News Each Olympic torch relay has its own concept, reflecting the culture of the host nation and the vision of the Games The Rio 2016 torch relay – whose route will be revealed, along with the torch itself, on Friday (3 July) in Brasília – aims to combine the inspirational heat of the Olympic flame with the famous warmth of the Brazilian people Below we take a look at some of the memorable Olympic torch relays form the past  LONDON 1948: A RELAY OF PEACEPhoto: International Olympic CommitteeIn a Europe devastated by the Second World War, the London 1948 Games relay brought a message of peace The first torch bearer, Corporal Dimitrelis, removed his military uniform before picking up the torch, in a reference to the ‘sacred truce’ of the torch relays in ancient Greece To celebrate the resumption of the Olympic Games after 12 years, the torch relay passed through Lausanne (the home of the International Olympic Committee), where a ceremony was held at the cemetery where Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Games of the Modern Era, is buried  ROME 1960: AN ANCIENT RELAYPhoto: International Olympic Committee This relay celebrated the classical civilisations of Athens and Rome Little-known ancient sights in Greece and Italy were highlighted along the route, increasing the public’s awareness of them It was also the first time that the relay had been televised, and it generated major media coverage  MEXICO CITY 1968: A NEW WORLD RELAYPhoto: International Olympic Committee This relay retraced the steps of Christopher Columbus through the ‘New World’, emphasising the relationship between the civilisations of the Mediterranean and Latin America A direct descendent of Columbus, Cristóbal Colón de Carbajal, was the last torch bearer on Spanish soil The Olympic flame passed by the Great Pyramid of the Moon in the Mexican city of Teotihuacan, where a ‘New Fire’ ceremony was held in accordance with Aztec tradition  SEOUL 1988: A RELAY OF HARMONY AND PROGRESSPhoto: International Olympic Committee Paying tribute to the Republic of Korea’s traditions, the relay zigzagged from east to west, symbolising the harmony to be found in the balance between two opposite poles Some of the torch bearers wore traditional regional clothing instead of the organising committee’s official uniform  SYDNEY 2000: A RELAY DOWN UNDERPhoto: International Olympic Committee This relay had a dual mission: to emphasise Australia’s location within Oceania and to promote cultural symbols in the country’s different regions It passed through 12 nations before arriving in Australia, where it began its route from Ayers Rock, a place considered sacred by indigenous people, with the torch carried by an aboriginal Olympic hockey player Nova Peris Kneebon One million spectators welcomed the torch upon its arrival in Sydney and at the opening ceremony aboriginal runner Cathy Freeman (above) – who went on to win gold in the 400m – ‘walked on water’ before lighting the Olympic cauldron  LONDON 2012: A MOMENT TO SHINEPhoto: International Olympic Committee This relay aimed to illuminate the best things that Great Britain has to offer – in terms of culture, geography and humanity The torch bearers were chosen based on their contribution to society, in a selection process that helped to reinforce the philosophy of the London 2012 Games as an inspiration for an entire generation