✈The Olympic Flame returns to Sarajevo

After a four-day trip from Rome to Banja Luka, the Flame of Peace arrived in Sarajevo on February 02.2019. The European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF-2019) welcome ceremony took place at Sarajevo International Airport. Thanks to FLYBOSNIA, the delegation landed at the airport on time and safely. FlyBosnia applied special livery for EYOF. The Airbus 319 made its first scheduled charter flight Sarajevo-Banja Luka-Sarajevo transporting EYOF-2019 delegation and official Flame of Peace  

FlyBosnia A319 at BNX

FlyBosnia A319 in-flight to SJJ

This is a festive moment for Bosnia and Herzegovina, bringing back good memories of unity and peace of 1984 Winter Olympics Games held in Sarajevo 35 years ago. The Flame of Peace will be lit at the "Asim Ferhatović Hase" Stadium, on February 10th, when the European Youth Olympic Festival will officially start. 

The ceremony of greeting the Flame of Peace was attended by members of Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Šefik Džaferović and Željko Komšić, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdić, and representatives of the Canton and City of Sarajevo, as well as numerous athletes.

Mayor of Sarajevo Abdulah Skaka said that he is proud that the Olympic torch is in Sarajevo again.

"I want our children to live the values ​​of the Olympic spirit. It is our obligation to create platforms, and EYOF is one of them. EYOF is an opportunity to jointly build some new, better and more positive times. I sincerely hope EYOF will awaken the Olympic spirit in our city", Skaka said.

Nenad Vuković, the mayor of the city of East Sarajevo, addressed the attendees.

"This is a great opportunity to show how we can do great things together. In the coming days, we will have the opportunity to send a positive image to 46 countries whose representatives will arrive in our country", said Vuković.

After the Mayors’ addresses, the Flame of Peace was presented to members of the Presidency, Džaferović and Komšić by Amar Barukčija, the winner of the gold medal for Bosnia and Herzegovina in basketball at EYOF, and Esma Alić, this year's EYOF participant.

"It is my great honor and pleasure to be here on a big day for our country Bosnia and Herzegovina. This sporting event helps Bosnia and Herzegovina and has a positive impact on the reputation of our country internationally", said Džaferović.

Željko Komšić said that it is a pleasure to be in this place and to be able to take part in such a big sporting event, the largest since the Winter Olympic Games in 1984. He wished good luck to the organizing committee and to all the people who are ready for the upcoming Festival.

Source:City of Sarajevo, EYOF-2019 and Flying Bosnian