The International Olympic Academy (IOA) at Ancient Olympia will become the centre of attention of the sports world on Tuesday afternoon, when it hosts the ceremony launching the 144th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
This IOC session is scheduled to hold elections to select the 10th IOC president on March 20 and will then be completed on March 21.
The opening ceremony for the 144th IOC Session will begin at 15:15 at the IOA's premises, in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine Tasoulas and all IOC members.
It will include speeches by Tasoulas and outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach, the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) Isidoros Kouvelos and Greek IOC member Spyros Capralos. It will also feature an artistic programme designed by the choreographer of the Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony, Artemis Ignatiou.
The members of the IOC will be given a tour of the recently renovated IOA premises so they can become better acquainted with the top institution for cultivating and promoting the Olympic ideal and Olympic education.
"We are ready to receive our guests from all the world, who will see at first hand the facilities of the IOA where an immense work for promoting Olympic education is being done, with a significant role in the global Olympic family. With the organisation of the opening ceremony we want to again offer a reminder that the gift of the Olympic Games to humanity was born in Ancient Olympia and handed down by our ancestors and I am certain that our foreign friends will come away with the best impressions," Kouvelos said.
The ceremony is not open to the general public and can only be watched by individuals with the necessary accreditation. It will be broadcast by the Olympic Channel on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/user/iocmedia.
The day's events will begin with the symbolic planting of an olive tree in the garden of the Old Town Hall at Ancient Olympia by President Tasoulas, IOC President Thomas Bach, HOC President Isidoros Kouvelos and Ancient Olympia Mayor Aris Panagiotopoulos.
Tasoulas and Bach will the meet all the IOC members at the Olympia Archaeological Museum.