A special ceremony at the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights marked the end of a tour carried out by Tim Shriver as part of the “Polis Amphitryon” (Host Town) program of Special Olympics World Summer Games Athens 2011. Dr. Shriver, the Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics International (SOI) and Joanna Despotopoulou, President of the Organizing Committee of Special Olympics in Athens, started out in Alexandroupoli, went on to Kavala and from there traveled to Rhodes, where they completed a tour filled with messages of humanity and solidarity.

The protagonists of the tour were Special Olympics athletes and their families, who, in each city, offered an enthusiastic welcome to Mr. Shriver and Mrs. Despotopoulou. In a speech he gave at the Alexandroupoli Lighthouse, facing the statue of the struggling woman, the Chairman of SOI suggested that another statue be made which will immortalize Greek mothers and their daily struggle to raise children with intellectual disabilities. The Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Yorgos Nikitiadis, was also present at the Special Olympics event that took place yesterday on the island of Rhodes.

It all began in the northern city of Alexandroupoli last Wednesday. The representative of the Greek Government, Yorgos Dolios, Deputy Minister of the Interior; Nikos Zambounidis, Prefect of Evros; and the mayors of towns participating in the Host Town program, Yorgos Alexandris (Alexandroupoli) and Yorgos Ustoglou (Ferres), all spoke in glowing terms about this initiative. This was followed by a presentation of works made by the children attending Alexandroupoli’s special education schools, who then sang about love and “sport that brings our hearts together.” Also attending were Metropolitan Bishop of Alexandroupoli, Traianoupoli and Samothraki Anthimos, and two track and field Olympic gold-medal winners, Pigi Devetzi and Katerina Thanou. The ceremony at the Lighthouse ended with a surprise: Tim Shriver gave the city something that will not fade with time – the imprint of his palm on an artwork made of copper.

The next stop, on Thursday morning, was the town of Kavala. Local officials organized a special ceremony in Eleftheria Square, in front of the Town Hall. Metropolitan Bishop of Philippi, Neapoli and Thasos Prokopios spoke of the “sensitization of local communities towards groups of people that face problems”. The Mayor of Kavala, Costas Simtsis, said that “…the struggle to protect these people, who have the same rights as us, is a struggle to save ourselves.” The ceremony came to a close with Tim Shriver and Joanna Despotopoulou being named Honorary Citizens of Kavala.

In the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights, on the island of Rhodes, the atmosphere on Thursday afternoon was imposing. Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Yorgos Nikitiadis received the highest distinction offered by Special Olympics. Joanna Despotopoulou presented him with a special medal, saying: “To bring you closer to our efforts.” To which Mr. Nikitiadis replied: “But I am always at your side!” The Deputy Minister also spoke of the Games and the participation of Rhodes in the Host Town program: “Even under these difficult conditions, Greece is honoring its international obligations. And especially in the case of an institution such as Special Olympics that promotes humanism. I am proud that my home town and my fellow Rhodians are pioneers of the Host Town program. Private initiative is doing all it can to help us uphold our international obligations. And that is especially important at this moment time.”

In his address, Tim Shriver said: “I’m pleased and excited to have been in these towns, because I saw people all around me who have decided to support the Special Olympics movement. We want these towns to welcome people with intellectual disabilities not just for four days, but on a daily basis. What we want is a change in mentality.”

Moreover, Mrs. Despotopoulou pointed out that: “Our aim is to bring to center stage those who are now backstage. Such as the children’s mothers, who are not asking for pity but merely to give their children a life of dignity. It has been proven that sport is the best way for these children to become assimilated into society and the job market. A suitable environment must be created which will respect the fact that we are all different.”

At each one of the tour’s stops, the Organizing Committee of Special Olympics in Athens 2011 presented honorary parchments to the representatives of the hotels that will be taking part in the Host Town program by offering free room and board. Indeed, the response has been overwhelming, with 90% of accommodation needs already covered. This involves putting up 7,500 athletes and 2,500 coaches and escorts in various towns across Greece for four days before the opening of the Games, in June 2011.