Press conference of the President of the Committee "Greece 2021" in Larissa
SPOTLIGHT

Press conference of the President of the Committee "Greece 2021" in Larissa

• Citizens and organizations co-create the program of projects for the anniversary of 2021 - 1733 is the number of proposals submitted to the Committee

• The Regions lead in the festivities - What is included in the 371 proposals of the Greek Municipalities

• The "Festivals of Cities" will take place on March 25 and June 20 and 21 of 2021

The President of the Committee Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki remarked on the impressive response of the Greek society to the Committee's "Greece 2021" invitation to co-design the program of projects for the 200th anniversary of the Revolution and the decisive contribution of the Municipalities of the entire country to this momentous effort. During the press conference, Mrs. Angelopoulos also announced the first central commemorative initiative endorsed by the Committee "Greece 2021" involving Municipalities all through the country, the "Festivals of Cities". The press conference was held in Larissa to emphasize the leading role that the Greek Regions will have in celebrating the Revolution's bicentennial. A Committee delegation toured the capital of Thessaly this morning (September 17).

 "I am convinced that with our unanimous collaboration, we will succeed. The Greek people, united, proud of our history and confident in our future, will honor our landmark national anniversary in the way it deserves," said Mrs. Angelopoulos. She added that, at this point, the 200th anniversary of the Revolution reveals the existence of a movement of modern patriotism: "During our discussions regarding 1821 and the course of Greece over the 200 years, the people we meet with, insist on the fact that the values articulated by the Revolution, freedom, bravery, heroism, endurance, they all exist today. Indeed, this is exactly what we are witnessing in dealing with the pandemic crisis and recent developments in the Greek-Turkish relationships."

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The bet of participation has been won

In particular, Mrs. Angelopoulos referred to the Committee's two fundamental strategic choices which yielded results. The first was the decision not to design the national anniversary program centrally but to create it with the broadest possible participation through the submission of proposals to the Committee's open platform. "This bet has been won. Participation is touching. A total of 1733 proposals have been submitted to the Committee's platform by municipal organizations, associations, businesses, organizations of the Greek diaspora, private citizens, and others," said the President of the Committee.

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The pulse of the anniversary in every Greek corner

The second decision was for the anniversary's pulse to throb in every Greek corner and not only in Athens, since the Revolution itself started in the Greek communities, as the President pointed out. The contribution of the Municipalities and the Regions was paramount in this decision. As the President of the Committee said, 118 Municipalities representing 45 of the country's 51 prefectures submitted a total of 371 proposals, and it is particularly noteworthy that Municipalities from all 13 Regions of the country have submitted proposals.

In detail, the geographical distribution of the proposals is as follows: Eastern Macedonia and Thrace: 10 proposals from 6 Municipalities, Central Macedonia: 38 proposals from 12 Municipalities, Western Macedonia: 20 proposals from 3 Municipalities, Ionian Islands: 25 proposals from 4 Municipalities, Epirus: 34 proposals from 11 Municipalities, Thessaly: 19 proposals from 9 Municipalities, Central Greece: 12 proposals from 8 Municipalities, Western Greece: 21 proposals from 7 Municipalities, Attica: 32 proposals from 17 Municipalities, Peloponnese: 52 proposals from 14 Municipalities, South Aegean: 32 proposals from 10 Municipalities, North Aegean: 9 proposals from 5 Municipalities, Crete: 41 proposals from 11 Municipalities.

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The content of the proposals of the Municipalities

Regarding the content of these proposals, the President of the Committee presented information that shows the emphasis placed on projects that combine the past with the future, intending to leave a developmental imprint on local communities. She said: "Out of a total of 371 proposals, some 221, 60%, concern projects with developmental characteristics. They involve infrastructure and innovation projects with a "next day" legacy. The 150, that is, 40%, involve projects or celebrations with a historical imprint, actions that honor the National Rebirth, our historical course and the protagonists of the 200 years".

In more detail, the data on the classification of proposals are as follows: 145 proposals concern Conferences - Workshops - Exhibitions - Events - Monuments relevant to the Revolution, 73 proposals concern projects that combine History - Culture - Tourism – Athletic activities with Development, 58 proposals concern digitization and new technologies, 46 proposals concern Conferences - Workshops - Exhibitions also of a growth-related nature, 27 proposals concern energy and environmental issues , and as well as Sustainable Urban Mobility, 8 proposals involve the creation of local infrastructure, 5 proposals concern projects which celebrate important historical figures, 5 proposals concern the strengthening of entrepreneurship, 4 proposals concern actions to strengthen social consensus.

Regarding the financing of the proposals, the President of the Committee mentioned that 28 of these proposals are self-financed, while for the rest, funding resources are solicited, and when they are secured, the Committee will make detailed announcements.

 

"Festivals of Cities": The Committee's "Greece 2021" first central initiative

The President of the Committee "Greece 2021" also announced a central initiative that the Committee will pursue. It is the "Festivals of Cities," which will develop in two phases. "On March 25, 2021, anniversary events will be organized and endorsed by us in Municipalities with a large historical imprint. The Committee will select areas with a substantial historical symbolism, discuss the details with local organizations, and support their anniversary activities. While on the 20th and 21st of June, World Music Day, celebrations will be organized simultaneously and using a uniform context in all the capitals of the Prefectures of the country," said Mrs. Angelopoulos, emphasizing that this decision reflects the Committee's willingness to hold events in every Greek corner.

 

Visit to Larissa by a delegation of the Committee "Greece 2021"

During the visit to Larissa, the Committee’s "Greece 2021" delegation had an extremely productive discussion with local representatives about the 19 proposals for commemorative projects submitted by the Municipalities of Thessaly. Once again, the interest and desire for active participation by the region's citizens were touching, while it is worth mentioning that the 19 proposals originate from 9 Municipalities and are all very interesting. Representatives of the local authorities, as well as Larissa MP Anna Vagena-Kilaidoni participated in the discussion. The Committee delegation, consisting of the President and the Member of the Assembly, Professor Despoina Mouzaki, also met with the Regional Governor of Thessaly Costas Agorastos and the Mayor of Larissa Apostolos Kalogiannis. "The Committee's "Greece 2021" endeavor is intricate but mighty. Through it, Greece can prove that it has vision and orientation toward the future, awareness of its history and past. It is up to us to prove that we commit, and in difficult times, adapt and succeed," said Regional Governor Mr. Agorastos.

 Larissa, a city with a significant and long-lasting history, which is reflected in the important monuments and museums of the city, has continuously been the administrative and financial center of Thessaly. Larissa's crucial bet is to become an even more powerful regional pole of development, on the path to the new era prompted by the bicentennial, said Mayor Kalogiannis and added: "The vigor of the region and the people, the rich cultural and creative activity and our strong will to contribute to the success of your project, is our real commitment to a close and constructive collaboration with the Committee "Greece 2021". For her part, the President of the Committee stated: "We respect our history, honor our ancestors, heroes and common people who played a role in the 200 years of modern Greece. They are examples of Greece's heroism, bravery, and resilience. But we're not merely looking at the past. We are also preparing for tomorrow through projects that bid to leave a mark on the future."