COCA-COLA AND SINGAPORE YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEE ANNOUNCE MORE DETAILS OF THE SINGAPORE TORCH RELAY

SINGAPORE, 1 JULY 2010 - Thirty-four beneficiaries, volunteers and employees of the various Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) who actively promote community spirit and volunteerism, have been selected as torchbearers for the Singapore leg of the Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame (JYOF). They were introduced by Coca-Cola – Worldwide Olympic Partner and a Presenting Partner for the Singapore leg of JYOF, and the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) today.

To get Singapore geared up to welcome and cheer the Youth Olympic Flame when it makes its way around the island, Coca-Cola Singapore is also coordinating programmes to motivate torchbearers and spectators in the run up to the highly-anticipated torch relay.

Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame
The Singapore leg of JYOF will begin with a Flame Arrival Celebration at the National University of Singapore on 6 August after the Youth Olympic Flame has blazed a trail through five cities in five continents. This will be followed by a six-day traditional torch relay from 7 to 13 August (with a break on 9 August) through all five community districts in Singapore.

It will see participation from over 240 Singapore schools; 20 schools and institutions will partner SYOGOC to host the torchbearers, kick off the torch relay or organise community celebrations for the public over the six-day period.

Each day of the torch relay will begin at the morning launch site to mark the start of the relay, while break and afternoon launch sites prepare for the second half of the day’s relay. To mark each day’s completion, the torch relay will culminate in a Community Celebration in which the public are invited to enjoy a myriad of performances and activities organised by the hosts.

34 Torchbearers from Voluntary Welfare Organisations
Torchbearers are ambassadors of the Youth Olympic Flame, possessing the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect and inspiring others to connect with this ideal. These torchbearers also embody the Coca-Cola values of Respect for the Environment; Excellence in promoting Active Lifestyle and People Development and Friendship through betterment of the Community.

Coca-Cola Singapore has been working with SYOGOC to select torchbearers among the beneficiaries, volunteers and employees of various VWOs. All of the 34 VWO torchbearers have demonstrated their selfless sacrifice and passion in their respective fields through the roles they play in helping the less fortunate in society, inspiring youth, developing life skills or safeguarding the environment. A full list of the VWO torchbearers and selected torchbearer profiles is attached (Appendices 2).

These VWO torchbearers join the two student torchbearers from NorthLight School – Lee Chuan Jie and Noradlina Bte Abdul Hadi – who were introduced during the unveiling of the JYOF torch and cauldron design in March this year.

Coca-Cola YOG Schools Programme
To motivate torchbearers and spectators in the run up to the torch relay, Coca-Cola ambassadors will be out in force, giving out Coca-Cola cheering kits and leading spectators in cheering torchbearers on along certain stretches of the route during the torch relay.

The Coca-Cola ambassadors will visit about 30 schools in July through an interactive road-show to give them a taste of the fun and benefits of an active, healthy lifestyle as well as get them excited and ready for the torch relay by learning more about Coca-Cola’s Olympic heritage. Students from these schools can also look forward to learn to dance to an adapted version of Coca-Cola’s ‘Open Happiness’ song and perform the routine when cheering the Flame and torchbearers on during the torch relay.

In conjunction with the road-show, there will be a mobile exhibition featuring a display of torches and other memorabilia from past Olympic Games. Schools interested in participating in this outreach programme organised by Coca-Cola can contact Suzy Goulding at sgoulding@fulfordpr.com or Tel: 63249316.

Commenting on the programme to excite people to cheer the Youth Olympic Flame, Antonio Del Rosario, General Manager of Coca-Cola Singapore said, “Coca-Cola has been involved with the Olympic Games since 1928 and shares a common vision with the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games in its commitment to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle and respect for the environment.

“As with past Olympic torch relays, we aim to create innovative programmes that help touch our consumers and leave lasting memories of this unique Olympic experience. This programme to engage the schools will create excitement as the Youth Olympic Flame journeys across the island, passing schools and communities along the way. More importantly, we hope that our activities will create an atmosphere where people move more. You’ve heard the statistics: We’re supposed to take 10,000 steps a day to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The average person today takes less than 3,000 steps a day. As the world continues to become more urban and industrialised, this challenge will only increase.”

APPENDIX

Appendix 2: Full List of Torchbearers from Voluntary Welfare Organisations

The Olympic Flame represents the values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect, and is one of the most important and recognisable symbols of the Olympic Movement.

Torchbearers are the ambassadors of the Olympic Flame. A torchbearer for the Youth Olympic Flame must embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.

The Coca-Cola Company believes that these are important values for the youth of today and is focusing its presentation of the torchbearers for the round-island torch relay for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, on community spirit and volunteerism.

Each of the selected Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) was asked to nominate one or two individuals from their respective organisation who have made an outstanding contribution or are consistently volunteering time and effort towards their organisation’s goals.

Each of the organisations has been chosen to reflect one of the Coca-Cola values of Respect for the Environment; Excellence in promoting Active Lifestyle and People Development; Friendship through betterment of the Community.