2016 ACTIONS

Social Program

11 December 2016, the International day for children, was selected in order to open an embrace of love, and to offer a game for the “children of war”.

Representatives from the Federation Olympia, the municipalities of Elis and Andravida-Kyllini, the International Olympic Truce Centre and the ASAED (Higher Sports Council of Armed Forces), filled with joy the children of the hot spot at Myrsini, by offering toys, books and clothing.

When the truck reached the specially designed play area, little hands helped the driver get the toys out of it.

The children waited patiently for the toys to be unpacked and arranged. Parlour games were left in the “playroom” and the refugee children from Syria took the toys to their own place.

The President of the Federation of Olympia and the association “Politia Ilidas Olympias”, Ms. Sofia Hintziou Kontogianni said: “In April, when we planed the first race dedicated to the Truce, the “Route of Truce 2016”, we also organized some actions for the refugee children from Syria. We opened a hug for the “children of war” by collecting toys, clothes and everything a child needs. We opened a hug for the children who fought against the raging waves to reach Greece in search of a better world without bombs and hunger. A better world where peace shall reign! This effort was organized by all the organizing institutions of the Route of Truce, the Federation of Olympia, the municipalities of Elis and Andravida-Kyllini, the International Olympic Truce Centre and the ASAED in cooperation with the Association “Politia Elidas Olympias”. We gathered everything a child needs, in the frame of the social program of the “Route of Olympic Truce”.

The Director of the International Olympic Truce Centre, Dr. Konstantinos Filis said: “In a time of uncertainty and insecurity that in turn produce racism and xenophobia, here, today, from Myrsini we send a message of solidarity and support to the children and their families who are stricken by the war in their country. The smile on the faces of little children is the best reward for the effort we launched last April with the conduct of the “Route of Olympic Truce” following the Path of Truce. With the occasion of this event, we collected clothing and toys for the children of war in order to ease, albeit to the slightest, the pain of forced displacement from their homes and homeland. This effort will certainly continue”.

The Mayor of Elis, Mr. Christos Christodoulopoulos said: “Today, we give joy to the children of war and it’s the least we can offer”.

The Mayor of Andravida Kyllini, Mr. Nabil Iosif Morad who hosts the refugees in the hot spot of Myrsini, a Syrian himself, said: These holy days to us Christians, we give a little joy to the children of war. We stand by our fellowmen and we prove it”.

The General Secretary of the Federation of Olympia, Ms. Anna Papaioannou Georgakopoulou noted that: “We thank the parents and children who responded to our call and offered toys. With the implemented program, we aimed to raise the awareness of young people both on issues related to vulnerable social groups (such as people with disabilities and refugees) and to the protection of the environment, as well as to bring them the hope that the “Route of Olympic Truce” is a path that may also lead to their truce and peace…

In addition to the aforementioned, the actions in Myrsini were attended by the President of the city council of the Municipality of Elis, Mr. Andreas Nikolakopoulos, Mr. Ntakoulias Panagiotis the President of the charitable organization of the Municipality of Elis and the member of the Federation of Olympia, Mr. Konstantinos Kontogiannis.