OPENING CEREMONY – ROUTE OF TRUCE 2017
On Saturday, May 13, the opening ceremony of the Route of Truce 2017 was held at the courtyard of the new Museum of Ancient Ilida.
On Saturday, May 13, the opening ceremony of the Route of Truce 2017 was held at the courtyard of the new Museum of Ancient Ilida.
The event opened with a performance by the Dance School “En Choro” of Zacharo (teaching by Ms. Athanasia Nikeletopoulou and costumes by the traditional costume workshop of Ms. Aimilia Giannopoulou)
and by the Special Vocational Gymnasium of Pyrgos (with teacher Ms. Maria Drakopoulou).
The President of the Federation of Olympia, Ms. Sofia Hintziou Kontogianni, welcoming the guests, stressed that the aim is to send a message about the need to promote and implement one of the values that was a basic prerequisite for holding the ancient Olympic Games—the Truce—linking antiquity with the modern world.
The Mayor of Ilida, Mr. Christos Christodoulopoulos, stated that it is a great joy and honor for the Municipality of Ilida to participate actively as co-organizer of the Route of Truce, and emphasized:
“It is in our hands not to give up, and to continue carrying the message of the Truce to every corner of the world. The Sacred Truce, more than ever before, must be the highest act of responsibility—an idea that sets aside the ‘I’ and brings forward the ‘we’, through fair play, through ‘competing well’, and through the athletic ideal. From my heart, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this year’s organization, including the dozens of volunteers thanks to whom this year as well the result will be positive. At the same time, I would like to thank the dozens of athletes who, for yet another year, chose to be present on this difficult and demanding mountainous route, which connects the organizing city-state of the ancient Olympic Games, Ilida, with the sacred site of Olympia. The Municipality of Ilida supports and will continue to support all efforts to revive the historic institution of the Truce, and we are especially pleased that the institutional establishment of the Route of Truce seems to be taking shape and becoming reality.”
A greeting was delivered by the Director of Primary Education of Ilia, Mr. Panagiotis Zevlas.
At the event, Dr. of Olympic Studies Ioanna Mastora spoke about the Olympic Ideal, and journalist Mr. Giannis Theodorakopoulos (for 14 years President of PSAT, and Vice President of the International Sports Press Association, awarded by the IOC) spoke about the modern Olympic Games.
Dr. Ioanna Mastora stressed in her speech that:
“According to the traveler Pausanias, Iphitos, King of Ilida, asked the Oracle at Delphi how Greece could be freed from plagues and civil strife. He received the answer that he and the Eleians should ‘renew the Olympic contest’, that is, revive the holding of the Games. Together with Cleisthenes of Pisa and Lycurgus of Sparta, he established the Sacred Truce, the text of which was inscribed on a bronze disc. From then on, the areas of Ilida and Olympia were proclaimed sacred and it was forbidden for anyone to cross them armed. During the Truce, the enforcement of the death penalty and major judicial decisions was suspended. Three heralds announced the Sacred Truce initially one month before the start of the Games, and from the 5th century BC onwards three months in advance, so that athletes and spectators could arrive safely in Olympia from across the then-known Greek world. The Olympic Games became a strong moral bond among the Greeks—of all tribes, all cities, mainland and island metropolises and colonies. They were the quintessential ‘panegyris of the Greeks’, the pan-Hellenic center of competitive publicity of works of physical and spiritual virtue, and one of the firmest foundations of the moral unity and national consciousness of Hellenism. Many distinguished philosophers, educators, enlightened writers, archaeologists, sociologists and politicians studied the deeper meaning of the Olympic Games, whose cultural influence was strong and inspiring for all Greeks and subsequently for all civilized people.”
“According to the traveler Pausanias, Iphitos, King of Ilida, asked the Oracle at Delphi how Greece could be freed from plagues and civil strife. He received the answer that he and the Eleians should ‘renew the Olympic contest’, that is, revive the holding of the Games. Together with Cleisthenes of Pisa and Lycurgus of Sparta, he established the Sacred Truce, the text of which was inscribed on a bronze disc. From then on, the areas of Ilida and Olympia were proclaimed sacred and it was forbidden for anyone to cross them armed. During the Truce, the enforcement of the death penalty and major judicial decisions was suspended. Three heralds announced the Sacred Truce initially one month before the start of the Games, and from the 5th century BC onwards three months in advance, so that athletes and spectators could arrive safely in Olympia from across the then-known Greek world. The Olympic Games became a strong moral bond among the Greeks—of all tribes, all cities, mainland and island metropolises and colonies. They were the quintessential ‘panegyris of the Greeks’, the pan-Hellenic center of competitive publicity of works of physical and spiritual virtue, and one of the firmest foundations of the moral unity and national consciousness of Hellenism. Many distinguished philosophers, educators, enlightened writers, archaeologists, sociologists and politicians studied the deeper meaning of the Olympic Games, whose cultural influence was strong and inspiring for all Greeks and subsequently for all civilized people.”
Mr. Giannis Theodorakopoulos emphasized that the Olympic movement, from its revival by Pierre de Coubertin to today, has peace and the brotherhood of peoples as a core element—and it is a fact that the modern Olympic Games have, at times more and at times less, suffered repeated blows from wars and terrorist acts. He noted, however, that in recent years the situation is much better, and it is characteristic that all countries participate in the Olympic Games. He made special reference to the Truce pact being discussed at the UN General Assembly in 1993 and to the IOC’s efforts to move forward. Finally, he stressed that all of us—especially we Greeks—must strive so that one day we will see the Truce as a reality.
Mr. Kostas Hatzis, who led the route, was awarded a special plaque for his own “route of truce”—travelling by road from the Netherlands to Ancient Ilida in order to run in the “Route of Truce 2017”.
Emotion was sparked by young Giorgos, both through the strength of his spirit as he participated in the dance performance of the Special Vocational Gymnasium of Pyrgos, and through his statement that next year he will be standing and walking.
The event closed with the recitation of the Olympic Hymn by 6-year-old student of the 1st Kindergarten of Pyrgos, Natalia Galiatsatou.
At the same time, throughout the event an art exhibition operated with works by artists from Ilia and uniformed personnel, in cooperation with Mr. Chr. Hasa and Ms. Eleni Stathopoulou. The art historian and curator of the visual art exhibitions held in Athens, Ms. Annita Patsouraki, was present.
The cultural associations of Ilida “I ILIDA”, Kalyvia–Ilida and Avgeio “O FYLEAS” offered local delicacies, tsipouro and wine to the guests, with wine offered by the Mercouri Estate.
