Tortola, British Virgin Islands, February 24, 2010 - The Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi, precursor to the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, will arrive in the Virgin Islands from St Kitts and Nevis on the evening of Monday, March 22, 2010. The BVIOC, as the local Commonwealth Games Association, will host the historic relay through March 25 when it departs for Anguilla. The relay will continue its journey through the remaining Commonwealth countries to the Opening Ceremony of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi, India on October 3, 2010.
The baton will arrive accompanied by an international travelling crew who will be sharing with the world images and stories of the relay in the BVI. At a press briefing held Monday, the BVIOC outlined the public events and relays planned for Tortola and Virgin Gorda on March 23 and 24.
“The BVI will be the forty first country to be visited by the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi,” said Ephraim Penn, president for the BVI Olympic Committee. “This is only the second time that the relay will visit all 71 of the Commonwealth nations. The first time was during the Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton Relay when it toured the BVI from August 21 – 24, 2005. I am sure many of you can recall the excitement that event created. Our aim this time around is to create even more excitement."
Planning started in October and the BVIOC is working with major stakeholders to coordinate the activities and relays which will involve all members of the community in a festival of sport and culture. This includes a cultural representation of India as the host country of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi.
"We are firming up a full itinerary during these two days, which will highlight our sports men, women and children, the culture, history and the beauty of these Islands we call home," said Mr Penn.
The Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi in the BVI will launch with an official, public reception in the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park on the morning of Tuesday, March 23rd. A series of baton relays will take place through Road Town and Sea Cow’s Bay and will include a sailing leg. In the afternoon, relays will take place in the western end of the island with a relay from Cane Garden Bay through Carrot Bay ending at Bomba’s Shack.
On Wednesday, March 24th, the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi will visit Virgin Gorda. Relays will take place through the Valley, to the Baths and will include visits to the schools and elsewhere around the island. The baton will then return to Trellis Bay, Beef Island in the late afternoon and relays will be run, walked and cycled through East End/Long Look to the H Lavity Stoutt Community College.
The Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi will conclude its visit to the Virgin Islands at the HLSCC with a grand cultural presentation to showcase the cultural traditions and cuisine of the BVI and India.
Due to the limited time of the baton in the BVI, the communities of Jost Van Dyke and Anegada are invited to participate in the activities that will take place on Tortola and Virgin Gorda.
A final schedule of events will be publicised at the beginning of March. The BVIOC will continue to promote the relay through the media and with visits to schools, service clubs, and community centers. The public can become fans of the ‘Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi in the BVI’ page on Facebook and follow the developments of the relay. Fans will be able to post photos and memories they have of the August 2005 event.
The steering committee meets weekly and includes representatives from the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Premier, the Departments of Culture, Education and Youth Affairs and Sports, the BVI Tourist Board, the Sister Islands Coordinator, the Royal BVI Police Force, Special Olympics BVI, the BVI Watersports Center and H Lavity Stoutt Community College. The HLSCC will include this occasion to highlight the college's 20th anniversary.
Speaking at the press briefing, Mr Reynold O’Neal, immediate past president of the BVIOC, said “This relay is a community-wide event and we will need all hands on deck to make it a success.” Mr O’Neal, along with Mr John Lewis, was involved in organizing the event in 2005.
The Queen’s Baton 2010 Delhi is a fusion of handcrafted elements and includes a precious jewellery box containing the Queen’s ‘message to the athletes’. The message is symbolically engraved on a miniature, 18 carat gold leaf. The baton incorporates a camera to capture sights and sounds, a GPS tracking system and a text messaging system. Information gathered from the baton is then available for viewing on the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi web site.
The official launch of the Queen's Baton Relay 2010 Delhi took place at Buckingham Palace, London on October 29, 2009 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II handed over the baton to Dr Pratibha Patil, President of India. The relay then commenced its 11- month journey around the globe.
The international sector for the Queen's Baton Relay 2010 Delhi is a joint initiative of the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi in partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation and locally with the BVI Olympic Committee.
For further information about the Queen's Baton Relay 2010 Delhi visit www.cwgdelhi2010.org.
ENDS
Media Contact:
Mark Chapman
Chef de Mission
XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi
Tel: 1 284 494 2868
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