The torch of the 2016 Summer Olympics will go through a refugee camp in Greece carried by a migrant initiative to expose the problem of refugees, as announced today the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
'We draw the world's attention regarding the problem of refugees', said the IOC President Thomas Bach, during a visit to the shelter Eleonas in this capital, where hundreds of foreigners live.As part of the Olympic tradition, the torch will be lit in the city of Olympia, the cradle of the Games on 21 April and then tour several towns in Greece, including a migrant camp where a refugee will be invited to carry the flame.
The initiative is aimed to "send a message of hope and confidence to refugees and to draw world attention to the problem of the 60 million refugees in the world," said Bach.
More than a million undocumented immigrants arrived last year to Europe in which immigration is considered the worst crisis since the Second World War (1939-1945), of which over 800,000 came from the coast of Greece.
According to the IOC president it is expected to May 3 the torch arrives in Brazil and begin a journey of 100 days to reach Rio de Janeiro for the opening ceremony planned on August 5.
The Olympics will also have a space for the subject because it will compete for the first time a team of refugees, who during the opening parade under the Olympic flag in the penultimate position, just before representatives of the host country.
Bach said it will be a team of outstanding athletes 'have no national committee, are homeless and do not have to parade the flag'.
Five to 10 athletes will integrate the set will surely attract attention at the ceremony, an opening that 'it will be very symbolic, especially for Greece, "according to Bach.
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