Nauru will host the Queen’s Baton for a one and a half day relay.
Dr Kieren Keke, Chef de Mission for Team Nauru at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, said they are looking forward to seeing everyone out joining in the Relay celebrations.
“This is a very special opportunity to see the Queen’s Baton and celebrate its journey through the Commonwealth.
“Nauru will have a welcome day for the Baton on Wednesday (1 Nov) and a round island relay day on Thursday (2 Nov).
President Baron Divavesi Waqa will host a reception at the Government Buildings this evening to welcome the Gold Coast 2018 Queen’s Baton Relay with invited guests, including our former and future Commonwealth Games athletes.
President Waqa stated, “my Government has declared Thursday a special public holiday in honour of the Queen’s Baton Relay. This will give all Nauruans the opportunity to see the Baton as it travels through all 14 districts on Thursday. We encourage everyone to be involved and we welcome you all to the launch of the relay at 8am on Thursday morning at Linkbelt Oval and again to the closing ceremony from 5pm at Linkbelt Oval.”
The relay will start at Linkbelt Oval in Aiwo and will travel clockwise around the coastline and up to Buada before finishing back at Linkbelt Oval by 5pm. The baton bearers will be past and present sporting heroes of Nauru as well as community representatives including children, youth, community elders (Young at Hearts), persons with disabilities, church representatives, community leaders and Members of Parliament.
Following the relay through Nauru, the Baton will travel to Kiribati to continue its 388-day journey to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018).
The international sector for the Queen’s Baton Relay is a joint initiative of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation in partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation and locally with the Nauru Commonwealth Games Association and the Government of Nauru.