The flame for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games will be lit in Greece's Ancient Olympia on Tuesday.
The official lighting ceremony is to start at approximately 11:30 local time in Greece, equivalent to around 16:30 Beijing time later today.
After an 11-day relay throughout Greece, the Olympic flame will arrive in Athens ahead of the handover ceremony to the Paris 2024 organizing committee on April 26. The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11.
Situated on the western Peloponnese Peninsula in Greece, the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia was once a prominent venue for athletic competitions among city-states in ancient Greece. The first Olympic Games were held there in 776 B.C., with subsequent Games taking place every four years until 393 AD, when they were banned by the ancient Romans. The Olympic flame lighting ceremony on Tuesday will be held at two historic locations within the archaeological site of Olympia: the stadium and the Temple of Hera.
Following the ignition of the flame at the Temple of Hera, the oldest temple at the site, it will be escorted back to the stadium by actresses portraying priestesses. At the stadium, it will be used to light the inaugural torch of the Paris Olympic Games.
Paris Olympic flame to be lit in Greece's Ancient Olympia
The year 2024 celebrates the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic ties, and it also heralds the China-France Year of Cultural Tourism, a celebration aimed at bolstering cultural and people-to-people exchanges through a series of enriching events.
During a special episode focused on this milestone, cultural experts and influencers from both nations shared insights into the depth of Sino-French cultural interactions.
The discussion, livestreamed from Shanghai on April 22, began with a historical overview, notably when then-Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai introduced President Georges Pompidou to the Yungang Grottoes, a renowned Buddhist cave site in north China's Shanxi. These caves feature intricate carvings that reflect religious and cultural syntheses from the 5th and 6th centuries.
David Gosset, founder of the China-Europe-America Global Initiative, commented on the geopolitical context of the initial outreach.
"People have to remember that we were in the middle of the Cold War, therefore, the world was divided. For a Western country like France to reach out to China, and of course vice versa, it's a beautiful moment, historical diplomatic breakthroughs, means that despite all the geopolitical difficulties, a spirit of cooperation and friendship can prevail," said Gosset.
Xie Dingwei, executive director of the Bund One Art Museum, emphasized the importance of preserving cultural heritage.
"We need to preserve these cultural heritages. We not [just] preserve the sculptures or the buildings itself, but also, it gives us a chance to see hundreds of years ago, how our craftsmanship, our architecture, our human beings, we have reached [such] high levels, which brings us to the present time these treasures, these values. This is something we really cannot afford to lose. Culture is a common language; it doesn't matter you're Eastern art or Western art, somehow they can be connected. So this is something I think it creates a communication channel between the nations," said Xie.
The cultural connection was recently demonstrated during a meeting last April between French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where they enjoyed the performance of "Flowing Water" played on the Guqin by a Chinese artist, symbolizing the flowing friendship between the two nations.
"This communication on art subjects between the nations and different peoples are really, really important. It goes beyond politics, beyond the differences between the nations. But you all go to getting closer to understanding each other," said Xie.
Gosset also supported the notion of fostering unity through cultural platforms, aligning with President Xi Jinping's idea of building a community with a shared future.
"I am completely aligned with this idea. We are on the same boat. Our world is frightened by too many divisions. And I think, what is important is to support the forces that can unite us, so it can be music, and certainly museums, and you need leaders with a vision that does not separate us," said Gosset.
Six decades of China-France diplomatic relations highlighted by cultural exchange
