Top Greek long-distance runners were honored by “The Route of Truce”
CULTURE 2019
Top Greek long-distance runners were honored by “The Route of Truce”
Long-distance runners who honored Greece through their presence and athletic achievements were recognized in a special event by the Federation of Olympia, within the framework of its activities ahead of the “Route of Truce” from Ilida to Olympia, which this year is organized on May 5.
In a particularly moving atmosphere, special plaques were awarded to descendants of Spyridon Louis (Gold Olympic Champion of the 1st Marathon Race – the award was received by the President of the Marathon Museum, Irene Spanou), Charilaos Vasilakos (the 1st winner of the modern Marathon – the award was received by his grandson, Charilaos Vasilakos), Stelios Kyriakides (Winner of the Boston Marathon – the award was received by his son, Dimitris Kyriakides). Also honored were Giannis Kouros (the “modern Pheidippides”, ultra long-distance runner), Georgia (Zozo) Christodoulou (the first Greek woman to complete the Marathon feat), and Grigoris Lambrakis (Marathon runner of Peace and Reconciliation of peoples – the award was received by his son, Grigoris).
The conference was held in honor of the “International Day of Sport for Development and Peace”.
The event opened with a greeting from the President of the Federation of Olympia, Sofia Hintziou-Kontogianni, who referred to the organization’s actions and emphasized:
It has been 123 years since the revival of the modern Olympic Games, yet the prerequisite of the Truce in the modern era has never been implemented.
“From here the Angel will depart,” says Takis Doxas in “The Light of Olympia,” and Angels are all the runners of the Truce, who, defying difficulties, run nearly 50 kilometers from Ilida to Olympia for one purpose: the Truce.
The Truce that leads to Peace, embodied by Olympia. And from here, from Olympia, “Here the Light will be reborn.”
Sport is the only human activity that can unite different religions, different races, different ideologies, different people.
Today, more than ever, this foundational condition for holding the Games—the condition of the Truce—may be the most important legacy of Olympism.
Because for the peoples of the world, and humanity as a whole, to have a future, hostilities among us must cease and peace must prevail.
And the first step is to say together: “let everyone set out for Olympia.”
Within the framework of the event, the Director of the International Olympic Truce Center, international relations expert Konstantinos Filis, said:
“We embraced this effort from the beginning. It is getting better and better. It is gaining greater acceptance—locally, nationally, and internationally!”
Mr. Filis added that initiatives such as the Trail of the Truce support the goal of the Olympic Truce.
The global situation is becoming increasingly complex. There are conditions of interdependence in the global village which show that we are moving toward a new world. We are called to adapt to a terra incognita reality.
However, Mr. Filis acknowledged that in this new world we cannot impose a truce during the Olympic Games because there is no enforcement mechanism.
He referred, however, to initiatives such as those between North and South Korea—who marched together in the most recent Olympic Games—stating:
“We placed a small stone in the effort for peaceful coexistence.”
He added: “They may not have resolved all their differences, Trump and Kim Jong Un, but they sat at the same table to discuss,” and that the Winter Olympic Games offered the opportunity for the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) to sit at the table of talks.
Let us consider that if it were not for the time marker of the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, the joint South Korea–U.S. military exercises would likely not have been suspended, nor would dialogue between Seoul and Pyongyang have begun.
Art historian and curator of the visual arts exhibition “Ithi Kallidrome” – “Forward, Kallidrome!”, Annita Patsouraki, referred to the history of running events and, among other things, said:
The Federation of Olympia dedicates the 4th edition of the “Truce Run,” with the vision of reviving the route from Ilida to Olympia, focusing on the running disciplines.
The visual arts exhibition “Ithi Kallidrome!” – “Forward, Kallidrome!” draws inspiration from the cheers of the crowd and honors the sports of endurance, strength, and speed.
Works of painting, printmaking, sculpture, mosaic, and photography came together as an expression of collectivity. Coordinates of arts and ideas—images that evoke Greek identity while also expressing universality—become mediators between past and present.
Artistic creations were produced specifically and purposefully for the idea of the Truce and for the above disciplines, aiming to express admiration and glory for the strength of soul and body of our worthy athletes.
All participating artists convey a strong cultural message, reinforcing feelings of awe, moral obligation toward our historical past, and the safeguarding of our cultural wealth, reaffirming the Olympic Hymn through the verses of Kostis Palamas:
“Immortal ancient spirit, pure father of the beautiful,
of the great and the true, …
Here in your temple every nation runs to worship you,
Immortal ancient spirit, every people.”
Dr. of Philosophy Fotis Christou recited and analyzed Pindar’s 12th Olympian Ode. Among other things, he said:
“The farthest step of knowledge is emotion, achieved through speech. The classics imply this through the shared root of ‘φημί’ (I say) and ‘φως’ (light), and they express it once and for all in Plato’s ‘Phaedrus’…
Thus, as a timeless correspondent of love, he signifies that the culmination of this miracle is owed to speech and to communication…
Speech as light absolutely transcends time and opens the world to us in full brightness.”
The representative of the Mayor of Ilida, Spiros Tzouleksis (one of the three cities of antiquity that had signed the Truce), in his greeting emphasized that “through the trail and the run held on it, the real and essential meaning of the Truce is conveyed, contributing to the connection of the institution with the modern world.”
The Vice President of the Municipal Council of Ancient Olympia, Anna Papaioannou Georgakopoulou, conveyed the greeting of the Mayor of Olympia, Euthymios Kotzas, and noted:
“The trail became an avenue of Peace. If we join the hands of all who walk it, even the enormous embrace formed would not be enough—it would surpass our earth.”
As Ms. Papaioannou said, “The Municipality of Ancient Olympia, recognizing the need to promote the ideals of Freedom, Democracy, solidarity, etc., and to pass them on to the Youth, cooperates closely with the Federation of Olympia in a series of athletic and cultural events aiming to spread the values of Olympism for a better world.”
The Supreme Council for Sports of the Armed Forces (ASAEF) supports the Truce Run in the warmest way. The Director of ASAEF and holder of the Greek Marathon Record, Spiros Andriopoulos, spoke about the massive participation of modern athletes from the Armed Forces and the important purpose of the event: to safeguard the fundamental principles of Olympism.
The event was also greeted by the A’ Vice President of the War Museum, Brigadier General Panagiotis Georgopoulos, in whose premises the visual arts exhibition and the conference were hosted.
Conference moderator was the journalist of Kathimerini, Spyridoula Irida Spanea. During the event, actor Panos Stathakopoulos, originating from the area of Ancient Ilida, recited the poem “Light of Olympia” by Takis Doxas.
The Deputy Director of the International Olympic Truce Center, Dora Palli, was also honored for her contribution to the implementation of the program “I Respect Diversity,” in cooperation with the Federation of Olympia in schools of Ilia and Athens.
Attendees included: Member of Parliament Sofia Voultepsi, Deputy Regional Governor of Western Greece Panos Bramos, former MP G. Kontogiannis, Head of the Equality Office of the Union of Greek Regions, Valia Athanasopoulou (Head of the Equality Office of KED E), Aphrodite Bleta (President of the Greek-Chinese Center for Entrepreneurship and Vice President of the International Board of the European Women’s Union, and candidate MEP), as well as representatives of sports clubs, the Armed Forces and ASAEF, representatives of the Chiefs of HNDGS, HAGS, HAFGS, and the Hellenic Police.
Also present were Olympians: Stelios Mygiakis, Petros Galaktopoulos, Charis Papadias, Pigi Devetzi, Mirela Maniani, Michalis Mouroutsos, Charis Papaioannou, Nery Niangouara, Vasso Angelopoulou, Georgia Lara, Antigoni Roumpesi, Dimosthenis Tambakos, Maria Karagiannopoulou, and World Champions Maria Karpathaki and Konstantinos Tsigkaras.
A visual arts exhibition operated in the Museum foyer, titled “Ithi Kallidrome!” – “Forward, Kallidrome!”, featuring works by well-known artists:
Angelos, Paschalis Angelidis, Adrianos, K. Varotsos, Mina Valyraki Papapatheodorou, Erietta Vordoni, G. Vorres, Sp. Georgas, V. Gkizas, Olga Gouladrí, Dim. Davvetas, Eva Divari, K. Evangelatos, P. Zouboulakis, Evita Kanellou Doufexi, Kelly, Magda Kourkoulou, Angelika Korovessi, M. Ktistopoulou, Ap. Lavdas, Kyr. Lazaridis, M. Minaritzoglou, Stella Mimicou, D. Miliotis, Evag. Mitsou, Vag. Moustakas, Nadia Barakou, Alex. Palaska, Angelos Panagiotidis, Arist. Patsoglou, G. Roussis, P. Siagkris, K. Spyr(i)ounis, G. Stathopoulos, Dim. Talaganis, Prax. Tzanoulinos, G. Tourkovasilis, D. Christogiannis and Stavros Potouridis, with a collection of memorabilia.
On May 4–5, 2019, the fourth “Truce Run” will be held in Ilia. It is organized by the Federation of Olympia in cooperation with the Region of Western Greece, the Municipalities of Ilida, Pyrgos and Ancient Olympia, with the International Olympic Truce Center as a cooperating support body.
It is held under the auspices of the Ministries of National Defence and Tourism, of CISM, NATO, the Hellenic Olympic Committee, ETHNOA, the Hellenic Olympians Association, and Kallipateira; with Institutional Supporters the Municipality of Sparta, WISH-HELLAS, the Hellenic Association for Atlantic and European Cooperation; technical support body ASAEF and the War Museum; and media sponsors the Panhellenic Sports Press Association (PSAT), ERT, Welovesports.gr, apopseis.gr, OVI magazine, RunningNews.gr, greekteachers, and all media of Ilia.
On Saturday, May 4, the opening ceremony will take place in Ancient Ilida. The start will be given on Sunday, May 5, at 5:45 a.m. from Ancient Ilida (organizing city of the ancient Olympic Games), and the finish will be in Ancient Olympia (venue of the Games) at approximately 4:30 p.m. About 600 runners have already registered.
The run is non-competitive and all who successfully complete the entire route of 49.8 km will receive unique numbered medals.
Because what matters is not only the route—just as the Truce is a path toward Peace—but also its completion.
On Saturday, May 4, 2019, an event and the Opening Ceremony of the Truce Run will take place in Ancient Ilida. The event will close with a concert by the music group Passepartout.
Supporters of “Truce Run 2019” are: OPAP, AVANCE car rental, Fargeco Hellas, EL GRECO Stefanos Plafountzis, Loux, PIK Kininis, Kalomoiris, Papatheodorou Greek pistachio, Union of Cooperatives of Ilia Olympia, BIOILIS, PAPADOPOULOU biscuits, MERKOURI Estate, ARISTOGEITON insurance, and the Federation of Commercial Associations of Ilia.
