Queen’s Baton to hit the coast

Rudi Bowe

The Queen’s Relay Baton departed from Buckingham Palace on 7 October, and will travel for 294 days, connecting 72 communities in every corner of the Commonwealth, and hit ground in Walvis Bay for the first time on 13 December.

As a Commonwealth Nation, the Namibian coastal towns, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund will be hosting the Queen’s Baton Relay from 13 to 15 December 2021.“This is an historic event as the Queen’s Relay Baton has never been on our shores and as the towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund will be participating in the Queen’s Baton Relay, there will be numerous dignitaries, international athletes of various sport codes as well as members of the Namibian government and community members participating in the relay through the streets of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.
The Mayor of Walvis Bay, Trevino Forbes, said that the Queen’s Baton Relay is a unique tradition of the Games that unites the more than two billion citizens of the Commonwealth in a celebration of sport, diversity, and peace.
Forbes said, “I hope that the Baton will symbolically connect the people of Walvis Bay and highlight the beauty and tourism opportunities that we have to offer, as it makes its way through our town. I urge all residents to part take in the numerous events and activities that are organized during the baton’s three day stay at the coast.”
The Queen’s Baton Relay is a global event hosted prior to the commencement of the Commonwealth Games. The Baton is known to carry a message from Queen Elizabeth ll, who is currently the Head of Common-wealth.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXII Commonwealth Games, is an International multi-sports event for members of the commonwealth. The Games are expected to take place between 28 July and 8 August 2022 in Birmingham.
The Queen’s Baton Relay braces distinctiveness in humanity as well as to bring people together. It symbolises the intention that every individual has distinctive living experiences that are threaded and woven together into a tapestry of cultures.
The Baton will arrive in Walvis Bay on 13 December 2021 with the official relay to start at 07:30 on 14 December, from the Topnaar Community to Dune 7. The Baton will arrive in Narraville with an event at 10:30 at the Narraville Community Hall. The Baton will then proceed to Kuisebmund with an event at 11:30 at the Kuisebmond Sports Field.
The Baton will proceed to Namdock for a small event at 12:30. The final leg will be to the Walvis Bay Municipal Civic Centre where will be handed to the Mayor of Walvis Bay at 15:00. The day’s proceedings will end with various activities at 18:00 at the Civic Centre in the harbor town.
The following day 15 December the relay will resume at 07:30 from the Civic Centre via the Lagoon to Namport for a small relay in the port area with Beatrice Mashilenga and Christine Mboma before it will go on a the sea with Tug Boat and canoe rower, Maike Diekmann and open sea water swimmer, Philip Siedler to Langstrand.
The Baton will be at Langstrand at 11:00 and after a gathering it will be carried with a Fat Bicycle, Quad Bike and Camels to the Swakopmund Bridge. At 11h45 the Relay continues through Swakopmund, passing Lions Old Age Home, Main Street, Flash -mop in Main Street, Jetty, Mole and Crystal Gallery to the MTC Dome.
At 13h00 Flash Mob and Omaruru Cultural group performance in front of the MTC Dome and at 14:00 an official handover ceremony of the Queen’s Baton will be held at the MTC Dome and at 19h00 Carols by Candle-light by the Mascoto Youth Choir and Kings Choir at the MTC Dome.
The communities of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund are invited to invade the streets of the town in their masses and in their diversities to come and support the Queen’s Baton Relay.