Four wreaths of gilded olive branches, with which the first 4 winners (women, men and women, men in wheelchairs) of the 126th Boston Marathon will be crowned next Monday, were handed over to the city Athletic Association (Boston Athletic Association) by the Mayor Athina , Costas Bakoyannis, during the official opening ceremony of the Marathon on Friday in the central Copley Square of Boston, in the presence of the Mayor of Boston and the US Secretary of Labor.
The institution of the delivery of Greek wreaths, which has been taking place for about four decades in Boston, was established by the Consulate General of Greece in Boston, in collaboration with the expatriate organization Alpha Omega.
Wreaths of olive branches are prepared in Greece and travel every year to Boston, connecting the Boston Marathon with its Greek roots. At the same time, through the ceremony, Athens – like the whole of Greece – is projected in a dynamic way in the tourist market of the United States, especially at a time when America will be connected to Athens with more direct flights than ever before.
It is indicative that from Boston, from this summer, there will be a direct air connection with Athens, after 25 years, giving the opportunity to thousands of Americans to visit the Greek capital. At yesterday’s opening ceremony of the Marathon, Mr. Bakoyannis stressed the importance of Athens’ participation in this event, and at the same time the great honor for him, while seizing the opportunity, he invited all those present to “visit the city of Athens” to discover, as he said, “the beauty of the Greek landscape.”
Referring to the symbolism of this tradition, during his speech in Copley Square, the Mayor of Athens stressed: “I have the honor to represent the birthplace of the Republic, the first modern Olympic Games and the first Marathon. “These wreaths symbolize the principles of democracy and peace.”
The Mayor of Athens thanked the Consulate General of Greece and the Alpha Omega Commission who, as he said, “honor these ties, reconnecting the Boston Marathon with its ancient Greek roots, paying tribute to the heritage of Greece and confirming its historians.” Athens with Boston “.
The event was attended by, among others, the Consul General of Greece Mr. Stratos Efthymiou, the leadership of the Boston Sports Federation, as well as the President of the expatriate organization Alpha Omega, Costas Sideridis.
The Boston Marathon, to be held on Monday, April 18, is considered one of the most important international sporting events, with about 30,000 registered athletes and nearly half a million spectators from all over the world. It takes place every year, from 1897 until today and emphasizes the common cultural ties of the American city with Greece, as Boston, as a cultural and academic center of the United States, is also known as “the Athens of America”.
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