On June 23, the modern Olympic Games became a reality, with Athens being the first world capital to host them two years later, thanks to the initiative of Dimitrios Vikelas, the first President of the International Olympic Committee and a significant figure in Greek culture.  

130 years later, the Hellenic Cultural Foundation in Paris, in collaboration with the Neohellenic Institute of the Sorbonne, held a major event on Monday, June 17, 2024, at the Richelieu Amphitheater of the historic French university to commemorate the revival of the Olympic Games. The event was organized by author Giorgos Archimandrites, and featured several notable participants, including Olympic judo gold medalist Thierry Rey, special consultant for the organization of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris; Violaine Jeammet, Curator in the Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities at the Louvre and co-curator of the museum’s current exhibition on Olympism; and director Julie Gavras, who read excerpts from the correspondence between Dimitrios Vikelas and his friend Marquis de Queux de Saint-Hilaire, which extensively referenced Olympia and the Ancient Olympic Games.

This event, held under the auspices of the Municipality of Athens and supported by Autovision, underscored the strong cultural and scientific ties between Greece and France. France has always been a leading country in embracing the Greek spirit and is a key member of the universal Greek cultural heritage.

Highlights of the Event:

Thierry Rey: Olympic judo gold medalist read a text by Pierre de Coubertin about the first Athens Olympic Games in 1896.
Julie Gavras: Director Julie Gavras read texts by Dimitrios Vikelas about Olympia and the Ancient Olympic Games.
Violaine Jeammet: Curator of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman antiquities at the Louvre, participated along with other dignitaries in the discussions and readings.

The event celebrated the enduring legacy of the Olympic Games and the cultural exchange between Greece and France, emphasizing the historical and contemporary significance of these games in promoting global unity and cultural heritage.