Members of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH’s) Presidency Sefik Dzaferovic and Zeljko Komsic attended the ceremony marking the “Flame of Peace” arrival to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s (BiH’s) capital Sarajevo here on Saturday, local media reported.
“The Flame of Peace” was brought to Sarajevo International Airport (SIA) by mayors of Sarajevo, Abdulah Skaka and East Sarajevo, Nenad Vukovic, who will be the hosts at the opening of European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) here on Feb.10, 2019.
The “Flame of Peace” will be lit again, thirty-five years after the capital Sarajevo hosted 14thWinter Olympic Games in 1984.
Dzaferovic and Komsic highlighted that EYOF is the biggest sports event organized in BiH after 1984 Winter Olympics and that it will positively influence on the country’s reputation internationally.
At the ceremony, Skaka pointed out that it is very important that the “Flame of Peace” arrived in BiH and that youth should be given a chance to build a new world.
“It is my wish that a flame of peace blazes forever in BiH,”Skaka said, expressing the conviction that this will be the best organized EYOF, adding that the significant results can be achieved with joint efforts.
The ceremony marked the first time in the history of EYOF that the flame was taken over by two cities in one country.
Mayor of East Sarajevo, Nenad Vukovic, said that EYOF represents the biggest sport event in BiH after the Winter Olympics in 1984, adding that over 1,500 contestants from more than 50 European countries will participate.
“With this, BiH will return to the scene of organizing great competitions in winter sports,” Vukovic added.
From Feb.10-16, 2019, EYOF will bring 750 members of national Olympic Committee delegations and 1,600 athletes aged 14-18 competing in eight sports: alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, short track speed skating, snowboarding and curling.
(Photo: vijesti.ba)
