May 19, 2011 (Sochi, Russia) – Sochi 2014 marked its 1,000-day countdown with various celebrations on May 14th. As part of the milestone, OMEGA unveiled an innovative clock set to countdown to the February 7, 2014, the day of the opening ceremony. The clock’s design is intended to capture and reflect the spirit of a dynamic and diverse region.

The whole of Russia celebrated the milestone with a series of events and festivities under the banner of “The Marathon of 1,000 Good Deeds”. The main themes of the day were the environment, healthy living, education, and culture.

Some of the events that took place included “1,000 Olympic Lessons” that were held at schools in Moscow, Krasnodar, Khanty-Mansiysk and Novocherkassk. In addition, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Omsk, Volgograd, Krasnodar and Novorossiysk hosted a sports festival called “A 1000-Meter Dash towards the Olympic Games”. A “Friendship between People” Festival was held in Moscow, Kazan and Tomsk, to reflect the cultural diversity among Russia’s nationalities. Volunteers at Kazan State Technical University organized an immense hot-pot banquet with 1,000 national meals for the public to sample.

Environmental events and “green initiatives” were held in Vladivostok, Tver, Sochi, Pyatigorsk, and Arkhangelsk. Numerous trees were planted alongside the Olympic avenues, and flower beds were arranged in the figure of 1,000.

IOC Sochi 2014 Coordination Commission Chairman Jean-Claude Killy said: “It was great to see the whole of Russia getting involved in Sochi 2014’s 1,000 days to go celebrations. The excitement and engagement that we witnessed across the country was exceptional and will no doubt continue to increase with the nationwide opening of Sochi’s volunteer centers. In addition, the unveiling of the stunning OMEGA countdown clock serves to remind us all that this great country will soon be playing host to the world and its finest winter athletes. With 1,000 days to go, the clock is now really ticking and I’m confident that the Olympians of 2014 will receive a fantastic welcome when they arrive in Sochi in just a few years time.”

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