The forests of Ancient Olympia in Greece will soon be recovered completely in time for the lighting of the torch for the Beijing Olympic Games, according to Greek Culture Minister Michalis Liapis.

In August 2007, tremendous forest fires ripped through the Peloponnesus and damaged Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games. The Greek government approved an emergency plan to plant trees around the site, with an expectation to restore the vegetative cover on time to ensure the success of the torch lighting ceremony, the minister was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

The authorities have planned to plant 27,000 saplings of more than 30 varieties of trees, with the first batch planted in early January. Watering and grass seeding have proceeded concurrently.

Liapis said he is scheduled to visit Beijing from February 25 to 28 to inform BOCOG (the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad) of the preparations for the torch lighting.

The torch lighting ceremony for the Beijing Olympics is set to take place on March 24 at Olympia, and it will be relayed within Greece afterwards until March 30, when it is to be handed over to BOCOG.

Olympia hosts a torch-lighting ceremony for the modern summer and winter Games every two years. Actresses portraying ancient Greek high priestesses use a parabolic mirror to reflect the sun's rays onto a small cauldron, which in turn lights the first torch of the relay ahead of each Olympic Games.

(BOCOG February 26, 2008)