Related information about the Nanjing Olympic Torch Relay

The rising flame embodies the eager anticipation of the 76 million Jiangsu people to realize their Olympic dreams; the love condensed in fists and fists conveys the deep affection of the entire province for the compatriots affected by the disaster in Sichuan. Love walks with the torch. At 8 a.m. on May 27, the starting ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay in Nanjing was held in the East Square of the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center. Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Liang Baohua announced the start of the relay event in Nanjing. Governor Luo Zhijun delivered a speech. Provincial CPPCC Chairman Zhang Lianzhen, Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee member and Deputy Director of the State Sports General Administration Xiao Tian, ??Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee Torch Relay Headquarters Deputy Commander Liu Jigang and others attended ceremony.

After the starting ceremony began, all personnel observed a minute of silence for the victims of the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan.

The Olympic flame, which symbolizes peace, friendship, glory and dreams, passed through four stations in Suzhou, Nantong, Taizhou and Yangzhou before arriving in Nanjing, the last stop of the Jiangsu relay event. Thousands of people gathered in the east square of the Olympic Sports Center. Many citizens came here early in the morning to see the auspicious cloud torch with their own eyes. Slogans such as "Carry the torch, dedicate care", "Carry forward the Olympic spirit and support earthquake relief", and "Convey peace, convey blessings and convey hope" can be seen everywhere. The atmosphere at the scene was warm and peaceful, expressing the blessings of the people of Jiangsu for the Beijing Olympics and the blessings of Sichuan Care for disaster areas. At 8:08, under the eyes of everyone, the torch handover ceremony began. The ceremonial guard of the flame from the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee led the flame from the tinder lamp, lit the first torch passed at the Nanjing Station, and handed the torch to Xiao Tian. Xiao Tian then handed the torch to Liang Baohua, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. Amid warm applause and passionate music, Liang Baohua took over the burning auspicious cloud torch and held it high. After showing it to the audience, he handed it to the first torch bearer of Nanjing Station - an international athlete and world badminton champion. Yang Yang then announced that the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Torch Relay has begun in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. People competed to wave the national flag of the People's Republic of China and the Beijing Olympic Games flag in their hands. Shouting of "Go China" and "Go Olympics" came and went, and the atmosphere at the scene reached a climax. Holding the torch, Yang Yang joined the runners and started running, starting the Olympic flame's "dream-fulfilling journey" and "love journey" in Nanjing.

At the starting ceremony, Luo Zhijun, on behalf of the provincial party committee, the provincial government and the people of the province, expressed a warm welcome to the relay of the Olympic torch in Jiangsu. He said that the Olympic torch relay was a "dream-fulfilling journey." The people of Jiangsu are full of expectations and jointly light the torch with passion to convey the century-old Olympic dream, fully demonstrate Jiangsu's beautiful natural scenery and splendid history and culture, fully demonstrate Jiangsu's brilliant achievements in reform, opening up and modernization, and fully demonstrate their expectation and participation in the Olympics. The great enthusiasm for the Olympic Games and dedication to the Olympic Games will surely greatly inspire the confidence and enthusiasm of the entire province in building a higher-level moderately prosperous society. The Olympic torch relay is a "journey of love." The torch conveys the love of the people of Jiangsu to the people in the disaster-stricken areas of Sichuan, and the torch embodies the courage of the people of the two places to join hands and overcome the difficulties. We must go all out to deal with earthquake relief with one hand, and unswervingly focus on current economic development with the other hand, and strive to relieve the worries and difficulties of the people in the disaster area and make more contributions to the overall situation of the country.

Zhu Shanlu, member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Party Committee, delivered a speech at the ceremony, and Nanjing Mayor Jiang Hongkun presided over the ceremony.

The torch relay runs from the Olympic Sports Center along Mengdu Street, Yangzijiang Avenue, Caochangmen Street to Beijing West Road and ends at the Drum Tower Park, a total length of 12.9 kilometers. Along the way, enthusiastic citizens held high the national flag, the Beijing Olympic Games flag and the five-ring flag, cheering for the torch bearers and the Olympic Games. Among the 208 torchbearers participating in the relay, the oldest is 91 years old and the youngest is 14 years old. Wu Renbao, Shi Zhengrong, Deng Jianjun, Zhu Aihua, Zhang Jindong and other celebrities from all walks of life also honorably participated in the torch relay activities as torchbearers. At 10:23 am, the famous volleyball player Sun Yue, as the last torch bearer, lit the cauldron at the end of the relay in Gulou Park. The torch relay activities in Jiangsu have thus concluded successfully.

In order to further express our love for the people in the earthquake-stricken areas of Sichuan, 6 donation points were set up along the delivery route. The torchbearers who participated in the relay donated more than 180,000 yuan.