POET AT OLYMPICS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31750, 6 August 1968, Page 12

POET AT OLYMPICS

Poets, musicians, dancers, actors, writers, artists, and film-makers from many countries have begun to participate in Mexico's “Cultural Olympics,” which form part of the programme for the Olympic Games, to be held in Mexico City in October. Sculptures commissioned by Mexico from 21 sculptors will be a major attraction in the “Cultural Olympics.” Sixteen of these will be placed as milestones along “Friendship Route,” which connects the Olympic Village and rowing canal. But the most spectacular event of the “Cultural Olympics” will be the ceremony for the arrival of the Olympic Flame from Greece

at the pyramids of Titihuacan. There, a ballet of five continents, with hundreds of dancers, will perform in a ceremony inspired by the “new fire” ritual of the Aztecs, last held in 1507. Already many world figures, including Alexander Calder, Evgeny Evtushenko, Arthur Miller, Sir John Barbirolli, the Bolshoi Ballet, and Van Cliburn have appeared in the “Cultural Olympics,” which seem likely to become a permanent feature of the Olympic Games. The composite photograph above, supplied by the Mexico Olympic Committee, shows one o fthe most popular cultural events so far: Evtushenko at a poetry reading.