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Address
by Mr Antonios TZIKAS (GRE)
Every year, eminent visionaries and admirers of the Olympic Idea gather together
on the hill of Pnyx to praise the eternally standing principles of Olympism that
have in the past, continue to and will in future shed their light upon mankind, leading
him towards a world of sacrifice, offering, communication, towards more
prosperous societies.
However, in this beautiful Attic dusk with its unique grandeur and symbolism,
we hold the first meeting on the Pnyx of the second centennial of the modern
Olympic Games.
It is by divine fate that we have been vouchsafed the great honour and happiness
to be the ones to savour the juices and the flavour of this evening. One hundred
years have gone by during which Coubertin, Vikelas, distinguished personalities
of Olympism and the current President have established the Olympic Games
as the most outstanding cultural and social event.
Mankind in its entirety has been bound together in its very existence. Humanity
places in the light, in the messages emanating from Olympism its hopes for
the new man who will burn with the passion of a creative existence, of a partaking
in a serene world, a world of coexistence, solidarity, respect.
Throughout the world in conferences, meetings, sessions, all the participants
agree with unreserved enthusiasm that the Olympic philosophy with its universal
messages can create the beautiful and virtuous man, the new man whom we,
through all this agony, seek. Thousands of books have been written in countries
throughout the entire world, periodicals are published and both writers and readers
converge on the point that the colours, the divine and profound inspiration
of Olympism are a source of hope.
Therefore, since nobody dissents with this point of view, why not attempt a
more practical, a more concrete and effective approach?
The HOC put forth its vision on the occasion of the celebration of the centennial
at the Athens marble stadium: that the second centennial should be dedicated
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