Queen's baton relay begins in Nuku‘alofa [1]
Monday, November 14, 2005 - 18:45. Updated on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 - 13:40.
The Melbourne 2006 Queen's Baton, a symbol for the 2006 Commonwealth Games arrived in Tonga this morning to start its four-day relay throughout Tongatapu.
The Queen Baton's Relay started from Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day March 14, 2005, and will visit 71 Commonwealth countries. It will conclude its one year and a day journey on 15 March 2006 when it arrives at the opening ceremony of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
The Melbourne 2006 Queen's Baton was received by Hon. Fanetupouvava‘u Tuita at Fua'amotu International Airport's Royal VIP Lounge, and was transferred into town where it was presented to the Prince Regent HRH Prince Tupouto‘a at the Royal Palace, Nuku‘alofa.
From the Royal Palace the baton was carried by Princess Latufuipeka and the Hon. Mailefihi along Vuna Road to the residence of the British High Commissioner, HE Mr. Paul Nessling.
The baton relay then took a u-turn and returned eastward around the Palace and entered Pangai Lahi where it was handed over to the Hon. Baron Vaea, the Captain of the 1947 National Rugby Team that toured Fiji.
The first day relay proceeded along the Vuna Road and ended at the Australian High Commissioner...s Residence at 4pm.
Ha'amonga
On its second day November 15, the baton relay will start from the Ha‘amonga, at Niutoua in the eastern district and will be carried by various Primary school students throughout the eastern and central Tongatapu, and ending at the Government Primary School Fasi mo e Afi.
On November 16 the relay will cover the western district, and will finish at Pangai Lahi,for a special program of sports competition and cultural performances to be held by groups from various Tongatapu Primary schools.
The last day of the relay in Tonga, November 17, the Queen's baton will visits the Vaiola Hospital and the Alonga Centre for the Disabled at Pea.
The final leg of the relay will be from the Malapo Junction to the Fua‘amotu International Airport for its departure to the Solomon Islands on Air Pacific.
Tracking devices
The Queen's Baton Relay harnesses the very latest in digital and other communication technology to enable people across the globe to join the baton on its epic journey to the Opening Ceremony of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
The high-tech baton-tracking technology housed in the baton enables internet users to pinpoint the baton's location, supported by satellite coverage. The special interactive online baton tracking features include
- a baton tracker, using the latest global positioning system technology, the online tracking device pinpoints the exact location of the baton at anytime and indicates this on an online map of the world which zooms to the actual location
- a baton cam, cameras mounted in the baton can transmit video footage of key relay moments to this website.
The first Queen's Baton was created for a relay to celebrate the Cardiff 1958 Commonwealth Games in Wales. Since then the Queen...s Baton Relay has become a much loved Games tradition.
The baton...s journey symbolises the unity and shared ideals of the Commonwealth of Nations, and enables communities beyond the host city to share the Games celebrations. It also serves a functional purpose in carrying Her Majesty's message to the athletes from Buckingham Palace in London to the opening ceremony.
Lights on the front of the baton indicate the 71 nations of the Commonwealth that the Queen's Baton will visit on its journey to the Games. These progressively light up as the baton arrives in each Commonwealth country, symbolising the gathering of the nations at the four-yearly festival of sport and culture.