flame that unites

🎧Audio version

The journey of the Olympic flame is more than just a tradition; it's a powerful symbol of peace and unity. For the 1984 Games, this flame embarked on an extraordinary journey from ancient Greece to Sarajevo, igniting a spirit of togetherness that touched every corner of Yugoslavia and brought the entire nation into the Olympic story.

From Olympia to the Adriatic

Following ancient tradition, the Olympic flame for the Sarajevo Games was lit by the sun’s rays at the historic Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece, on January 29, 1984. From there, it was carried to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, where it was officially handed over to the Sarajevo delegation.

In a delightful detail, the flame didn’t travel in an open torch on its next leg. Instead, it was carefully placed inside a miner’s safety lamp and flown on a special JAT airplane to Dubrovnik. Its arrival on Yugoslav soil was met with a magnificent welcome ceremony, kicking off a nationwide celebration.

A Journey in Two Parts

To ensure the Olympic spirit reached everyone, organizers created a unique relay with two main torches. On January 30, the flame in Dubrovnik was split, beginning two simultaneous journeys across Yugoslavia:

  • The eastern route (2,602 km) wound its way through Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia, visiting cities like Skopje and the nation's capital, Belgrade.

  • The western route (2,687 km) traveled up the Croatian coast through Split and Rijeka, into Slovenia through Ljubljana, and back through Croatia, passing through Zagreb and even Kumrovec, the birthplace of Marshal Tito.

The goal was clear: to promote a sense of brotherhood and unity by having the flame pass through all six of Yugoslavia’s republics and its two autonomous provinces.

A Nation's Welcome

The relay was a rolling festival. Over 1,600 torchbearers—distinguished athletes, dedicated workers, and promising young people—had the honor of carrying the flame. They carried a torch of functional, modern design: a sleek, largely unadorned pipe-like fixture created by the Japanese company Mizuno, which also supplied the bearers' uniforms. In Sarajevo’s old town, Baščaršija, the torch was even carried by local football legend Asim Ferhatović.

The welcome was incredible. More than 1.5 million people lined the roads and filled town squares to greet the flame. Its arrival was marked by cultural performances, sports events, and festivals of youth and friendship in over 90 different towns. The entire journey was a moving testament to the country's collective pride and excitement for the Games.

The Flame Arrives Home

On February 7, the eve of the Opening Ceremony, the two flames reached the outskirts of Sarajevo. After spending the night on the Olympic mountains of Jahorina and Bjelašnica, they were carried through all ten of the city’s municipalities.

At 4:30 PM, below the Vraca Memorial Park, the two routes merged back into a single, powerful flame. The unified torch was then relayed to the Skenderija sports center, where former Olympian Ajdin Pašović lit a ceremonial cauldron in front of tens of thousands of cheering citizens. The flame had finally come home, ready to light up the world.