ANNOUNCEMENT Athens, 24 May 2004 OLYMPIC FLAME TO DEPART ON INTERNATIONAL TORCH

RELAY The start of the first truly international Olympic Torch Relay will be celebrated at the ‘Eleftherios Venizelos’ Athens International Airport on Wednesday 2 July, at 20.30 . Later on, the specially designed aircraft transporting the flame to the five continents will take off from the Airport, non-stop to Sydney. ATHENS 2004 President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki will hand over the Olympic Flame to the air crew at a special ceremony. An hour previously (at 19.30) the Flame will be ceremonially removed from the altar at the Panathinaiko Stadium, to be taken to the Airport. ERT, the Greek National TV Company, will have exclusive coverage of the event - both at the airport and the Stadium - and will pool the footage to all other channels. Media representatives and photographers whishing to attend the ceremony at the “Eleftherios Venizelos” Airport must apply to take part, by giving their police ID or passport number to the ATHENS 2004 Media Desk (International Media Desk Associate, Mrs Evangelia Stathatou, 210-3446427, [mailto:epstatha@athens2004.com]epstatha@athens2004.com ) before 17.00 on Wednesday 26 May at latest, so that the necessary entry permit for the Airport can be issued in time.
# # #

For more information visit our website [http://www.athens2004.com/]www.athens2004.com