For the first time, celebrations for Olympic Day were held in three different cities in Greece, Athens, Thessaloniki and Ancient Olympia. Thousands of people, men and women, young and older, participated in the celebrations, inviting people to include sport in everyday life. Participation surpassed all expectations in 11 actions organized by the Hellenic Olympic Committee, the Hellenic Olympic Academy and various foundations in 10 different regions.

Within the framework of these actions, a message for the Olympic Day from the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach was projected, and commemorative hats as well as commemorative diplomas were given out to the people who participated in the celebrations.

Participants showed great enthusiasm for various celebrations organized in Ancient Olympia by the municipality of Olympia. The celebrations were held in the presence of the HOC Secretary General Manolis Kolympadis and the members of the HOC Fani Petralia and Giorgos Alikakos.

Participation at the COSMOGYM Festival & Contest, held at the Peristeri Indoor Hall on the day of the celebration of the Olympic Day, was also numerous. The Festival was held in the presence of the HOC member and President of the Hellenic Gymnastics Federation Thanassis Vassileiadis, with the participation of 1’100 athletes. President Capralos’s message was heard and the video message of the IOC President Thomas Bach was projected.

In Athens the SNF Run saw the highest participation. It was organized by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, under the auspices of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, and over 5’000 runners started from the Panathenaic Stadium and finished at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC). The Kids’ Athletics program was also held at the SNFCC, where children were taught by Olympic medallists and great champions.

Thessaloniki was the third city where the Olympic Day was celebrated, with a Kids Olympics sport programme. Kids Olympics, a simulation of Olympic sports, was held at the Olympic Museum of the city. In addition, the children of the Summer Camp “5 Rings” celebrated the Olympic day at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, under the guidance of the Olympic champions Nikos Syranidis, Niki Bakoyannis and Olga Vasdeki, in the presence of HOC member Yiannis Karras.

Approximately 100 children from 8 to 18 years old from the “Club of sportsmen of Nea Ionia” participated in activities in the mountains and at the sea (climbing, mountaineering, swimming at sea and beach handball) in the region of Schinias and Parnitha. Finally, 52 pupils from the Summer Camp of the private school “Ekpedeftiki Anagennisi” experienced the sport of sailing as they visited the Kalamaki Naval Club with their physical education teachers. They got into different types of boats and got a first taste of this unique Olympic sport.