THE excitement of the 2018 Commonwealth Games will hit Joondalup after the City was named part of the Queen’s Baton Relay.
Organisers of the Gold Coast Games held a national announcement this morning to reveal various celebration communities across Australia that would take part in the relay.
They also launched the Community Batonbearer Nomination Program, giving the public an opportunity to nominate leaders in their local community to carry the baton.
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READ NOWThe worldwide relay will be the longest in the Games’ history, travelling through the entire Commonwealth in 388 days and 230,000km, including 100 days in Australia.
The relay is a Games tradition that celebrates the Commonwealth’s diversity, inspires community pride and excites people about the upcoming festival of sports and culture.
It also carries a message from the Queen calling for peaceful and friendly competition.
The baton will start at Buckingham Palace on March 13 and arrive at the Gold Coast Opening Ceremony on April 4, 2018, where the message will be read aloud to officially open the Games.
Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard said it was an honour for the City to be one of the chosen communities for the relay.
“The City is excited to be hosting a leg of the relay as well as holding a community celebration to mark the special occasion,” he said.
He said the Community Batonbearer Nomination Program would allow “real people with real stories to share in the Commonwealth Games excitement by having the opportunity to carry the baton”.
“I encourage members of our local community to nominate ordinary people who have done extraordinary things and would be worthy batonbearers,” he said.
Nominate a local hero to become a batonbearer at www.gc2018.com/qbr.
More details of the relay and the City’s community celebration will be announced later this year.