ITK and National Inuit Committee on Vancouver 2010 Announce Two Olympic Torch Relay Programs Geared to Inuit Youth

 

 

March 10, 2009 - Ottawa, Ontario: Mary Simon, President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the National Inuit Committee on Vancouver 2010, together with the Four Host First Nations, and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), are pleased to announce the inclusion of Inuit Youth in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay Program.

 

“Inuit are proud to be part of this exciting journey across Canada,” said Mary Simon. “Inuit Youth will share with Canadians in a very real way the people behind the Inukshuk. As the Olympic Flame travels from community to community it will carry within its glow the blessings of indigenous peoples. Those blessings, along with Inuit youth protecting the flame on its journey as flame attendants, will help ignite the Olympic Cauldron in Vancouver less than a year from now.”

 

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay begins in Victoria, British Columbia October 30th, 2009 and will visit the four Inuit regions of Canada’s Arctic. The Inuit component of the Olympic Torch Relay Program is a unique part of the torch relay event. It signifies VANOC’s commitment to unprecedented Aboriginal participation in the planning and hosting of the Vancouver 2010 Games.

 

The Inuit Language Torchbearer Program will recruit seven Inuit youth between the ages of 13-30 to participate in the Torch Relay, and assist in the movement of the Olympic Flame across Canada.

 

The Inuit Youth Flame Attendant Program will recruit three Inuit youth between the ages of 19 and 25. They will travel with the Torch Relay Team and perform as apprentice Fire Keepers to maintain the Olympic Flame and keep back-up flames burning during the cross-Canada journey.

 

Details on how to apply for the two programs are available online at www.itk.ca

 

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Source:

Stephen Hendrie

Director of Communications

Cell (613) 277-3178