The Gold Medal of Value of the City of Athens was awarded -after a decision taken by a large majority of the Municipal Council of the city- the Mayor of Athens, Costas Bakogiannis to the King of the Belgians, Philip, as a sign of honor and friendship to himself and the people of Belgium .
During the official ceremony that took place in the afternoon at the City Hall, Mr. Bakoyannis welcomed the King, emphasizing that his presence in Athens is the culmination of the excellent relationship between Greece and Belgium. «We welcome you today to the city where the respect for the human condition, Democracy, was born and sculpted. Athens may be an idea city, a symbol city, but today, Brussels is the laboratory of European integration that we so desire. The heart of the European family is beating in Brussels today“, Said Mr. Bakoyannis.
The Mayor of Athens underlined that “European institutions today strive to serve the realization of the idea of ​​a Europe that draws strength through the unity of its members and the defense of the values ​​of peace, freedom, prosperity and equality, emphasizing the enormous importance of this effort intensifies today an unjust and inhuman war that broke out on our continent».
He noted that this war makes it clear once again that we need more Europe, not less. He stressed that the great bet of our generation is the deepening of European integration with further economic, political and defense integration. “We have to build the United States of Europe, because otherwise we will be crushed in the millstones of the world superpowers,” he said, adding: “Europe can not survive as a giant with clay feet.”
Mr. BakoyannisHe also spoke about the important support that the Greek community has received in Belgium, from the first post-war period until today. “Thanks to the favorable climate that he found and that continues to surround it there, he has been able to make great economic and social progress in recent decades, of which we are proud,” he said.
He referred to the actions that King Philip has undertaken in all areas and especially in promoting sustainable development. “With the insight that characterizes you, you have been an advocate of sustainable development, highlighting the importance of investing in a sustainable future of humanity, a principle that we in the Municipality of Athens respect and serve uninterruptedly with the climate crisis at the heart of every decision we make. “small or large”, he stressed.
King Philip was accompanied to the town hall by a large delegation of Belgian officialsincluding the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Public Administration, Petra De Sutter, the Prime Minister of Wallonia, Elio Di Rupo, the Prime Minister of the Brussels-Capital Region, Rudi Vervoort, the Prime Minister, The Head of Government of the French Community, Pierre-Yves Jeholet, the Head of Government of the German-speaking Community, Oliver Passch.
From the Greek side, the President of the Municipal Council, Eleftherios Skiadas, the Greek Ambassador in Brussels, Dionysis Kalambrezos, the diplomatic advisor of the Mayor, Ambassador e.t. Tassos Kriekoukis, the deputy mayors Katerina Gagaki, Manolis Kalampokas, Sakis Kollatos, Anna Rokofyllou, as well as the heads of the Municipality of Athens, Melina Daskalaki and Popi Domazou.
After the official ceremony, the Mayor of Athens had a working meeting with Rudi Vervoort, Prime Minister of the Brussels-Capital Region. The meeting discussed the prospects of cooperation between the two cities on issues related to digital transformation, innovation and the use of technology for the benefit of the city, as well as tourism, actions on immigration and social policy.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a vast amount of experience in covering health news. I am also an author at News Bulletin 247. I am highly experienced and knowledgeable in this field. I am a hard worker and always deliver quality work. I am a reliable source of information and always provide accurate information.
