In the framework of the CultMark Operation, the Mayor of Nea Ionia, Lead Partner Authority of the Project invited the Mayors and Senior Elected Representatives of each CultMark partner area to Nea Ionia, to celebrate the opening of the Olympic Games 2004 in Nea Ionia (preliminary men’s and women’s football tournament). The following dignitaries accepted the Mayor’s invitation:
• Mr. John Boughton, Sheriff of Chester, accompanied by his wife Mrs Eleanor Boughton, and by Mr. Mike Dix, Distinctiveness and Place Marketing Manager of Chester City Council
• Mr. Timo Sakkinen, Kainuu Regional Council Executive Director, Finland
• Mr. Errki Vahamaa, Mayor of Kajaani, Finland
The guests arrived on Monday 9th August 2004 and were welcomed to Nea Ionia in a reception meeting at Metaxourgio (Silk Museum). Mr. Georgios Tamias, the President of DEMKA (Municipal Enterprise of Nea Ionia, Lead Partner Organisation) welcomed the guests and expressed his appreciation for the dignitaries’ visit. The Project Coordinator, Mr. Manos Vougioukas, explained how the idea for this event was conceived for the strengthening of the CultMark Partnership at the political level. The Finnish partners then thanked for the invitation and said presented their country, region and local identity and stressed the importance of the Olympic Games. The guests from Chester also thanked for the invitation and stressed the fact that they have cooperated with the Magnesia partners in the past and they are very pleased by the level of cooperation and the achievements. Dr. Alexios Defner, the Scientific Coordinator (University of Thessaly) then outlined the innovative elements of the CultMark Operation and the work of the Scientific Team which he leads.
After the reception meeting, the visitors attended a Greek Music Concert with Estudiantina, a local orchestra supported by the Municipality of Nea Ionia, and top Greek popular singers George Ntalaras and Glikeria, as quested of the Nea Ionia Mayor. They were fascinated by the music and the songs, even though they could not understand the Greek words, music being an international language. After the concert there was dinner hosted by DEMKA in Metaxourgeio.
On Tuesday 10th of August the dignitaries visited the Town Hall of Nea Ionia in the morning and had a discussion and exchange of views with the Mayor of Nea Ionia, Mr Stefanos Fouskis. Then they visited the CultMark Olympic Visitor Information Centre where they were able to obtain leaflets, books and CDs for Nea Ionia and the wider area of Magnesia and also visited the area of the old houses of the refugees from Asia Minor in the 1920’s (“Prosfygika”). They had lunch at a local “tsipouradiko” (traditional cuisine, a local identity feature which is an action within CultMark) in Nea Ionia. In the evening there was a dinner hosted by the Management and Coordination Unit of CultMark, at Portaria Village.
On Wednesday 11th of August there was a Press Conference at Metaxourgeio (Silk Museum), where the Senior Elected Representatives of the CultMark partners signed a Partnership Accord in the frame of CultMark Operation. Afterwards they visited the Archaeological Museum of Volos, where they had the opportunity to see some great findings from the ancient era. In the afternoon they participated in a ceremony at the Nea Ionia Municipal Council to mark the historic day of the start of the Olympic Games, in the presence of Ministers, local Members of Parliament, other Mayors and then went to Panthessaliko Stadium to watch the Olympic Games opening football match. In the evening they had dinner at Metaxourgeio and exchanged gifts with the Mayor of Nea Ionia and the President of DEMKA.
The delegations departed on Thursday 12th of August, pleased by their productive visit and by the hospitality of the Greek partners.
The Partnership Accord will be also co-signed by the Mayor of Rostock and the President of the Pafos Chamber of Commerce and Industry who were not able to attend on this occasion, but had expressed their agreement with the Accord.
Signed Partnership Accord
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