said a a very moving and symbolic experience and presumably you’ve been at one of these ceremonies or numerous number of these ceremonies as well what’s it like being there it it’s very symbolic you you do you’re in a very peaceful place and you realize you’re walking in the footsteps of history that 3,000 years ago the athletes from around uh Greece and the region were coming here to compete and that the history the archaeology I mean it’s it’s incredibly symbolic and moving and having been uh you know so close and so involved in the Olympic movement for so long how good does it feel and and and seem to you know see it all kicking off once again and obviously it coming eventually in a couple of months time to us here in Paris and the rest of France as well well I think everybody in the Olympic movement is uh bringing is breathing a big sigh of relief because the last two Olympic games uh were disrupted by covid uh it was still a miracle they actually happened but there wasn’t any atmosphere for the public to celebrate and so I think there’s a tremendous excitement enthusiasm uh for the games going to Paris I mean such a symbolic great City uh and the atmosphere you can really feel at 100 days to go is really building command Michael stay with us I know you’re going to keep with us for the rest of the program as well but let me bring in my guest here on set as well we’ve got James our sports editor and also our International Affairs editor Doug Herbert are both with me good to have you with us as ever Gentlemen let’s start with you James I mean this all about symbolism isn’t it what we’re seeing today but we got to remember that at the end of the day the whole event is about sport isn’t it yeah and it’s becoming as you just say that very real we’ve just seen just a few minutes ago ton the head the man who’s heading the organization for Paris 2024 and he Alo also the mayor of Paris the two people who’ve been working for years to get to this very moment they’re probably pinching themselves right now thinking from the moments that Paris got that actual was able to secure the Olympics for this summer to this actually happening this is the start the flame is starting it’s not the actual start of the sporting yet but this is in a way the start of the Olympics because once the flame starts to the moment it ends it turns out at the end well that is the duration of the games and of course we’re going to have we’re going to see this flame being lit in just a few minutes uh and that Al is part of of course the whole ritual the whole symbolism behind the games of what is holding everyone together so it’s all about the sport for now there’s going to be Sports in a certain way as we mentioned there with the with the relay to come over the couple months before it’s uh it’s actually all kicks off in July there’s going to be a number of high-profile athletes a number of less known people who will be carrying that torch throughout France throughout territories throughout the islands as well and it’s going to be plenty to see we’ll get we’ll touch on that just in a little bit and we’re about to hear also from bonio St who’s surely going to be as I said they’re pretty um pretty happy that all of this is happening finally today that he’s actually there in s Olympia the side where 3,000 years ago this was obviously all around had a religious uh side Tu ISM as we see we’re here in the temple of Hera which is was the queen of all the Greek Gods uh where everything was happening of course the Olympics weren’t exactly what they were what they’ve become uh today the modern Olympics are a version of expanded version it used to just be a single day uh back in the time where there just a Sprint race that gradually became what has become today for to last for weeks and take across the whole world but this is definitely kicking in now uh for real and kicking in I mean that’s what the Oran going to be hoping aren’t they doug because it’s been a little bit flat so far here in Paris I mean I actually cycle right through pla Concord on my way home from work where a lot of these events are happening and you’re sort of starting to get that tension building you can see the works going on but a lot of people are still uh you know not really sure how it’s going to pan out here in Paris did you say yeah look as James says it’s all about the sport except for all the other stuff um and we’re starting here as you as you just said a lot about the other stuff look uh if there was a gold medal uh given out awarded for grumbling discontent the French might get it they have gotten it in a lot of polls and look they have this uh you might say it’s this uh canny ability to um you know predict chaos and Armageddon ahead of big events and then to somehow in Grand fashion to pull it off in stunning fashion um and there’s a sense right now that um you’re on sort of this Cliff Edge um uh the at least you read The French Press it’s a sense of everything that can possibly go wrong just might go wrong uh we have uh you know threatened strikes from sectors uh from the police uh to hospital workers to ambulance workers to transport workers uh while some of those have been resolved by throwing a little extra money at them because they’re being as asked to work over there summer holiday season uh they’re asking for overtime pay for bonuses so they’re trying to iron out all of that but beyond sort of just the the the public sector the workers the social uh discontent there’s just uh seemingly right now cart blanch for everyone to sort of Express a slightly negative opinion now the mood if you’re asking me about the actual mood it’s a it’s a it’s a weird sort of mixture if you will between on the one hand there are polls that show that a majority of French uh just barely if you’re talking about the provinces uh Paris as well a majority of France have confidence in their government in the Olympic organization I’m just going to interrupt you I’m just going to inter because the president of Paris 2024 ton is talking let’s listen to him minister of sports Olympic Olympics members of the big family of Paris 2024 and of the big family of the Olympic and Par Olympic Games dear friends years ago the Greek civilization celebrated For the First Time The Games 136 years ago in Athens there was a new edition of the Olympics so that every years the best athletes could 100 years ago France had a huge honor to host for the second time the modern games here we are in this marvelous place that brings us to peace and serenity we are here facing the big story of oism that we can see everywhere around us a history that has taken Rel in 1894 in the Parisian Ampitheater of sbor thanks to one person we know what we owe to him and thanks to his Heritage we have with France a very special link and then back a link to olympism here in Olympia we can see all tradition and values thanks to games thanks to this Heritage we have to pay tribute to that there can be different crisis but these are sports that will be a very important force of inspiration for the the flame is a symbol of this Heritage and of our mankind of our Humanity because it makes a link between the ancient games and mod ones it disseminate Eternal values of Tolerance solidarity everywhere in the world this symbol is also very powerful in sports because the flame has the power to touch a very big number in all places and it creates many emotions it creates it make us bigger from one generation to other and invite all the lovers of sports and games the flame is an allegory because it goes from family to friend from a club to a sport this is the great olympism that is been conveyed person after person flame after flame a flame after flame our role is to do everything to make bigger this flame in our country and in the world 100 years after the last Edition that we hosted the French people have the honor and of course the big joy to host this 33rd edition of the games today France is ready to take the relay after the first participation of women in the gam of Paris in 1900 the first Village of athletes in par 1924 we are ready to write down a new page of the Olympic history in the agenda of 2020 we are because the games of Paris will not only be spectacular but they’re going to reply to the challenge of the century climate change I would like to thank particularly Thomas B the president of the international because he has been always close to us I would also like to thank the City of Paris the French State all different bodies in sports in the private sector mobilized for the success of our common challenge I would like to thank them all for being here today together we’re going to organize big games and this starts today with the lighting of the Olympic flame ceremony and the flame travel throughout France we have the Great to us a big athlete you have captain in 1924 and it is an honor to be here in 20 years ago you have shown the way you wanton medals and this has been a very important the first winner in 24 and big success of course in p24 the symbolism is big for these games of Paris we are very happy to launch these games with you and this flame that we have been waiting for so much time allow me this small emotion and I would like to say that there are millions of French people waiting for these games that count on you to light up now starts the biggest festivity in the world the Olympic Games ladies and gentlemen Sig Paris Sig Paris 224 26th of July thank you yes see you in Paris there says tonyang the president of Paris 2024 we’re expecting as well in just a moment Thomas B the president of the international Olympic Committee to talk as well I think he’s going to come straight after so let’s stay with the ceremony there happening in Greece to hear exactly what he has to say you can see on the left there those rings of the Olympic rings laid out there by the children I think Thomas back is just coming to the microphone as well so let’s hear what he has president of the helenic Republic your Excellency Karina Saro dear Olympic friends fimu El all protocol observed on this sacred ground where we stand today the great gift to humankind was born 2,800 years ago the Olympic Games we are grateful to the Greek people to this very day for this precious gift to all humankind with the presence of the president of the helenic Republic we are reminded of the direct connection between this ancient Heritage and modern Greece this is why I would like to thank you your Excellency for gracing us with your presence to celebrate this auspicious moment with us my thanks and gratitude uh go also to our hosts the helenic Olympic Committee under the great leadership of my dear friend spirus calos and the mayor of Olympia who are playing such an essential role to preserve this Noble heritage since ancient times there is an Inseparable link between the Olympic Games and peace the sacred Olympic truce the aaria was the foundation for the ancient Olympic Games to take place in peace making them a symbol of hope this idea of promoting peace and hope through sport was Tak taken up by Pier de kuberan when he revived the modern Olympic Games nearly 130 years ago always the Visionary he said the Olympic games are a pilgrimage to the past and an Act of Faith in the future the lighting of the Olympic flame for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is exactly this a pilgrimage to our past in ancient Olympia and an Act of Faith in our future in Paris what better place to manifest Our Hope and Faith in the future than Paris Paris the hometown of our beloved founder and renovator of the Olympic Games pi ku in ancient times the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states even and in particular during times of war and conflict today the Olympic games are the only event that brings the entire world together in a peaceful competition then is now the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message yes it is possible to compete fiercely against each other and at the same time live peacefully together Under One Roof the athletes will shine the athletes will show us what greatness humans are capable of with all their Excellence determination and resilience this power of sport will make the Olympic games parish 2024 a great symbol of Human Excellence and unity of all humankind in all our diversity these expectations are shared by billions of people around the world in these difficult times we are living through with Wars and conflicts On The Rise people are fed up with all the hate the aggression the negative news they are facing day in day out in their hearts and I think in all our hearts we are longing for something that brings us together we are longing for something that is unifying us we are longing for something that gives us hope the Olympic flame that we are lighting today is this symbol of hope this Olympic flame will carry this Olympic Spirit from here our ancient routs through all of France and finally to Paris making the city of light shine even brighter the Olympic flame will shine over the first Olympic Games inspired by our Olympic genda reforms from start to finish these Olympic Games will be younger more inclusive more urban more sustainable these will be the very first Olympic Games with full gender parity because the ioc allocated exactly 50% of the places to female and male athletes truly worked in an extraordinary way to provide these games in every possible Dimension I would like to deeply thank congratulate the whole the whole team of the organization committee Paris [Applause] 2024 with all the Buddies of the French Sports World National olymp Committee and all the political social actors in France all together you have been brought to a very important objective in our agenda that is create a Heritage for the games before the ceremony of the flame we are opening up the games and you’re here to make a really important moment in the Olympic history your initiatives actions will promote education inclusion quality and a better environment and these action of your has already a specific you have a very important tool that will continue to mobilize people even after the games with the generation4 and imp4 you have reinforced the sports practice and the Olympic values especially amongst the youth another good example of Heritage the OIC Village of s that will be transformed to accommodation for 6,000 people OIC that will the s to the city of is a very important neighborhood work learn how to swim the very important efforts made to clean up S for the Olympic Games and these will Mark a sustainable Heritage for many generation in France thank to these efforts it will be possible to sim into the s for the first time for the last 100 years what could have been a better place other than Paris to revive our Olympic agenda Paris the famous city par Olympic movement Paris the birthplace of our founder city of where he has created the model edition of the Olympics we acknowledge the importance of France and these Olympic Games with their passion and enthusiasm it’s very important the that we are looking forward to celebrating with allation and with the whole word but have no fear there is a backup flame uh that was lit Yesterday by The High Priestess the actress Mary Mino there uh performing the uh ancient ritual of lining uh her torure by focusing the Sun Ray on her curved mirror and then the torture will begin to spread this message that Thomas did mention one of peace and one of unity among humans one message that is deeply needed in our times let’s bring in Michael Payne as well once again former director of marketing for the international Olympic Committee also author of tunin which is the unofficial and entirely unsanctioned history of the Olympics Michael I mean we heard a lot there didn’t we about how we’re all living through difficult times you only have to watch France 2 4 to to hear about those difficult times but a lot of optimism at the time about what the Olympic Games hopefully can can bring to the planet really is it is it kicks off this summer yeah I was actually very surprised by President Bark’s remarks because he was very blunt when he said the world is fed up that’s not necessarily your normal diplomatic uh sort of statement that you hear from the president but I think he captured the mood perfectly the world is fed up and the the potential inspiration of getting all of the Nations together in Paris even if it’s only for a brief moment in time is a reminder of what it’s like when you can bring Humanity together and we also had those comments as well from Tony EST Stang talking about the fact that the games were going to be spectacular here in Paris looking um add it as you know the Olympic Games what are your hopes for the Olympics here in Paris I think they they will be spectacular you have an incredible Unique city and and part of the Olympic experience is as much as what’s goes on outside of the venue in the public domain as on the field of play and that that atmosphere of the crowds walking along the streets the venues set against the iconic buildings that all creates the magic uh it’s what makes the Olympics different and you know I think the you will see as the torch hits the French territory that the popular support just explode don’t you think that’s the case I mean it’s been some fears hav they not just amongst what we were talking about earlier the the sort of Parisian perhaps hesitance to to really get engaged by this but also security fears that kind of thing we had Emanuel macro admitting yesterday that there are plan bees in place should there be a real security yeah steuart what you’re saying I think really is spoton because you know look what Olympics do you not have I was talking about grumbling and discontent and obviously the French are are you know are not exceptional in this in this respect just about every Olympics uh in the weeks and months leading up to it there is some foreseen even some unforeseen tragedy that is going to strike that is going to prevent that is going to rain on the parade quite literally um and then in the end you sort of forget about that when the actual show begins and and you know what we were just talking about here this the sort of ability of the French to to pull it off and yes you can’t forget the the the pulling value the magnet of attraction that is Paris You know despite its hardships despite the social unrest despite you know the problems that a lot of big uh you know cities and and and capitals are going through uh at this moment in time it does have that iconic status and there is something to be said about the sheer visual element of it when you have all of those crowds there and remember we are expecting crowds you know initially uh a few months back they were saying there’s going to be 600,000 uh people Outdoors they’ve been sort of dialing down those numbers a little bit now what they’re going to do as far as the the physical present you know those physically present to see the the open ceremony it’s going to be and remember it’s going to be on the sen River this is the first time they’re going to take it outside the walls of a stadium and they’re going to actually have it barges and boats going down the S which is uh quite an ambitious feat to pull off but as of now that is the plan at least and you’re going to have you know 220,000 people watching from the upper levels just the public the general public they’ll Reserve over 200,000 places on that upper level above the S but on the sen River bag the the paying Spectators when I say paying uh the the the ticket prices right now ranging from anywhere from €4 to I think 2700 those just the official prices we’re now talking about uh you know the black market so to speak but on the S it’s going to be just over 100,000 I think it’s something like 104,000 so yes it’s tightly restricted as far as the physical numbers present but that is a lot of people and it does show they’re expecting massive crowds and yes I do expect you’re going to see a lot of enthusiasm among people who are going to be coming to Paris to see what they hope will be a spectac event yes it’s coming in in a very charged difficult World conflict with two big Wars going on Russia Ukraine Gaza uh you have yes the Islamic State group rearing its head again most recently in the attack in Moscow all of that obviously in the rearview mirror right now and and and looming large for security uh planning but as far as the enthusiasm I do feel like it’s a little bit like presidential races big ones especially like in the US people don’t actually start tuning in until really the days the week just before the event when they realize wow the Olympics are really coming to Paris it’s going to be big it’s going to be spectacular I think right now it’s very easy to sort of focus on all that can go wrong and all the sort of things that can go arai but we’re that’s where we are right now but I do sort of agree with that that once it happens people are going to tune in in a very different way to these games I think exactly what you say there Doug um it doesn’t even only just apply as you said not just to the Olympics it applies to anything else it happens of course with the World Cup in Qatar we’re having plenty of discussions rightly about human rights about everything everything around it uh talks of boycott and many people around and for for for for obvious reasons but then when things happened it kicked off and yes people did obviously start following the World Cup and it did work what France is hoping is that today is going to be able to create that spark quite literally uh in Paris because as you mentioned just earlier on uh Stu there’s within Paris itself we’re not we we we haven’t seen for that now that many like celebrations there’s not much going on you don’t see that the Olympics are happening the most that we see are Billboards going in in in in the in the underground telling us that uh that it’s going to be complicated for us to be taking the uh transports during the Olympic Games there’s not much of that celebration constru yeah lot of Road Works lots of that we’ve seen plenty of it um I’d wonder if if perhaps Michael Payne could could tell us just a bit from from your side from the um from the international Olympic Committee is there much for H how much overview does the committee have on how whether the country is managing to promote this well uh with uh with with the citizens of of that country so in this case with parisians and French people at large she works in partnership with the local organizing committee and the the promotion of the games how you make sure that it is a national event as opposed to just being in the city uh is a key part that the ioc tries and guides the committee on over the seven-year buildup uh I think when the torch this this always happens the moment the torch lands the the nation suddenly comes alive and Embraces it also as as your colleague said before every single games there are political issues there are all sorts of problems and crisis that dominate the media coverage we’re just watching here the uh oh sorry Michael I thought you’d finish I was saying we’re just watching here the represent is they’re going up to the the Temple of Hera for the uh the lighting of the flame will continue to watch watch that as well do carry on sorry I interrupted you yeah no but I was just saying the ioc the Paris organizers they’re praying for one moment for the sport to start because the moment the opening ceremony is behind them the sport takes over the news and that’s how it should be okay well we’ll keep watching those images I’m going to bring in um as well in just a few moments time Ray Basel she’s an international trapshooter she became the first Arab woman to compete in two Olympic Games she competes for Lebanon in fact she won three consecutive World Cup medals in trap shooting she’s now trying in the Olympics this summer for a fourth time great to have you with us on the program I don’t know whether you heard some of those um speeches a few moments ago but a lot of uh hope really for for sports people we had to we heard from ton aangi saying sport has the power to touch many places do you feel optimistic and Infused by all of that yeah of course I mean uh this Olympics actually for us as athletes it’s the ultimate thing that we all wish that it really passes in a very good way and especially what’s happening around uh around us I think it’s a bit chaotic for everyone but I really hope that this Olympic game will be one of the best and you’re also a Goodwill Ambassador for for young people and for for women as well in sport and we heard that mention of of there being a real uh 50/50 split and that assurance that there will be equality at these games actually yes this is the first Olympic Games that it secured uh 50% places for men and women which is for gender equality and I believe this something very important especially nowadays and in the Middle East and the lon and everywhere in the world this approval so that women has fa at the Olympic Games and and yes you can as as any man can do so today we can say that for the first time in history work has become equally for both for men and for women and as I said it’s the fourth time you’re going to compete in the Olympic Games uh this year what are your hopes for for Paris 2024 well I really hope that this Olympic game will bring a medal for Lebanon Lebanon never had an Olympic medal for the past 50 years and my aim is to really put back Lebanon on the on the on the on the theme of the Olympic medals so uh I really hope I can do this I’m at this moment in Italy training and preparing for for the event and I really hope that after four Olympics that would be the one and the day that Lebanon will have an earn and a medal I really hope to make it to make this come true good to hear that well let’s just have a little um dip into these pictures and listen to some of the sound as well you can hear the the bird song which is incredible uh to to hear as the ceremony goes on so we’ll just keep quiet for a few minutes and listen to to the sounds and watch some of that ceremony [Music] point [Music] for for [Music] for for for fore foreos V for just waiting now for the uh lighting of the flame happening there live as we see it happen Let’s uh watch that that was a prayer to uh the god Apollo there for the lighting of the flame inward is of course the altar of of the sa site [Applause] and there it is then the flame uh lit obviously they decided there was not enough Sun unfortunately to light it using that uh elliptical device or whatever it’s called behind them there but James it’s a it’s a you know it’s a moment that kind of tugs at you doesn’t it really it sort of makes you think okay this is this is real now this is happening yeah that’s it that’s the that’s the start that’s the fire that’s going to keep burning uh throughout the the months to come uh yep the official starts to the Olympic Games and the uh flame going to be going then across uh first is going to be crossing a couple of days across Greece uh we’re going to be see it handed to the first torch Bearer in just a few minutes Stephanos dusos uh rowing champion who won Gold in the single schulls that was in 2020 in the last games in Tokyo after that we had conf confirmation then that it’s l who will be the first French uh French athlete to pick up the flame she picking up from him just after that L who as we heard from ton St there uh quite symbolic for her of course she won Gold back in Athens then 20 years ago and so it’ll be spending uh about just just about 11 days in Greece before the flame then heads all its way to Mar aboard the Bell boats yeah and then of course after that it goes through this uh great passage all way around France even to to some of the overseas territories that France has as well yeah it’s going to go going all the way and uh is quite quite incredible they restor to would to say a three Master boat the B then uh very very old boat in France which will be carrying it then from from Greece to Mar before it goes through through France and it’ll leave from BR to go to the overseas territories over all in the Caribbean also to the over down which is to the southern east off the coast of Africa and taking it then all the way to the um what’s of Dum Dum the overseas territories uh to bring more inclusion to uh to them so that isn’t just about the mainland just isn’t just about Paris that of course from what we heard from people speaking over there it’s very important to be able to see of course that flame that the Olympics are also taking Parts over there because it’s just too easy for it just to all happen in Paris as so often does uh but at least it’ll bring some inclusion he’ll spend some time there before coming back to France go all the way around France and there’s going to be plenty of landmarks and we’re going to be following that of course over the coming months because it’s going to be it’s all part of there’s a lot behind it it’s not it’s not just about the flame it’s about the stories of the people who’ve been who will be carrying it 10,000 people who will be carrying uh the uh the flame uh throughout some of them famous we have some of the big names Tois who you have probably heard about one of the French astronauts on board the International Space Station who’s been going there the former footballer uh there and uh also the likes of possibly Jam duus the French comedian so it’s not just about the sports it’s about bringing the country together and also those are some of the famous names but there’s a lot of just local people people who’ve done a lot for the sports one example uh is Mark who’s a 70y old man he’s he’s climbs the climb Mount Everest eight times and he’ll be part of this so this is going to be something this is this is going to be a very small exercise for him taking the bre over over a couple of couple of meters Aya who’s 21 years old as well she works a lot in the develop de developing sporting activities uh in disadvantaged neighborhoods so it’s just about symbolism about everyone being able to be um all parts of this is the flameer makes its way to Paris Michael that’s what’s so great about the Olympics isn’t it it does bring everyone together as James is talking about there it’s not just about the sports is it I mean a lot of it obviously the foundations of it are about sport but it becomes a sort of enveloping thing that kind of sucks in certainly the people of the nation that were involved but the people around the world even absolutely and I mean some of my most unique and special Olympic moments and memories have actually been about the torch relay and particularly when they collect the runners they bring them together as Community Heroes and you listen to the stories of what these Community Heroes have done and it just becomes a very sort of symbolic moment and I think the the stories there will be the S of the the high-profile name running but often it’s that the local community who’s been serving the school the hospital for 30 40 years serving disadvantaged communities that becomes the real power and celebration of the torty L let’s just listen to a little bit of the the music here as the ceremony [Music] [Applause] continues e [Music] for [Music] we watching that ceremony for us at uh Olympia is Natalie svarak Chris our correspondent who’s there Natalie you’ve got a special guest for us that you’re going to talk to as well yes indeed I’m here with enri J the captain of the BM the Sailing Boat that will transport the Olympic flame of the 2024 summer games from Greece to France on the 26th of April if I’m not mistaken am thank you very much for being here please tell us uh really the honor that we must feel uh transporting and the challenges that must be involved in transporting the flame to Paris yeah sure I have no words to say how much we are honored by the responsibility to car the big flame from hen to Mar first is going to be the first move of the oing flight under the French color so that’s for us a big symbol uh we have some uh young people to help us to to carry this flame some young people in the iner association so Foundation B is very proud of the objective and a great thanks for the Olympic organization and all the organization to to let us try this adventure and it’s going to be the first time that the F will be carried to the oyer country by ship so tell us a bit about that what are the challenges involved in carrying a flame on board a sing ship yeah carry the flame is like a very VIP passenger uh we’re going to secure her and of course have our own moment with this flame is going to be swn by all the world and for few moments we have all flame for a few people is like in neor you can’t say what’s going to be us for us and uh of course there isn’t symbol because the responsibility is very hard we have to to sa our our s rise sa so uh it’s going to be a big challenge of course but it’s safe and we hope that we’re going to be at time for sure we’re going to be at time on B for fantastic ceremony coming in with friend be a big arrival for World of everybody last question what are the technicalities involved in carrying aame on board a wooden ship I mean one are the sations and yeah how you okay we have the T we have the special Bo transport Bo for and we havean dedicate to that the flame did not stop so that’s the main goal that to not stop the flame so that’s the first objective to SEC is not involv because it’s very secure and we have system on board and just one the big symbol that the ship got the same age as the French 1896 the same age from so is very high for us that’s the captain of the B will transport the ship to M from GRE thanks very much Natalie hopefully you could uh just about work out what he was saying there it’s very difficult with the sound but let’s listen to a little bit more of the ceremony while that loud music is continuing [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] oh [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] if you’re just joining us you’re watching a special program we bringing you for an hour now as the Olympic flame is lit at Olympia the start of its Voyage to us here in Paris for the Olympic Games of course in just over 4 months time uh that we will be covering of course here on France 24 as well we’re just waiting for the uh flame to be given to the first torch Bearer and James of Senor our sports editor is one of those who’s joining me here on set James is a that big moment of the ceremony I suppose once it’s been lit that moment that it’s passed to the first torch Bearer ready for this uh epic uh race if you like or movements of that flame right around Greece then to France and to the overseas territories as well yeah of course and once it actually this when it when it all all kick starts and uh we’ll be going around then around Greece and making its way towards us here and uh the flame of course as we heard from from the captain of the B there challenges of not letting it uh turn turn out at any point now just to in case you’re wondering there are some backup Flames that are kept from the original uh fire that’s from which they all come from in case anything should happen of course there were many attempts that happen throughout of chy to sabotage the the lighting or attacks on the flame um itself and that is of course part of the whole security that here in France the the police for security forces have been rehearsing for that you’ve had towns you’ve had Villages that are going to be welcoming uh that are going to be part of the flame think of like the Tour of France where you welcome uh one stage of the tour well this these are towns that are welcoming a stage for the flame and they’ve been preparing for all of this because quite a costly um events for them to do but it’s historic it’s been a hundred years since the last time the Olympics took place in France it’s not something that we expect to see again in our lifetime necessarily who knows but that is the anyway the vision that everybody is going with this that this is exceptional this is a one time once in a lifetime opportunity for the French people uh and plenty of then uh to prepare ahead of it uh it travels across to France and we mentioned that it was taking going to take a um board on board the uh the bellm uh ship there across to M that BM ship there years ago was in charge of going to Brazil to bring cocoa beans back for France well that has been restored and is being used again now after that though to go to um the Caribbean the French Caribbean islands it will be going on traran which will be sailing then through through the Atlantic to get there it’s a slightly different but it’s not the first time of course the flame has taken these different methods it’s been through planes before it’s been through the space as well so um so the flame is used to to traveling pretty well yeah Michael you’re I know you’re a bit of expert on the the past people that have covered that flame there are some particularly interesting examples aren’t there give us an idea of some of those people that really stick in your mind as to who has carried the flame in the past there are so many I mean one personal one I was in New York one month after the 911 attack uh in the TV studios in NBC and in walked in a New York fireman in all of his regalia uh to be interviewed and he started saying well I was one of the lucky ones I was one of three brothers at least I survived and frankly everybody in the room cracked up because his two brothers were buried under the 9/11 Towers uh we organized then for him to run the Olympic flame in memory of his brothers in New York um you have other stories uh all the runners get together on a bus as they’re dropped off along the relay and you’re asked to tell a story as to why you were selected and so one Runner was saying how they were a cancer survivor uh and had had a transplant and the lady next to her who the runner didn’t know said oh I was a donor and the recipient didn’t realize that she was going to receive the torch from the lady who’ given her a kidney to survive oh well that’s a great story isn’t it and again it’s about bringing Ordinary People into it isn’t it absolutely and it’s it’s it’s actually part of the sort what makes the Olympic special even the 10 and a half thousand athletes uh people have relatives they have friends it’s not as if you’re dealing with of football super stars these are people living your next door neighbors and have an incredible story and commitment for what it means to get to the Olympic Games been way representative of course of the Olympics because it wasn’t until that long ago really the professional athletes weren’t actually part of the Olympics this was part of just this was just general general public that was that were competing in them yeah we can see the torch Bearer there the first torch Bearer uh stepan two there taking the and taking the olive branches as well I noticed there which of course is a sign of Peace which they were crowns of course back in the day all they received for for the heroics let’s have a Liston once again uh as the the peace D is released to some good camera work there I was thinking the same thing it’s lovely just watching and listening to those um sounds there at Olympia and the the symbolism and the all those excited crowds there all gathered toh see this uh very special ceremony that we’ve been watching over the last hour now the flame is off and uh will be uh passing by The Monuments for pi his his heart actually so the the architect behind the mod Olympic Games the French architect his heart was actually buried not far away from this site here and uh that’s a ritual to uh be passing the taking the flame uh past The Monuments where his heart then is buried and where L man after that the Olympic swimmer the uh the sister of uh Flor Manu will be uh the first French person to be taking charge of the uh of the flame in Greece there Michael was it like uh you know you were director of marketing for the international Olympic Committee for so long how difficult is it to get the balance right CU what we’re seeing here is obviously a very traditional very ancient ceremony but at the same time you need to keep the the Olympics modern and relevant for the the younger era as well don’t you absolutely but the the symbolism and history and Heritage that you’re seeing here is key uh to the traditions and and why the Olympics are so unique but then again when you look at the sports program uh Paris is introducing new sports such as breaking uh four years ago in Tokyo you had skateboarding and surfing so there’s a permanent renewal of the sports program and what the youth uh are engaged with are interested in but connected to the power of 3,000 years of History it’s very difficult though isn’t it because on the one hand yes you want to keep it relevant and fresh but on the other hand you know critics will inevitably say that it’s wrong to drop some of the other sports perhaps that have been part of the Olympics for so long well I was involved with trying to re-engineer modern pentathlon the sport that was founded by the p the kuat uh and you have to evolve and uh we took the decision last year to drop the equestrian events and replace them by obstacle Ninja Warrior racing uh you you can’t have a sport on the program that nobody practices or very few people practice so there’s a an ongoing uh Evolution and to find a balance uh because you want to suspect you want to respect you know the traditions of the great sports like wrestling uh and archery uh and it’s that mix that also makes it so special often you it’s the only time these Sports get any real Global exposure uh when they’re twins with the classic Sports of track and field and swimming and it’s of course a way of attracting new audiences as well because you get for the liks of climbing that came back uh with with the Olympics you’re getting new audience that’s going to be following that but they’re going to be following of course the rest of the Olympics same with the skateboarding same with the surfing so I can imagine yeah there’s a lot of a lot of thought behind all of that to to keep everything going as Michael P is saying there and to modernize it whilst respecting the uh the Traditions but to keep it to keep keep to keep the flame going really I remember reading a tweet from somebody during the I think it was probably during the London Olympics actually saying I can’t believe I’ve just spent the last rest of the afternoon watching curling um and saying how sucked into it they got and that’s part of it isn’t it yeah it’s part of the opportunity that you get from because these are not NE many of the sports many people don’t know the names of many of the people who are competing in in in these Olympics it’s a chance to be actually looking at something that we’re not necessarily following uh outside of the Olympics and same goes as you say with the sports so for people to be able to discover uh perhaps get a new interest who knows that person maybe uh somebody watching the curling and maybe yourself I don’t know maybe you trying to join a club at some point but this is what what’s uh what can happen especially as is always mentioned for the younger people uh this is inspiration to see the competition to see dreams literally happening for for many this is what they they want and this is what we can see here then P ku’s heart uh which is buries just there and that is uh part of the ritual of the liting the flame to pass in front of that that Monument that’s the be’s name there Michael tell us a bit about who Pier de is because you know not everyone will know will they well Pier D was was a French educationalist uh who towards the end of the uh 19th century uh went to study the role of sport is a vehicle for Education particularly in in England uh and he decided that it would be wonderful if you would have the rebirth of the Olympic Games and he created in 1894 the international Olympic Committee uh with a group of uh mainly European to try and resurrect the ancient Olympic ideal of of the games we were talking of inspiration just there that’s uh L menu then uh taking charge of the uh of the flame and if I can speak for myself of course this is 10 years ago well 20 years ago uh much younger well I was much younger we were all much younger but for me watching this when she was uh she was uh competing then it was definitely an inspiration because her name was absolutely everywhere she represented France in the swimming she absolutely huge of course her brother has Tak over after her but uh but this is is what it’s all about and there no uh it’s no um just there not by chance that she’s ended up becoming the first French person to be taking charge of the flame there for the uh for the Paris 2024 Olympics yeah off it goes on that on that route it’s it’s a long route isn’t it it’s it’s a long route and it will come to an end um when it does arrive in Paris and that’s another big part of course of the route is who is going to be the last person to be uh carrying the flame who’s going to be light The Cauldron of course in the past we’ve had some spectacular moments and but sometimes it is also about just the smaller smaller what what it means the message behind them you think of course back to the London 2012 and the likes of uh the likes of D David Beckham Karen the flame down the river temps uh or Muhammad Ali back in Atlanta if this is something if Paris is trying to pull off what they’re saying and will be if they man if everything goes right and everything happens on time absolutely spacular games which are taking place then outside the stadium in these historic landmarks if they want to make it big who are they going to choose as for the last uh torch be that is still uh still secret we’re going to only find out of course in the last moments there’s a couple of names that come out there J Mari one of the big uh big names in French Olympic times could be the person um I’ve got many other names uh one person in particular in mind who could be a surprise CU When you think about it you got to find someone well if they wanted to find someone who’s going to uh be recognized in all of the world of course she is she is big but I’m also thinking of the likes of zinin zidan uh if he did step up at the last moments uh could cause could could make that ceremony um absolutely huge it’s incredible in a way that we don’t know yet isn’t it because a lot of other names who are going to be involved in the ceremony there’ve been some controversies as well over people who are going to be involved in the Cy have have been announced but we still don’t know that that one big name if you like no we’re never going to find out until the ends they’re going to stay secrets on that that’s part of it’s all part of this and so we make sure that we keep watching the relay I think they had a worry there they couldn’t get the torch to life but they seem to they seem to have they seem to have managed it let’s just bring in Doug Herbert once again Doug briefly before we’re going to have to close soon but um you know we we’ve seen the the the flame lit once again on its way to Paris still those security uh concerns and how well is all going to go it seems to be going incredibly well right at the start but it’s such a long drawn out process isn’t it with so many different places that it’s going to pass so many different places it’s going to pass but I have to say is you know as far as security goes I mean the focus is obviously on securing Paris because they want to make sure that uh at least the the the opening ceremony on July 26th and we were talking about how many hundreds of thousands of physical spectators not to mention the the the billions watching around the world um they want to make sure that it is secure and as safe as as this ceremony in a relatively peaceful corner of Greece is is going right now and and you know they are pulling out all stops they’re expecting you know I think 45,000 police and jeam in Paris alone and that’s not counting an additional 15,000 soldiers that they’re going to uh conscript to uh to also provide extra security uh 10,000 of them are going to be in Paris alone they’re going to be closing the airspace around the Capal I think uh something like a a 50 km radius if I don’t have that wrong and and they’re going to be deploying all of these speci all the elite of the elite uh of the police intervention and Riot brigades uh in France uh really around the sen and the Paris the the Paris region that’s where they really want to make sure that this goes safely and you know just the other night you know Emanuel macron was asked you know uh will it be uh on the sen River because there had been a lot of speculation they might that they might not there is a plan B there’s a plan C there might be a plan Zed going right through the alphabet but as of now they are still planning on doing it on the sen River what they will be one of the most spectacular ceremonies in Olympic history but yeserday was the first time that we did hear actually there was a plan B and plan C because of course in Minds we were thinking what happens if it isn’t possible and Emanuel MC was pretty clear when he talks about a terrorist threat if that was too big what would they what would happen then plan B would be in front of the Eiffel Tower plan C could be in the St of H which is serving as the Olympic venue involves 80,000 exactly yeah great to have you both with us of course on the program for the program today Doug Herber International Affairs commentator James SE our sports editor thanks as well to you Michael very much for joining us Michael Payne former director of marketing for the international Olympic Committee you’ve been watching a very special program to see that flame it has been lit we saw that wonderful ceremony there at Olympia it’s on its way now around Greece uh before it heads to Marseilles on the 8th of May I’m sure we’ll be covering that event for you here on France 24 and a lot of the events as well as that flame makes its way around France and the overseas territories stay with us on France 24 for lot more coverage at the buildup to the Olympics and the Olympics themselves at the end of July and the beginning of [Music] August hello and welcome here on France 24 Our Guest today is Abdullah hamdog he is the head of Sudan’s takad it’s so