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Los
Angeles is the first American stop for Olympic flame
Mayor Hahn Calls for Olympic Torchbearer Nominations
February 3, 2004
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Nomination Forms Available at:
http://www.lacity.org/torch
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Los
Angeles - Mayor Jim Hahn today announced that Los Angeles residents
have until February 23 to nominate their friends, relatives and
neighbors to carry the Olympic flame as it passes through Los Angeles
on its first-ever journey across the globe. "Los Angeles' diversity
and world-class athletes exemplify what the Olympics are all about,"
Mayor Hahn said. "I am thrilled that Los Angeles is the Olympic
flame's first American stop as it makes its way across the nation."
Los Angeles hosted the Olympic Games in 1932 and in 1984. This year's
games are in Athens, Greece, the site of the original Olympics.
For the first time, the Olympic flame is traveling across the entire
globe, not just through the country that is hosting the games. Los
Angeles was one of only 4 American cities selected to host the Olympic
flame for the 2004 games, joining St. Louis, Atlanta and New York
City. The flame's journey through the United States begins in Los
Angeles on June 16, when it will be carried throughout the city
by local torchbearers before a pre-game ceremony at Dodger Stadium.
The theme of this year's torch relay is "Pass the Flame, Unite the
World."
Los Angeles-area residents can download and print nomination forms
by logging-on to http://www.lacity.org/torch.
Nominees must be at least 14 years of age by March 25, 2004. Following
the February 23 deadline, nominations will be reviewed and about
60 torchbearers will be selected by a local judging panel. Selected
torchbearers will be announced in May.
In addition to the completed forms, nominations must also include
an essay of 50 to 100 words explaining how the nominee meets the
criteria of being an inspiring person who reflect the best of humanity.
Olympics officials say that nominees should be "an inspiration to
our everyday lives and deserve to unite the world by carrying the
Olympic flame." Nominees should unite their communities through
sport, education or culture and who inspire others through participation,
celebration, human scale and/or heritage, and should reflect the
values of the Olympic Games as follows:
 Unity:
People who build bridges between individuals, communities, cultures
and generations. Those who look to emphasize what makes us alike,
not what sets us apart.
Human Scale:
People who believe in the value of the individual - the strength
of one person's deeds and the power of a single expression. The
extraordinary people who prove that one individual can make a difference.
Celebration:
People who take joy in life and whose positive attitudes lift the
spirits of those around them.
Participation:
People who know life is not always about winning, but also about
taking part. Those who actively seek to experience life's adventures
and challenges large or small.
Heritage:
People who embrace history and culture and pass the lessons learned
from one generation to the next, in order to build a brighter future.
The Olympic flame will make its way through the U.S. near the midway
point in its historic journey around the world.
Following the traditional lighting of the flame in Ancient Olympia,
Greece, the flame will travel to the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens,
the site of the 1896 Olympic Games, the first Olympic Games of the
modern era, before beginning its historic worldwide relay. The Olympic
flame will travel to all cities that have hosted the summer Olympic
Games, as well as several other selected cities on its trek. The
relay will take the flame to each continent that is represented
by the five Olympic rings, and will, for the first time, visit the
continents of Africa and South America. Over approximately 35 days
the torch will be carried to 34 cities, including Ancient Olympia,
in 26 countries worldwide.
The Olympic flame will travel to the United States from Mexico City,
Mexico, arriving in Los Angeles, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic
Games, on June 16. The flame will be in St. Louis, the host of the
1904 Olympic Games, on June 17 before traveling to Atlanta, the
site of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, on June 18. The U.S.
portion of the International Torch Relay will wrap up in New York
City, the home of the United Nations, on June 19 before departing
for Montreal, Canada, host of the 1976 Olympic Games.
More than 3,600 torchbearers from every corner of the world are
expected to participate in the international portion of the Athens
2004 Olympic Torch Relay. About 480 torchbearers are expected to
take part in the American portion of this historic event.
CONTACT:
Yusef K. Robb
213 / 978-0741
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Nomination Forms Available at:
http://www.lacity.org/torch
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