2004 Games: Event dedicated to Olympic Truce held at Zappion
The Olympic Truce Paviliion was inaugurated on Saturday at a special event held at Zappion Hall in the presence of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, IOC President Jacques Rogge, and numerous heads of state, IOC members and veteran athletes. Speaking of efforts to revive the ancient Greek ideal, Karamanlis expressed his support and emphasised the significance of the concept of the Olympic Truce in today's world. Both Rogge and George Papandreou, President of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and Vice President of the Olympic Truce Foundation spoke of the significance of the symbolism of the Olympic Truce. Olympic champion Sergey Bubka from Belarus, speaking on behalf of all Olympians, stressed the importance of athletes' contribution "as the ambassadors of the Truce." UN Secretary General Kofi Annan participated via a videotaped message. Among those attending Saturday's event were: President of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos, Queen of Spain Sofia, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, Prince of Monaco Albert, Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano and many other officials. All attendees signed the Declaration of the Olympic Truce as well as a cardboard wall, which at the end of the Athens Games will be given to Beijing, the host of the 2008 Olympic Games.