Prime Minister Kyriakos Misotakis announced on Wednesday the appointment of Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki at the helm of the 'Greece 2021' Bicentenary Committee.
The former Athens 2004 Olympics President will now head the committee that will organise and oversee the events that will take place for the 200 years since the 1821 Greek War of Independence.
The Prime Ministers Office has clarified that Kyriakos Mitsotakis intends to declare 2021 as a national holiday year for Hellenism, in and beyond Greece.
During their meeting at Maximos Mansion, the PM and Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki discussed the goals of this milestone anniversary for Greeks, which "offers the country the opportunity to re-establish itself in the international community after a crisis of several years."
As the PM emphasised, "2021 will be a year when all Greeks will celebrate together, united, the 200 years of freedom of the Greek state, all of us proud of our past and confident of our future."
The events will take place nationwide, in the capitals of each region, in emblematic places of historical significance, as well as in major cities abroad, and will culminate in the summer of 2021 with events in the capital Athens.
It was also decided that the Hellenic Foundation for Culture will be the main actor of this initiative, in addition to the relevant ministries and distinguished personalities of the arts, culture and sciences.
"I thank the Prime Minister for the trust and the honor bestowed on me, to assign me the responsibility of such an important matter for the Greek people and Greece. We will do our best together," said Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki after meeting Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The appointment comes as no surprise given her successful tenure as President of the organising committee of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Daskalaki was also named one of the 50 most powerful women by Forbes magazine.
