OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ROUTE OF TRUCE 2021

On Saturday, September 18, 2021, the Opening Ceremony of the Route of Truce 2021 was held in Ancient Ilida.

The event began with the National Anthem of Greece and the anthem of the International Military Sports Council (CISM).

Greetings were delivered by the President of the Federation of Olympia, Mrs. Sofia Hintziou Kontogianni, and by the Member of the CISM Board and Director of the Supreme Council for Military Sports (ASAED), Captain Spyridon Andriopoulos.

Mrs. Kontogianni referred to the need to establish the Truce as a core Olympic value in the modern Olympic Games, stating:

“We are here to walk the Route of Truce, in an effort to remind ourselves that in the modern world we live in, all those who believe in Olympism and its values have a duty to promote the fundamental Olympic value — the value of the Truce, which leads to the long-awaited peace.

Each and every one of you who participates in the Route of Truce is an informal messenger of the Truce in the modern era.”

Mr. Andriopoulos emphasized that this year the Route of Truce was included in the ‘Sports and Peace’ program of the International Military Sports Council (CISM). Athletes from CISM member countries — Hungary, Palestine, Lithuania and Greece — participated in the event, along with a representative of the CISM General Secretariat.

Messages from the Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports, Mr. Lefteris Avgenakis, and the Regional Governor of Attica, Mr. G. Patoulis, were read. Greetings were also delivered by the Vice-Governor for Agricultural Development, Mr. Theodoros Vasilopoulos, representing the Region of Western Greece, and by the Deputy Mayor for Agricultural Development, Tourism Development and Employment Enhancement, Mr. Thanasis Georgopoulos, representing the Mayor of Ilida.

During the ceremony, Ms. Zoi Paraskevopoulou from Lechaina was honored. She is a Silver Olympic Medalist in the mixed team event at the Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore. The mixed team event is an innovative competition combining athletes of different genders and nationalities. Zoi competed alongside the Slovenian athlete Rajh Gregor.

Honorary plaques were also awarded to Spyros Chrysikopoulos and to the representative of the CISM General Secretariat, Squadron Leader Jefferson Martínez Mojardin Couto, who led the Route of Truce 2021 procession.

Present at the event were the heads of the Armed Forces teams of:
Hungary (Colonel Peter Gavlik),
Lithuania (Captain Modestas Lapienis),
Palestine (Brigadier General Amal Khalil),
Greece (Lieutenant Colonel Sotirios Anyfantis),
as well as the representative of the CISM General Secretariat, Squadron Leader Jefferson Martínez Mojardin Couto, accompanied by their delegations.

The event concluded with a concert by the band Banda Morena and with local treats offered by the Cultural Association of Ancient Ilida and the Cultural Association of Kalyvia Ilida “Ilida”.

The organization was supported by numerous institutional partners.
The event was organized by the Federation of Olympia and co-organized with the Region of Western Greece, the Municipalities of Ilida, Pyrgos and Ancient Olympia, the Supreme Council for Military Sports (ASAED), with the International Olympic Truce Centre as a collaborating support body. It was held under the auspices of the Ministries of National Defence, Culture & Sports (GGA), Interior, Rural Development & Food and Tourism, the Region of Attica, the International Military Sports Council (CISM), the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC), the International Olympic Academy (IOA), GNTO, PSAT, the Association of Olympic Participants, the Hellenic Olympians Association, with the participation of #BEACTIVE, voluntary support from the Hellenic Scouts and E.O.P.Y.D., and communication sponsors including ERT3, ERT Pyrgos, Athens 9.84, RunningNews.gr, OVI, apopseis.gr, GreekTeachers and others.

The organizers warmly thank the Official Supporters: GNTO, AVANCE Rent a Car, AMKE AIGEAS, Loux, Krinos, Fargeco, National Insurance, as well as supporting suppliers and the countless volunteers from all villages along the Route of Truce, the Hellenic Red Cross Volunteer Corps (Amaliada branch), the medical teams, EKAB crews and the Hellenic Police, whose presence ensured safety throughout the events.

All Route of Truce activities were carried out with the approval of the health protocol issued by the General Secretariat of Sports of the Ministry of Culture and Sports.

More photos and material can be found on the Facebook page “The Route of Truce”.