Members of B.C.’s Greek community are miffed that they have been excluded from the Vancouver 2010 torch relay, especially since the flame originated at Olympia in their home country.
Demetrios Douzenis, the president of the 30,000-strong Hellenic Canadian Congress of B.C., said the group had asked the Vancouver Organizing Committee if they could have a community celebration when the torch came into Vancouver.
Similar celebrations were held in Montreal and Toronto. But Vanoc ignored the B.C. community’s request, Douzenis said.
“Vanoc completely brushed off the Greek community in B.C.,” he said. “We were supporters of the bid from the start and all we wanted was to recognize that Greece is the custodian of the flame.”
Despite the concerns, Vancouver’s Greeks will be out in force Thursday afternoon as the torch moves through the West Broadway area popular with the Hellenic community. “We’ll have dancers and food and music out there.”
(source: vancouver sun)
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