Commonwealth Games Queen's baton arrives in Windhoek
The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton will arrive in Windhoek on 28 January and will be passing through Windhoek on 29 January.
HM Queen Elizabeth II putting a message in the baton on 09 October 2013 in London
The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton will arrive in Windhoek on Tuesday, 28 January. Coming from Zambia, the baton will travel through Namibia en route to Botswana before travelling on to arrive at the 2014 Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow from 23 July to 3 August 2014.
The actual baton run in Windhoek is planned for Wednesday, 29 January, and will take a route through the capital kicking off from the Pioneerspark Primary School Rugby Field at 7.15 am. The baton relay then will continue to Khomasdal and Katutura before entering the city centre, passing the British High Commission en route to the National Assembly, where it will be presented to Right Honourable Prime Minister Hage Geingob.
Right Honourable Prime Minister then will present the baton to the High Commissioner of Botswana, which is the next country on the worldwide tour.
Members of the public have been invited to participate in the Queen’s Baton Relay. It is expected that over 200 people will be involved in the race of approx. 19,2 km.
The baton carries a message from the head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which will be read out at the opening of the 20th Commonwealth Games on 23 July in Scotland.
The baton will be accompanied in Namibia by a team from the Commonwealth Games Federation and a TV camera crew from the BBC, broadcasting highlights of the event in Namibia to destinations all over the world.
Awaiting the baton’s arrival in Namibia, British High Commissioner to Namibia, HE Mrs Marianne Young, states: “I am delighted that the baton is passing through Namibia on the way to what is set to be a fantastic set of Games celebrating sporting excellence in Scotland. Its arrival highlights Namibia’s commitment to the Commonwealth and to the values of the Commonwealth Games, which are integrity, responsibility, endeavour, trust, and openness. I would like to commend the Namibian Government, the Namibian Police and the Namibian National Olympic Committee for their hard work, support and excellent preparations for hosting the Queen’s Baton Relay during its time in Namibia.”
To mark the Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay passing through Namibia on the way to the 20th Commonwealth Games in Scotland, the British High Commission will donate sports material valued at more than N$12.000 to the offices of local NGO “Physically Active Youth Namibia” (PAY) in Katutura, Windhoek on Wednesday, 29 January, 15h00.
The baton and the officials of the Commonwealth Games Federation and the BBC camera team will be present at the event, in addition to the British High Commissioner, H.E. Mrs. Marianne Young, and as Namibian Olympic cyclist Dan Craven. The British donation will support PAY in their planned nationwide roll-out of activities in 2014/15. This support to PAY helps to deliver a strong local legacy from the Commonwealth Games to Namibia.
The British High Commission has invited all British Nationals living in Namibia to a Scottish-themed tea-reception at the British High Commission in Robert Mugabe Ave 116, on 29 January, from 10h00-12h00, to celebrate the baton’s passing through the High Commission premises in Windhoek. During that time staff of the High Commission and the guests will gather in the parking area of the High Commission to await the arrival of the baton passing down Robert Mugabe Avenue before it continues to the offices of Her Worship, the Mayor of Windhoek, and the National Parliament.
For further information, including interviews, please contact:
Annatjie Wimmert, Administrative Secretary, Namibia National Olympic Committee, Tel: +264 61 229285, Email: info@nnoc-namibia.com
Hans-Christian Mahnke, Political and Press Officer, British High Commission in Namibia, Tel: +264 61 274826, Email: hans-christian.mahnke@fco.gov.uk