Military men, voluntary members of the group Invictus Romania, will take take the start on the first running route of this year's edition of the Veterans' Relay, from the Monument of Homeland Heroes, at Carol I National Defence University, at 09.00 on Friday, September 4. This first running course, of about 200 kilometers long, covers localities such as Bucharest, Ploiesti, Predeal and Sfantu Gheorghe.

This year, the relay is a tricolor flag and will be carried by the members of Invictus Romania on an over 1,000 kilometers distance, along four routes that roughly re-enact the lines along which the Romanian military fought to free the national territory in 1944.

In each of the localities where battles were fought, the relay bearers will hand over a national flag to WW 2 veterans. The flags will be finally taken over by the local authorities and will be hoisted on an important edifice of the community.

The relay bearers will reach Carei, namely the Monument Ensemble Glorie Ostasului Roman, on October 25.

This year's event is meant to mark the Year of War Veterans and the celebration of the Day of the Romanian Armed Forces of October 25. The institutions that assist in organizing it are the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Internal Affairs together with the National Association of War Veterans, the National Association of Reserve and Retired Military Personnel, the Regina Maria National Association of Heroes' Cult and Camarazii Charity Organization of the Romanian Armed Forces.

The start ceremony of Friday will be attended by representatives of the leadership of the two ministries and associations supporting the activity, military men wounded in theaters of operations, representatives of the Military Sports Club Steaua, as well as groups opf voluntary cyclists and marathonists.

Journalists intending to be present at the event are expected at the Monument of Homeland Heroes, at 08.50, on September 4.

MoND Press Office