Confirmation of intention to attend Pre Final Leg events

 ARE YOU COMING TO ATHENS AND ROME?

In July this year, we published an Expression of Interest in travelling to Athens for the Flame Lighting Ceremony and/or Rome for the Papal Blessing of the Flame of Hope in the lead up to the commencement of the Final Leg on February 27.

60 team members responded to that EOI with 10 indicating that they would not attend either event, 43 indicating an intention to be in Athens and 50 indicating an intention to be in Rome.

The link below will take you to the list of responses to that request:

We now need to finalise the list of attendees.  It is completely understandable that some of you may have committed to attend one or both of the events, but are now having second thoughts (or perhaps have not put any further thought into it).  

Likewise, it may be the case that some of you did not respond in the first instance but are now thinking about attending.

THIS IS YOUR ONE AND ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE AT THESE EVENTS!

For the sake of clarity, here is an excerpt from the July EOI Post relating to timings:

The first opportunity is to attend the Flame Lighting Ceremony in Athens.  

This ceremony has taken place prior to the Final Leg for over 20 years.  It is arranged and managed by Special Olympics Hellas (Greece) and is held in one of two locations - the Acropolis or Zappeoin Hall, both in Athens.

In 2023, the Flame Lighting Ceremony was held at Zappeoin Hall.  For the first time since 2003, Final Leg Team members were able to travel to Athens and participate in the event (which included a Torch Run out of the Hall)

The second opportunity is to attend a mass where Pope Francis will bless the Flame of Hope.  To our knowledge, this will be a first for the Torch Run.

The mass will be held in St Peter's Square within Vatican City in Rome on  Wednesday, 26 February 2025, commencing at 9.00am.

If you've been paying attention, you may have realised that the timings for these two activities are very tight.  All Final Leg Team members need to be in Turin by the afternoon of Thursday, 27 February 2025 with the first Torch Run scheduled just 2 days later.  If you are thinking about participating in either or both of these activities, you should do so in the full knowledge that you'll have to manage your travel arrangements well.

A quick check of the Skyscanner website shows just two direct flights from Athens to Rome on the afternoon / evening of February 25 - Aegean at 4.25pm and ITA at 7.25pm.

If you travel to Athens, you will have to leave for the airport immediately following the Welcome Ceremony at the Italian Embassy if you want to be in Rome for the Papal Blessing (which starts at 9.00am on February 26 in St Peters' Square).  You would have a bit more time following the blessing - you could stay in Rome on the nights of February 25 / 26 and catch a direct train to Turin on the morning of February 27.  The train journey takes about 5 hours.  Flights are also available.

CONFIRMING YOUR ATTENDANCE

To confirm your attendance in Athens, Rome or both locations, you need to complete the Confirmation Form (click on the icon below).  This needs to happen quickly, so responses will be received up to Friday 6 December 2024.  If you fail to respond by that time, you will not be included in the event arrangements. 

If any of you have spoken to the 2023 Final Leg team members who were in Athens last year, you will understand that this is a very special torch run experience.

It's time to commit

Scott