7-th Asian Games | Astana Almaty 2011

Astana Direction is responsible for holding of the first full scale Olympic Torch Relay of Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). This project is as scaled as Asiada itself.

On the 11th of January in Al-Kuwait, where the headquarters of OCA is situated, during the solemn lighting ceremony the Flame of our Relay will be lit. It is planned to organize broadcasting of the lighting ceremony of the flame on all national channels.

On the 12th of January, the Torch will come to Almaty, Kazakhstan. After the welcoming ceremony of the Torch, Relay will go along streets of the South capital, and then the regions.

During 20 days the Torch will travel throughout all regions of Kazakhstan and on the 30th of January, it will finish in Astana at the “Astana-Arena” stadium at the opening ceremony of the Asian games. One of the discussed Relay routes in Kazakhstan

During the whole trip the Torch will be accompanied by film crew with mobile TV studio that will put daily reports about the Relay to one of the central TV channels. So, the Relay has all chances to become a nation-wide project; millions of Kazakhstan people in most remote regions of our state will be able to feel their involvement in Asiada, the greatest sport forum.

Torch relay will be a great incentive for the development of sport, primarily, the children's one. That's why the age of torchbearers will be changed (traditionally - 16 years old), so that the majority of the Relay participants will be children talented in sport. In general it is planned to select 800 torchbearers. The main criterion: Active sport and life position, patriotism Commitment to ideas of Olympics.

Selection procedure at the website: www.asiada.astana.kz