Thessaloniki is a strong contender for the title of European City of Sport 2024 according to the representatives of ACES Europe who visited the city and received the nomination file. “Another important success is coming for our city, for the Municipality of Thessaloniki”, said the Mayor of Thessaloniki Konstantinos Zervas at the joint press conference organized for the presentation of the candidacy in the presence of the Deputy Mayor of Sports, Youth and Sport Nikos Zeibekis, the Head of the Department of Youth and Sport, Thomais Tsourlou and the President of ACES Europe Gian Francesco Lupattelli.

“It will be a victory for our city, it will be a victory for the sports people of our whole country. This distinction will open new roads for Thessaloniki, new horizons. Not only to talk about the city’s glorious sporting past, but also about its present and future”, Mr Zervas said.

“By claiming the title of European City of Sport 2024, Thessaloniki aims to take significant steps in educating citizens, younger and older, to adopt a sporty lifestyle. To increase inclusion, to enable creative employment for young people, to strengthen local sports clubs and to upgrade its existing infrastructure,” Mr. Zeibekis stressed.

“The dossier provided by the Mayor and his colleagues contains very useful information, it was an excellent job and we will be very happy to work together. We believe that Thessaloniki has all the qualifications to win the title but we will know that on September 1”, said Mr. Lupattelli. As he stressed, the title of European City of Sport will attract many more tourists to come to Thessaloniki to watch sporting events and participate in sporting activities and will further strengthen the city’s networking.

The Head of the Directorate of Youth and Sports, Thomai Tsourlou, presented the dossier of Thessaloniki’s candidacy which includes the objectives and priorities of Thessaloniki as a European City of Sport, the existing infrastructure and the programme of proposed sporting events to be included in the organisation.

Mr Lupatteli, as representative of the Mayor of Genoa, received a letter from the Mayor of Thessaloniki to his counterpart. “Mr. Lupattelli comes from a city that has many similarities with Thessaloniki, common characteristics and common challenges and through him we also send a letter to the Mayor there to explore possibilities of cooperation because we do not miss the opportunity for our international contacts”, said the Mayor of Thessaloniki.

The Mayor of Thessaloniki on the wildfires

The presentation of the nomination was made under the weight of the tragedy in the multiple fire fronts as the ACES representatives were already in Thessaloniki and it was impossible to postpone. “This is an extremely difficult time for our country. Unfortunately we are today mourning victims of fires and we are facing a huge environmental disaster and as we speak many are fighting on many fronts. Our thoughts and hearts go out to the families of the victims, to those who are being tested and to those who are fighting this battle on the front line,” said the Mayor of Thessaloniki, Konstantinos Zervas.