The torch relay for the 1st Asian Youth Games (AYG) started in Singapore on Sunday at a ceremony near the Singapore Indoor Stadium with the participation of 500-strong crowd.

"As we send out the three torches this morning, I hope all those with the honor of carrying the torches, as well as those participating in their community and school festivities, will pass on the important values and theme of this torch relay. Now is the time for Singapore to unite behind the Asian Youth Games and all who will participate in it," Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and President for the National Olympic Council said at the flame-lighting Ceremony, which was also attended by Ng Ser Miang, Chairman of Steering Committee, Singapore Asian Youth Games Organizing Committee (SAYGOC).

With the theme, "Igniting Sporting Passion in Asia's Youth", the two-day event will feature more than 180 torch-bearers and over 70,000 participants from all walks of life.

Three torches will travel across the nation to garner support from everyone across the city state over two days prior to the Opening Ceremony for the AYG, which is to be held in the country from June 29 to July 7.

The three Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect are the title of each of the three torch relay routes. These principles are also the signature poses for the games mascot FRASIA and reflect the essence of the Games.

Sunday is the first leg of the torch relay, which was named the community and corporate leg.

The torch relay went to the heartlands on Sunday covering the five districts across the city state, which has a population of 4.84 million.

The Guest-of-Honor for the Central District Torch Relay is Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who was also the first torch bearer for the route.

Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, took the torch in the final leg of the route from Marina Square to its resting place at the Games Village at Swissotel the Stamford. He was joined by nine Team Singapore athletes, each Team Singapore athlete is a representative from each AYG sport that Singapore will be taking part in.

During the second leg, namely the school leg next Monday, the three torches will travel to the 45 schools under the AYG National Olympic Committee's (NOC) Twinning Program. Singapore's Minister for Education Ng Eng Hen will be the Guest of Honor for the torch-lighting Ceremony.

After two days of traveling across the the city state to rally support among the community, corporates and the schools for the AYG, three Team Singapore athletes, swimmer Tao Li, kegler Remy Ong and shooter Jasmine Ser, will be final torch-bearers to carry the torches back to the Singapore Indoor Stadium for the Opening Ceremony, to ignite the AYG Flame.

The three torches coming together for the Opening Ceremony signifies Singapore's coming together as one to welcome youths from all across Asia to the 1st Asian Youth Games Singapore 2009.

The inaugural AYG, which is co-organized by the Singapore Sports Council and the Ministry of Education, will see almost 1,400 athletes from 45 Asian countries and regions competing in 90 events across nine sports from 29 June to 7 July 2009.

(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2009)