With a brilliant event, Ioannina welcomed the Olympic Flame. The torch relay started from Dodonis Avenue to end at Mavili Square.
The last torchbearer was the athletics champion Nestoras Kolios who also lit the altar to the sounds of music and applauded by a crowd of people who had flooded the lakefront.
Earlier, leading athletes Pantelis Kitsios, Panagiota Manopoulou, Christos Tsiouris and Dimitris Chronis ran with the Olympic torch and the flame that carries the message of peace and noble sporting rivalry.
With the Flame alight and Lake Pamvotida in the background, speeches from the Municipal Authority, the Olympic Committee of the French Republic, and the Region of Epirus followed, as well as dance performances.
The mayor of Ioannina, Thomas Begas, welcomed the officials and emphasized, among other things, during his greeting: “This flame is the symbol of Olympism, an idea that was born in Greece and spread throughout the world, an idea that unites humanity in a celebration of sports, peace and solidarity. The flame we welcome today is a symbol of hope and light, a fire that flickers to remind us of the strength of the human spirit and the resilience we can show even in the most difficult of times. The Olympic Games represent much more than a set of sporting events. It is an event that unites people from different cultures, races and nationalities, promoting understanding and respect for each other. Through sports competitiveness, we can strengthen – peace and cooperation. As this flame passes through our land, let us pledge to keep it alive in our hearts. Ioannina has given birth to Olympians and we are very lucky that our athletes – fellow citizens have glorified the colors of our homeland, but also of their special homeland, Ioannina. So let’s take it upon ourselves to encourage sportsmanship, spirituality and solidarity in our community. Let us continue to join forces for a more peaceful, more just and more humane world. I invite you all to turn on the light of hope and solidarity and to wish you success at the Paris Olympic Games.”
On behalf of the Region of Epirus, the deputy governor, Vassilis Gorgolis, pointed out, among other things, the importance of the timeless message of peace conveyed by the Olympic Games, while he wished good success to the French organizers and the Greek athletes.
The consul of France in Thessaloniki, JeanLucLavaud, addressed a greeting, who emphasized that “the embassy of France and the organizing committee of the 2024 Olympic Games are here today, together with the Greek Olympic Committee to highlight the Olympic Ideal and the values of Olympism that make up our common cultural heritage, but also the bonds of friendship that unite France and Greece”.
Finally, on behalf of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, the chairman of the Torch Relay committee, Athanasios Vassiliadis, addressed a greeting, who noted that “we join our voices with the local communities and broadcast the message of the Olympic Flame: peace, love and fellowship of the peoples”.
The Olympic Flame will spend the night in Ioannina and in the morning it will arrive at the University of Ioannina, where a welcome ceremony will also be held there, to continue its journey to the city of Igoumenitsa.
