MONTHLY EDITION A Publication of the EYOF Tbilisi 2015 http://www.tbilisi2015. com/en/newsletter Newsletter TOP STORIES EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL TBILISI - GEORGIA 26 July – 1 August 2015 Tbilisi is ready for the EYOF Athletes’ Village Fun Zone Media Center Transport Service Opening & Closing Ceremony Tbilisi 2015 Test Events Journey of Olympic Flame www.tbilisi2015.com 1st Olympic Festival ever hosted by Tbilisi 1st 11 Athletes’ Village ever built in Tbilisi Competition venues will host EYOF Tbilisi 2015 50 Nations will take part in EYOF Tbilisi 2015 300 National & International media will cover the Festival 2000 Volunteers involved in the Festival aged between 15 – 78 3487 Athletes & Team Officials will participate in EYOF Tbilisi 2015 9 Sports will be represented: Judo Tennis Artistic Gymnastics Cycling Athletics Swimming Volleyball Handball & Basketball “It is a great challenge for the country and an immense privilege at the same time. Putting the finishing touches to the Festival is in full swing, cleaning activities are underway. We are looking forward to hosting the European Youth Olympic Festival and we expect a multitude of guests. Tbilisi will be a very busy city through- out July. Two weeks after the Olympic Festival, we will host the UEFA Super Cup, a good opportunity to attract as many tourists and visitors as possible”. PM of Georgia inspecting the sport infrastructure “In the next two weeks the venues will be cleaned and put in order to meet the highest standards of our guests. It is important to remember that these venues with great legacy ahead have been constructed with huge invest- ments and it is not only important in the context of the Festival, but also for the future of sport development, physical health for young people and, in general, for the future projects which will be a part of our city." Welcome Dear athletes, delegation leaders and guests! For 4 years, Tbilisi has been eagerly awaiting for this historic day - the day of your arrival! For 4 years, Tbilisi has been preparing for the Youth Olympic Festival! Specially for this event new competition and training venues were being built and fully renovated. We are proud to say that all the infrastructure meets the criteria of European standards. The Athletes' Village has been built especially for this occasion, the Olympic Festival. Congratulations, you will be the first guests to be welcomed there. As you make yourselves at home, you will have great care taken of you in matters of catering, safety, communication, transport, security and relaxation. Young athletes, you have a great opportunity ahead of you; the opportunity to both train and compete in comfort, and to make your country proud in Tbilisi, so step forward to victory! Davit Narmania, Mayor of Tbilisi inspecting the sport Infrastructure Aleksi Akhvlediani, Chair of the EYOF Tbilisi 2015 OC TBILISI 2015 WELCOMES YOU
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MONTHLY EDITION
A Publication of the EYOF Tbilisi 2015
http://www.tbilisi2015. com/en/newsletter
Newsletter
TOP STORIES
EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVALTBILISI - GEORGIA26 July – 1 August 2015
Tbilisi is ready for the EYOF Athletes’ VillageFun ZoneMedia CenterTransport ServiceOpening & Closing CeremonyTbilisi 2015 Test Events Journey of Olympic Flame
www.tbilisi2015.com
1st Olympic Festival ever hosted byTbilisi
1st 11Athletes’ Village everbuilt in Tbilisi
Competitionvenues willhost EYOF Tbilisi 2015
50Nations willtake partin EYOF Tbilisi 2015
300National &Internationalmedia will cover theFestival
2000Volunteers involved in the Festival aged between15 – 78
3487Athletes & Team Officials will participate in EYOF Tbilisi 2015
9 Sports will berepresented: Judo TennisArtistic GymnasticsCyclingAthletics Swimming VolleyballHandball &Basketball
“It is a great challenge for the country and an immense privilege at the same time. Putting the finishing touches to the Festival is in full swing, cleaning activities are underway. We are looking forward to hosting the European Youth Olympic Festival and we expect a multitude of guests. Tbilisi will be a very busy city through-out July. Two weeks after the Olympic Festival, we will host the UEFA Super Cup, a good opportunity to attract as many tourists and visitors as possible”.
PM of Georgia inspecting the sport infrastructure
“In the next two weeks the venues will be cleaned and put in order to meet the highest standards of our guests. It is important to remember that these venues with great legacy ahead have been constructed with huge invest-ments and it is not only important in the context of the Festival, but also for the future of sport development, physical health for young people and, in general, for the future projects which will be a part of our city."
Welcome Dear athletes, delegation leaders and guests!
For 4 years, Tbilisi has been eagerly awaiting for this historic day - the day of your arrival! For 4 years, Tbilisi has been preparing for the Youth Olympic Festival! Specially for this event new competition and training venues were being built and fully renovated. We are proud to say that all the infrastructure meets the criteria of European standards.
The Athletes' Village has been built especially for this occasion, the Olympic Festival. Congratulations, you will be the first guests to be welcomed there. As you make yourselves at home, you will have great care taken of you in matters of catering, safety, communication, transport, security and relaxation.
Young athletes, you have a great opportunity ahead of you; the opportunity to both train and compete in comfort, and to make your country proud in Tbilisi, so step forward to victory!
Davit Narmania, Mayor of Tbilisi inspecting the sport Infrastructure
Aleksi Akhvlediani,Chair of the EYOFTbilisi 2015 OC
TBILISI 2015 WELCOMES YOU
EYOF Tbilisi 2015 preparations have entered their last phase before the Opening Ceremony on July 26th.
It is the first time the city hosts such a prestigious Sport Event and each person involved bears a huge responsibility.
The Sport venues, Athletes’ Village & hotels are ready to host the athletes and officials from 50 participating countries.
Tbilisi is ready for EYOF
There are ten competition venues for the European Youth Olympic Festival in Tbilisi. Seven venues are newly built and three have been renovated for the Festival. Each of them is located approximately 25-35 minutes’ distance from the Athletes’ Village.
Tbilisi is decorated with bright colors. Hundreds of Light Boxes and Neon Pictograms of nine sports are located in various streets of Tbilisi. Hundreds of Festival flags, decorated public transport and taxis have created a cheerful Festival atmosphere throughout the city.
The Athletes’ Village is located in Varketili District, near the Tbilisi Sea. The convenient location and amenities will provide participants with suitable conditions for both rest and leisure. AVL is especially convenient as all the facilities are brand new, specially constructed for the Festival and are supplied with all necessary equipment for EYOF Tbilisi 2015. The Athletes’ Village, where the NOC delegations will be accommodated, consists of 9 buildings (blocks) marked accordingly. The blocks are between 20-50 metres from one another. The whole territory of AVL is fully secured. Only residents with valid Accreditation Cards and Guest Passes will have access to the territory of the Village. The Dining Hall is located within the AVL, close to the building with the fitness centre and swimming pool. The Fun Zone area where the Closing Ceremony will take place is located between these two buildings.
Transport service
During the Festival effective and timely transportation services to all accredited participants covering all key locations including AVL, EYOF Training and Competition venues, EOC Family Hotel, VIP and Media Hotels and other locations will be provided.
Athletes’ Village
Fun Zone stage is situated in the Athletes’ Village, about 3-4 minutes walking distance from residential zone.
The Fun Zone is the place of relaxation, where all the athletes can relax and enjoy after competitions and communicate under no pressure at all. The Fun Zone is designated for athletes and NOC members to have fun in the evenings full of amusement and entertainment. Between 27 - 31 July the 2 hour entertainment program will be offered from 20:00 – 22:00.
Fun Zone
The Main Media Centre will be located at the Holiday Inn Hotel opened from 24th July to 2nd August. The MMC will operate from 08:00 to 23:00 throughout the competition dates. During the Festival the Media Unit will regularly update the Accredited Media on the latest results and other organizational activities related to the Event. The main communication channel will be via the following e-mail address: [email protected] and the official website, which will regularly post the news updates.
All sport venues will accommodate activity areas for media representatives such as Venue Media Centers, Media Seats, Photo/Video Positions and MIX zone.
General Map covering all key locations of EYOF Tbilisi 2015.
www.tbilisi2015.com
Main Transport Mall
Main Transport mall will be located in the AVL and will Include clearly indicated shuttle bus drop off and load zones. Appropriate signs will be located at Transport mall to ensure better orientation for athletes in order to find the relevant lines.
Shuttle Lines Bus Service
Shuttle bus service for sport types such as AT AG SW TE JU move from AVL to training and competition sport venues and back according to fixed timetable.
Team Sport Dedicated Minibus Lines
Teams participating in Volleyball, Basketball and Handball will be assigned dedicated minibuses will move according to preplanned schedule to training and competition venues. Buses and cargo vans will accompany the cycling athletes during training and competition days from AVL to King David Avenue. The cargo vans will carry bicycles in case of need when buses will provide transportation of athletes.
Line 1 AVL – New Tbilisi SW AG AT VO
Line 1 a New Tbilisi – Athletics Indoor Palace AT
Line 2 AVL – Judo Academy JU
Line 3 AVL –Mziuri Tennis Courts TE
Line 3 a Mziuri Tennis Courts - Vake Park Courts TE
VIP Transportation services for VIP Guests according to their accreditation category. City Line from AVL and New Tbilisi for accredited guests to City Center. Parking System Vehicle Access and Parking Permit System. Public Transport Services an no cost.
Opening Ceremony
Sunday 26th of July 2015 from 20:00. Location: Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi Capacity: 23,000 spectatorsEstimate length of the Ceremony: 79 minutesThe opening of the EYOF Tbilisi 2015 is the key element of the Festival. The Opening Ceremony is defined by a balanced combination between the official Olympic protocol and Georgian cultural spectacle including the athletes’ parade, key speeches, raising of the National and Olympic flags, taking oaths, lighting of the Olympic Flame and an artistic performance with a varied program. The aim of the ceremony is to bring together over 3,400 athletes and officials from 50 different European countries and make them feel at home. The combination of European and Georgian traditional elements will make the event pleasant, memorable and impressive for all attending athletes and guests.
Closing Ceremony
Saturday 1st of August 2015 at 20:00Location: Athletes’ Village The Closing Ceremony will be preceded by the Awarding Ceremony of the best athletes in team sports. The Closing Ceremony, which will combine Olympic protocol and Georgian cultural elements, will include the playing of the national anthem, flag-bearer parade, key speeches, the Olympic anthem, handing over of the flag to the next host country, and a short modernised cultural performance. At the end of the Closing Ceremony, the organisers of Tbilisi 2015 will hand over the EOC flag to the organisers of EYOF Győr 2017. The handover process is the culminating element of the Festival for the athletes present at the EYOF, since it leads to a two hour long farewell DJ party where everyone concludes their memorable stay in Tbilisi.
www.tbilisi2015.com
Tbilisi 2015 Test events
CyclingTest Event
The Olympic Flame, a symbol of the 13th European Youth Olympic Festival Tbilisi 2015 was lit on May 26th in the ancient Greek city of Athens. The Lighting Ceremony took place at the Panathenaic Stadium. The High Priestess Mrs. Katerina Lehou led the Flame lit during a special ritual dance.
At the end of the Ceremony Spyros Capralos President of the Olympic Committee of Greece handed over the symbolic torch lit by the rays of the Sun God Apollo to Aleksi Akhvlediani, Chair of the EYOF Tbilisi 2015.
The entire ceremonial reception of the Flame by the Olympic Committee of Greece was a great honor for the EYOF bilisi 2015 Organisers.
The same day, the Flame was transferred via charter flight, in special safety lantern. From then on, the extraordinary two-month-long journey of the Flame throughout Georgia began, involving 700 torchbearers and 67 municipalities. In most cases, the Flame ceremony was accompanied by concerts and festive activities. The Tbilisi 2015 torch with Georgian traditional elements was carried by famous and distinguished public figures, including Georgian Sport legends, Olympic Champions as well as the World and European Champions, young athletes and the Mayors of different cities.
The Flame will enter the stadium at the Opening Ceremony of EYOF Tbilisi 2015 on 26th July.
Tbilisi 2015 OC has organized several test events in preparation for the EYOF Tbilisi 2015. Athletes got a taste of competitions and prior to EYOF Tbilisi 2015, OC tested infrastructure, logistics and the operation of the Tbilisi 2015 team and volunteers.
Georgian Junior National Championships – Time Trial Tbilisi, May 16, 2015 (King David Avenue)
Artistic GymnasticsTest EventGeorgian Junior National Open Championships – New Gymnastics Venue Tbilisi, May 26 - 31, 2015 (New Tbilisi)
Basketball Test EventGeorgian Junior National Championships (Girls)Tbilisi, May 25 – 30, 2015 – Vere Palace
