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Tortola, British Virgin Islands, March 19, 2010 — The Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi, precursor to the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, will arrive in the British Virgin Islands from St Kitts and Nevis on the evening of Monday, March 22, 2010. The BVI Olympic Committee (BVIOC), as the local Commonwealth Games Association, will host the historic relay through March 25 when it departs for Anguilla. The relay will continue its journey through the remaining Commonwealth countries to the Opening Ceremony of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi, India on October 3, 2010. The baton will arrive accompanied by an international traveling crew who will be sharing with the world images and stories of the relay in the BVI. “The BVI will be the forty-first country to be visited by the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi,” said Ephraim Penn, president for the BVI Olympic Committee. “This is only the second time that the relay will visit all 71 of the Commonwealth nations. The first time was during the Melbourne 2006 Queen’s Baton Relay, when it toured the BVI from August 21 – 24, 2005, creating much local excitement in the BVIs. Our aim this time around is to create even more excitement so that we can shine the light on our sports men, women and children, as well as on the culture, history and the beauty of these Islands we call home."Several activities and relays will involve all members of the community in a festival of sport and culture. This includes a cultural representation of India as the host country of the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi. The Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi in the BVI will launch with an official, public reception in the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park on the morning of Tuesday, March 23. A series of baton relays will take place through Road Town and Sea Cow’s Bay and will include a sailing leg. In the afternoon, relays will take place in the western end of the island with a relay from Cane Garden Bay through Carrot Bay ending at Bomba’s Shack.On Wednesday, March 24, the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi will visit Virgin Gorda. Relays will take place through the Valley, to the Baths and will include visits to the schools and elsewhere around the island. The baton will then return to Trellis Bay, Beef Island in the late afternoon and relays will be run, walked and cycled through East End/Long Look to the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC).The Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi will conclude its visit to the British Virgin Islands at the HLSCC with a grand cultural presentation to showcase the cultural traditions and cuisine of the BVI and India.Everyone can become fans of the ‘Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi in the BVI’ page on Facebook and follow the developments of the relay. Fans will be able to post photos and memories they have of the August 2005 event.The steering committee meets weekly and includes representatives from the Office of the Governor, the Office of the Premier, the Departments of Culture, Education and Youth Affairs and Sports, the BVI Tourist Board, the Sister Islands Coordinator, the Royal BVI Police Force, Special Olympics BVI, the BVI Watersports Center and H. Lavity Stoutt Community College. The HLSCC will include this occasion to highlight the college’s 20th anniversary.
About the Baton
The Queen’s Baton 2010 Delhi is a fusion of handcrafted elements and includes a precious jewelry box containing the Queen’s ‘message to the athletes’. The message is symbolically engraved on a miniature, 18 carat gold leaf. The baton incorporates a camera to capture sights and sounds, a GPS tracking system and a text messaging system. Information gathered from the baton is then available for viewing on the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi web site.The official launch of the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi took place at Buckingham Palace, London on October 29, 2009 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II handed over the baton to Dr Pratibha Patil, President of India. The relay then commenced its 11-month journey around the globe.
The international sector for the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi is a joint initiative of the Organizing Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi in partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation and locally with the BVI Olympic Committee. For further information about the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi visit www.cwgdelhi2010.org.
About The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board
The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board is a statutory organization of the Government of the Virgin Islands (UK) responsible for promoting the British Virgin Islands as a destination. The BVI Tourist Board invites everyone to experience the seduction of our pristine and exquisite home. For more information on all that BVI has to offer, visit www.bvitourism.com.
U.S. Media InquiriesMr. John RigginPartner Concepts LLC
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