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ATHENS 2004 President's speech at the Closing Ceremony

EMBARGO 21:00

Speech of ATHENS 2004 President
Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki

Closing Ceremony, Games of the XXVIII Olympiad
Athens, 29 August 2004

Καλησπέρα σας!
Good evening,

The Olympics came home, and we’ve shown the world the great things Greeks can do!

After a journey lasting more than seven years, I want to thank the Olympic Family and my family, Presidents Rogge and Samaranch, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and ex-Prime Minister Costas Simitis, the people of ATHENS 2004, our wonderful volunteers and the millions of Greeks who made this homecoming dream a magical reality.

What a remarkable 17 days!

When the world saw our spectacular sport venues… our excellent and flawless operations… all these modern accomplishments on this most historic stage… the world discovered a New Greece.

These Games broke records.

Most athletes in history. Most women in history. Most national teams in history. First global torch relay. First women to compete in Olympia. Safe and secure Games, blessed by a climate of celebration and joy.

Athens was great for the athletes; Greece was great for the Games.

I ask our foreign guests: did you enjoy yourselves in Greece?

We loved having you here. You wave your national flags. You stood for every anthem. You danced to our music. We even heard you speak your first words of Greek.

To you, we say, thank you. Ευχαριστούμε.

Let us all thank the athletes – you came here as competitors, you performed here as Olympians and you leave here as our friends.

When you soared in every contest, with passion and precision, you made our hearts pound with joy.

When you cried on the medal stand, we cried with you.

Because of you, the Olympic Games are the most powerful source of inspiration and hope to humanity.

Athletes of the world – thank you.

Athletes of Greece - we thank you for the magical moments you gave us.

Congratulations!

There is one more gold medal to award tonight.

This gold medal belongs to all Greeks.

Because for 17 days we all represented Greece,
on the track, the pool and the sea,
at the venue gates and the Olympic Lanes,
on the courts and on the mats,
in the stands,
in Thissio, Plaka and in Thessaloniki, Patra, Volos and Heraklion,
on the springboard and on the rings,
in the Press Centres and the Olympic Village.

Together we told a beautiful story that reconnected the Olympic Movement with its history and introduced a new Greece to the world.

A Greece – that like our amazing athletes – knows how to win.

Tonight, as the lights go out in the stadiums, lets keep the Flame of creation, effort and victory burning in our hearts and souls.

Dear friends,

Look at this stadium, look around you, and savor this moment.

Yes, we will put out the flame tonight, but when the cauldron is lit in Beijing, it will burn brighter and stronger because of the Athens Olympic Games.

Thank you, we hope to see you again!
Καλή αντάμωση!

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