San Francisco mayor wants Olympic torch relay to unite people

SAN FRANCISCO, April 7 (Xinhua) -- San Francisco Mayor Garvin Newsom expressed hope that the coming Olympic torch relay in the city would be held with the Olympic spirit of uniting people.

"Speaking as the Mayor of San Francisco, I am a firm believer that Olympics is to unite the people and the world through sports," Newsom said in an interview with Xinhua days before the city hosts the torch relay on April 9.

"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle," the mayor said. "The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

Calling the relay a symbol of international unity, the mayor acknowledged that the Olympic torch relay bears great significance for spreading the Olympic spirit, promoting mutual understanding among different peoples in the world and safeguarding world peace.

"I am also very proud to announce that San Francisco's theme for our leg of the Olympic torch relay is 'A Sustainable Journey'," the mayor said.

"This concept refers to 'sustainability' both in terms of the Olympic journey, which began with the Ancient Olympics in Greece in 776 BC but in modern times has become an effort to foster world-wide comradeship and peace.

"It also resonates with San Francisco's deserved reputation as the U.S. leader in environmental and sustainable awareness and practices."

Candidates for torch bearing have submitted essays that articulated what sustains them or how they are working towards a more sustainable community, nation or world, according to the mayor.

Eighty people will travel with the torch through San Francisco's streets Wednesday, each briefly holding the flame that is traveling 85,000 miles around the world.

The torch will arrive at 4 a.m. Tuesday in San Francisco on an Air China flight from Paris.

The last time the torch is passed through San Francisco was in 2002.