Armenian shooter Elmira Karapetyan took part in the Olympic Torch relay for the 33rd Olympic Games to be held in Paris.

The Olympic Torch was brought to Villers-Cotterêts, where the Cité Internationale de la Langue Française, a center dedicated to promoting the French language, was inaugurated last October in the town’s 16th-century mansion.

As a representative of the host country for the 10th Francophonie Games in 2027, Karapetyan received the Olympic flame from judoka Arnold Kisoka, who represented the Democratic Republic of the Congo, host of the previous Francophonie Games.

The ceremony was attended by notable figures, including French Minister of Sports, Olympic and Paralympic Games Amelie Oudea-Castera; Armenian Ambassador Hasmik Tolmajian; Congo’s Minister of Sports and Leisure Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga; Director of the International Committee of Francophone Games Zeina Mina; Secretary General of the Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of Francophone Countries Louise René Tobin; and representatives of regional and municipal authorities.

In her address, Ambassador Tolmajian highlighted the historic significance of the event, noting that for the first time in the history of independent Armenia, an athlete representing the country participated in the Olympic flame relay. She emphasized the importance of this moment taking place within the framework of the Paris Olympic Games at Villers-Cotterêts Palace, a site significant for the French language. This, she stated, further illustrates the deep and enduring friendship between the Armenian and French peoples.

Ambassador Tolmajian also remarked that Karapetyan’s participation as a representative of Armenia, the host country for the next Francophonie Games, symbolizes Armenia’s dedication to Francophonie and its values.