It’s not an ordinary way to celebrate the New Year, but that’s one of the elements that make it so unusually cool, having now conquered an audience of hundreds of people, which grows year by year. If you have already done it once, you know that we are talking about the first race of the year, the SNF RUN: FIRST RUN of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).
The match takes place as part of the festive events of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC). It starts at 00:04, just after the time change and spectacular fireworks show, and covers a 3km route around the decorated SNFCC.
This year’s SNF RUN: FIRST RUN race has an extra special symbolic character, as 2023 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Spyros Louis, the First Marathon Runner, at the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens. To mark this special anniversary, commemorative cups will be awarded to the first and first finishers of the New Year’s Race. The Silver Cup inspired and designed by Michel Breal and acquired by the SNF at a Christie’s auction is on permanent display at the SNFCC.
The illuminated fir trees and lighting installations in Stavros Niarchos Park, Jerome Kaluta’s concert with his Big Band, lots of music, treats, balloons for the children, the Ice Rink in Kanali – this time with synthetic ice, with zero energy consumption -, and many more surprises make up the New Year’s Eve scene at the SNFCC. And like every year, a big party in the Agora will await the runners on their return, this time with a DJ set by the Italian Beppe Loda!
To register for the race visit snf.org or press here.
SNF RUN: 2023 FIRST RUN is not competitive in nature. However, there will be official timing so that all runners know their performance in achieving the first goal of the year.
The competition is supervised by AMKE Renaissance & Progress and the Department of Sports Excellence | Sports Excellence of the First Orthopedic Surgery Clinic of the Medical School of the University of Athens.
Your participation – A symbolic gift to children
The SNF RUN: 2023 FIRST RUN has a charitable character again this year. With a minimum subscription of €5 (or more for those who wish), you can make a different gift and support two non-profit organizations that dedicate their work to children: the Little cancer and SVOURENIO KDAPAmeA Municipality of Kos.
Meet the organizations that will be strengthened by the match
CANCER
The Urban Non-Profit Company KARKINAKI was created by parents of children with cancer to fill the information gap that exists today in Greece regarding childhood and adolescent cancer and to practically support families facing the disease. KARKINAKI, among other things, strengthens the work of the scientific-medical community dealing with childhood and adolescent cancer, supports the organized operation of psychosocial support structures for children, adolescents and their families, and maintains the website www.karkinaki.gr first and only to date “portal” of information on childhood and adolescent cancer.
The amount raised from the SNF RUN: 2023 FIRST RUN race will support the implementation of social interaction activities for children and adolescents after the end of their treatment and psychoeducational programs for the whole family. The goal of the programs is the reintegration into everyday life and the acceptance of the need for long-term medical and psychosocial monitoring.
Svoureneio KDAPAmeA Municipality of Kos
The Svoureneio KDAPAmeA of the Municipality of Kos was founded in 2004 and today hosts people aged 6 to 45 with mental syndromes and motor disabilities. Its goal is the integration of people with disabilities into society, but also the familiarization of society with diversity. Through its action, Svoureneio tries to cultivate the skills of each of its students. In recent years, in collaboration with Primary School and other Special Education Centers, it implements, among other things, programs of adapted swimming and cycling, co-educational workshops of clay, soap making and candles, and informative days with the participation of special education scientists, doctors and social scientists.
The amount collected by SNF RUN: 2023 FIRST RUN will contribute to covering the operating costs of the above programs, as well as the visit of a group of students and teachers to a corresponding center in a European country with an advanced culture in the social treatment of disability.
*The match SNFRUN: 2023 FIRSTRUN will be conducted in accordance with the legislation in force at the time of the match and the instructions of the competent authorities, always with a view to protecting public health and the health of the participants as well as limiting the spread of COVID-19. The registered runners will be informed fully and in time about the rules of the race, any modification of the conditions of participation as well as the health protection measures that must be followed in the period before the start and during the race.
* The deposit of the money will be done electronically only (payment by credit or debit card) through the Urban Non-Profit Company “Rebirth & Progress”, which has the organizational supervision of the race. Then, the total amount collected will be divided and allocated equally as a donation to the non-profit organizations KARKINAKI and Svoureneio KDAPAmeA Municipality of Kos.
* The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is a charitable organization that makes donations to non-profit organizations. The SNF does not accept donations from individuals, companies or other organizations.
*The SNF RUN: FIRST RUN race takes place with an exclusive donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), which covers all the production costs of the race. The competition is supervised by AMKE Renaissance & Progress and the Department of Sports Excellence of the First Orthopedic Surgery Clinic of the School of Medicine of the University of Athens. The race is held in collaboration with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC).
About the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is one of the largest private philanthropic organizations in the world and makes donations to non-profit organizations in the fields of art and culture, education, health and sports, and social welfare. The SNF supports organizations and programs, worldwide, that are expected to bring tangible, long-term and positive results to society at large and demonstrate effective governance and good governance. The Foundation also supports programs that contribute to the cooperation of public and private sector entities, as effective means of supporting the common good.
Since 1996, the SNF has made available a total of more than $3.4 billion, through more than 5,200 donations to non-profit organizations, in more than 135 countries around the world.
Learn more at SNF.org.
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
