Olympian task
By
Julia Newbould
Mon 21 Apr 2008
We've only just started our focus on the Beijing Olympics. It's just over 100 days before the opening ceremony.
We've only just started our focus on the Beijing Olympics. It's just over 100 days before the opening ceremony.
The torch relay began its journey from the Greek city of Olympia on March 25. From there it travelled across Greece and then to Beijing on March 31.
Its proposed route passes through every continent except Antarctica and it will end at the start of the Games on August 8.
Several pro-Tibetan protesters unfurled banners in a central square of Thessaloniki shortly before the Olympic torch relay arrived.
Paris' Olympic torch relay descended into chaos, with protesters scaling the Eiffel Tower, grabbing for the flame and forcing security officials to repeatedly snuff out the torch and transport it by bus past demonstrators yelling "Free Tibet".
Thousands of protesters demonstrated against China's human rights record and its crackdown in Tibet after the Olympic flame arrived in San Francisco. Chanting and waving flags, the protesters ended their march at the Chinese consulate.
The torch is due to arrive in Australia this week (April 21) where the route has been altered to accommodate tighter security.
While the business community is clamouring for Chinese dollars and business with the dragon and ignoring China's hosting of the world's most prestigious sporting event, it is just taking a few committed protesters to highlight its poor human rights record and stand up for what's right.
It shows that while not supported by their Government or business community, small players can at times make a difference by standing up for their beliefs.
In this current climate where CEOs and large lenders have been behaving unethically and improperly maybe it would have just taken a single believer or small band to change the outcome that has now affected so many.
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