Meet the 14 young people from all over France who will accompany the Olympic flame aboard the Belem 

The arrival of the Olympic flame in Marseille aboard the Belem on 8 May 2024 will mark the start of the celebrations of the Games in France. The two sponsors of the Torch Relay, Coca-Cola, and Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne, are fully committed to filling the journey with memorable moments.

Today (20 March), Paris 2024 and Caisse d'Epargne, principal patron of the Belem, revealed the crew of the three-masted ship who will accompany the flame from the port of Piraeus in Greece to the city of Marseille. This historic crossing of the Mediterranean will follow the handover ceremony of the flame in Athens and will be an opportunity to illustrate the strong links between Greece and France.

The Olympic flame will be escorted from the port of Piraeus to Marseille by 14 "Forerunners"

The 14 "Forerunners", aged between 16 and 24, have been selected by the regional Caisses d’Epargne to join the professional crew of the Belem and accompany the Olympic flame on its Mediterranean crossing. They will join the ship’s 16-strong professional crew, which has been led by Aymeric Gibet, the Captain of the Belem, since 2016. It is a powerful initiative that reflects the commitment of Paris 2024 and Caisse d'Epargne to the inclusion and recognition of young people.

Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet spoke enthusiastically about the "Forerunners" who will carry the Olympic flame to France.

"This journey will highlight the 14 young people who will proudly escort the flame over the sea and carry the Games to France. We want them to enjoy this unique human adventure along with the crew, and the magnificent celebration in Marseille. It's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure," he said.

To select the "Forerunners", Caisse d'Epargne ran a social integration programme with the Caisse d'Epargne Belem Foundation throughout 2023. A total of 300 young members of associations providing social and professional integration assistance in mainland France and overseas were able to spend a few days on board the Belem to take part in sailing work placements. It was a unique opportunity to discover life as part of a crew, to disconnect from everyday life, and to experience a timeless collective adventure. At the end of these work placements, 14 young people were selected to become ambassadors for their regional branches, on the basis of their ability to learn, listen and live together.

The 14 "Forerunners" with a wide range of backgrounds and interests

Some of these 14 young people gained their first professional experience during the work placements aboard the Belem, inspiring them to think about the type of jobs they might want to do in the future:

• Lucas 17 years old, (Caisse d’Epargne [CE] Loire-Centre) is a student at the Ecole de la 2ème Chance in Orléans (a scheme that supports young people who have dropped out of school and gives them access to training leading to a diploma or qualification), Lucas started a work-linked training course following his placement on the Belem
• Eléonor, 20 years old, (CE Bretagne Pays de la Loire) is an intern at the Ecole de la 2ème Chance
• Noémie, 18 years old, (CE Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) is a former intern on the Belem who has devoted herself to supporting the other students at her specialised establishment
• Yassine, 19 years old, (CE-CEPAC) discovered a real passion during this placement, which showed him that it was important to believe in your dreams
• Nathan, 19 years old, (CE Grand Est Europe) is willing and diligent in everything he does, and is motivated by helping others and sharing this experience

Some of the 14 "Forerunners" were already interested in careers linked to the sea and sailing:

• Shawn, 17 years old, (CE Auvergne, Limousin) is studying for a Bac Pro in commerce and is interested in the world of sailing
• Nathan, 18 years old, (CE Normandie) is passionate about the naval world and wants to join the French Navy,
• Chloé,19 years old, (CE Languedoc-Roussillon) is a member of the “La mer est à vous” programme. She is taking part in a training programme to become a skipper
• Hugo, 21 years old, (CE Île-de-France) is passionate about life at sea and keen to hone his sailing skills

Other young members of the crew, with a wide range of interests, are already involved in vocational training:

• Thomas, 20 years old, (CE Rhône-Alpes) is a sportsman who cares about other people and is a volunteer firefighter
• Clara, 23 years old, (CE Hauts-de-France) has joined a civic service scheme to make a fresh start in her career
• Manon, 24 years old, (CE Côte d’Azur) trained with the Compagnons du Devoir
• Jana, 24 years old, (CE Midi-Pyrénées) has decided to train for a career in eco-construction

A unique voyage that will pass on the values of commitment, solidarity and communal living to the young people involved

On board, the professional crew of the Belem will share the secrets of sailing Europe’s oldest three-masted ship with the 14 “Forerunners”. They will learn how to hoist the sails, manage the ropes, steer at the helm and stay on course. Each crew member will play an active part in the navigation and daily life on the ship, including cooking, cleaning, etc. The crossing will be an exceptional odyssey that will inspire the young people involved and encourage them to believe in their dreams.