The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games unveiled the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Torch and the emblem that will be used to depict the Torch Relay on March 25th. The torch lighting, relay and display information was also announced.
Torch Relay
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Torch Relay will take place between 13 ~ 25 of August 2020, in the transition period between the Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games. It will include the following parts:
Flame Festivals
Flame-lighting festivals will take place at several locations across Japan between 13 ~ 17 August, and the flames will be taken to schools, hospitals and facilities connected with the Paralympics in each prefecture of Japan. At the same time a Heritage Flame Celebration will be held in Stoke Mandeville in Great Britain – the spiritual birthplace of the Paralympic Movement.
Paralympic Torch Relay in Shizuoka, Chiba and Saitama Prefectures
As part of the flame lighting festivals, torch relays will be held in Shizuoka, Chiba, and Saitama, with teams of three torchbearers carrying the flame to boost public interest and support ahead of the Paralympic Games.
Nationwide relays converging in Tokyo
Flames from each flame lighting festival and the torch relays from all over Japan will be brought together in Tokyo on 21 August where the official Paralympic Flame will be lit. The final four days of the Paralympic Torch Relay will then commence in Tokyo.
Schedule
| Part | Date | Location | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | 13 to 17 August 2020 | Across Japan | Flame-lighting event Flame visit to schools, etc. Departure ceremony |
| Part 2 | Tuesday, 18 August 2020 | Shizuoka | Flame-lighting event Flame visit to schools, etc. Torch relay Departure ceremony |
| Wednesday, 19 August 2020 | Chiba | Flame-lighting event Flame visit to schools, etc. Torch relay Departure ceremony | |
| Thursday, 20 August 2020 | Saitama | Flame-lighting event Flame visit to schools, etc. Torch relay Departure ceremony | |
| Friday, 21 August 2020 | Tokyo | Flame-lighting event Flame visit Torch relay | |
| Part 3 | Friday Night, 21 August 2020 | Tokyo | Paralympic Flame Lighting Ceremony |
| 22 to 25 August 2020 | Tokyo | Torch Relay in Tokyo |
The date of the Heritage Flame Lighting Event in Stoke Mandeville is still to be decided
The Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay Emblem incorporates three rectangular shapes arranged to depict the dynamic flames of a torch. In addition, a ukiyo-e woodblock printing technique known as fukibokashi has been used to produce graduated tones across two colours.
The Torch
Uniting tradition and modern technology, the shape of the torch resembles that of a Japanese traditional “Sakuramon” cherry blossom emblem. (The name of Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games mascot SOMEITY and its design also come from somei-yoshino cherry blossoms.) It was shaped into this form using the same aluminium extrusion technology used in the manufacture of Shinkansen bullet trains. It forms a seamless, single piece in a form that symbolises the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Torch Relay, created by fusing Japanese tradition and modern technology.
The manufacture of the torch embodies the spirit of recovery and consideration for sustainability. Aluminium construction waste from temporary housing built in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake was used to create it, transforming materials that witnessed the rebuilding of shattered lives into a symbol of peace.
The torch is also designed to depict the shape of a flame. The five flames generated from the petal unite at the center of the torch, generating even greater brilliance.
The weight and shape of the torch grip is designed to make it easy for anyone to handle. It includes a positioning mark indicating the front of the torch designed for those with a visual impairment.
Be sure to check out the Tokyo 2020 website: https://tokyo2020.org/en/
Details will also be shared on the Tokyo 2020 Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
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