Youth Baton Relay

The CYG 2008 has incorporated a brand new concept called the Youth Baton Relay based on the Queen's Baton Relay where a baton will be carried through 9 states in India and in this case instead of the Queens message will carry water from all over the country. This is the first ever Baton Relay in the history of the Commonwealth Youth Games.

The flag off of the Youth Baton Relay will be a run from New Delhi University North Campus to India Gate on the 1st of August 2008 where Delhi government will be hosting a large cultural extravagansa which will be open to the public.

On the 1st August 2008, the Youth Baton Relay will commence with a send off launch celebration at new Delhi University and finish that evening with a celebration at India Gate.

The Baton will travel through 9 States, covering over 8000 kms, around 6000 selected Athletes will have the honour to carry the Baton in support of the Commonwealth Youth Games 2008. Over 7500 Volunteers will help the Batons journey through 199 Cities, towns and villages. Hundreds of Universities, Colleges and Schools will be involved and will support this event.

A team consisting of approximately 80 crew, 25 vehicles and many guests, media and VIP’s will escort the baton on its journey from Delhi to Pune.

GREEN RELAY
The theme of the Baton relay is to be a green relay in keeping with the green games and it will be a run in support of the governments ‘save the tiger’ campaign.

In keeping with the Green games the baton will collect water on route, from every state of India and from every Commonwealth Nation. The collected water will be used at the opening ceremony to create a spectacular fountain of Youth.

A ‘garden of youth’ created by the 71 participating Nations will be built at Balewadi Stadium and will be a legacy of the Relay for years to come.

THE BATON
The Baton is being designed to represent the green games and include a water collecting device. As part of the celebrations and ceremonies on route water from each location will be collected by the Baton before it commences its journey onto the next city.

CELEBRATIONS
There will be daily celebrations, functions and cultural programs to entertain and enthral the thousands of people who will line the route in support of the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Thousands of promotional caps, t-shirts, flags and stickers will be given out along the route to school children and the general public.

There will be the provision of a mobile stage and screen unit to provide evening entertainment at every night stop to supplement and compliment any cultural program the states plan. A route activation vehicle, carrying the Youth Games Mascot Jigrr will proceed immediately ahead of the baton convoy handing out promotional material, playing the theme tune and announcing the imminent arrival of the Baton to the crowds.

THE SWIM
A major event, in addition to the launch in Delhi, is a 12 kilometre swim carrying the Baton across the channel from the Gateway to India in Mumbai to Uran. We already have hundreds of participants and expect the numbers to increase to over 1000.

HOST STATE
After nearly 40 days in host state Maharastra the Baton will arrive to Pune where the host city will have 3 days of events and ceremonies including the garden of youth planting ceremony at Balewadi, street entertainment and a carnival atmosphere culminating at the opening ceremony on the 12th October 2008 where the arrival of the baton into the stadium will mark the beginning of the III Commonwealth Youth Games Pune 2008.