"On Monday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m., a ceremony for the lighting and handing over of the Flame of Peace, one of the symbols of the European Games, will be held at the Ara Pacis museum in Rome," according to an announcement.
Organizers said the event would be attended by Polish President Andrzej Duda and a group of athletes and officials, including retired mountain biker Maja Włoszczowska, a Polish member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Monday's ceremony will be hosted by the head of the Association of European Olympic Committees (EOC), Spyros Capralos, organizers said in a statement.
The head of the Organizing Committee of the Kraków-Małopolska European Games, Marcin Nowak, and the chairman of Poland's southern Małopolska region, Witold Kozłowski, are also expected to fly to Rome for the event.
The ceremony will take place at the Italian capital's Ara Pacis museum, "a symbol of peace" and "a special place in the history of Rome and Europe as a whole," according to the statement by the Polish organizers.
The Flame of Peace is one of the symbols of the European Games, modeled after the Olympic flame, they said.
The Polish president is expected to give a short speech at the ceremony and then receive the Flame of Peace from the EOC's Capralos and pass it to Polish race walking legend Robert Korzeniowski.
The four-time Olympic champion will light the flame, which will then set off on its way to Poland, according to the Polish organizers.
Poland's triple Olympic hammer throw champion Anita Włodarczyk will begin the Torch Relay for the European Games, the statement also said.
The 2023 European Games start in the southern Polish city of Kraków on June 21 and run until July 2.
Kraków and 10 other southern Polish cities are preparing to host the 3rd European Games, which will feature 12 days of competition in 29 sports.
More than 7,000 athletes from 48 countries are expected to take part in the event, which will also provide opportunities to win European championship medals and a pathway to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in some of the sports.
(gs)
Source: european-games.org, ie2023.pl