Mayor Tom Tate has welcomed the mayor of Greek city Ancient Olympia to the Gold Coast today for the reaffirmation of a Sister City agreement.
Ancient Olympia is the birthplace of the Olympic Games and the partnership with the Gold Coast is built around friendship, shared Olympic values and creating new connections between the two cities.
"I am pleased to welcome Mayor Aristeidis Panagiotopoulos to our city to celebrate and reaffirm this important partnership and enduring connection between us," Mayor Tom Tate said.
"A Sister City relationship is a mutual understanding and shared commitment to international cooperation.
"It gives both the Gold Coast and Ancient Olympia the chance to share ideas in developing education, youth engagement, sport, culture, tourism, heritage and sustainability.
"This is particularly important in the lead up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games."
Mayor Tate and Mayor Panagiotopoulos formally established the Sister City agreement in Greece on 8 September.
"The visit brings the partnership full circle, with our two cities reaffirming their friendship here on the Gold Coast today," Mayor Tate added.
"People-to-people connections will be at the heart of the relationship where we can learn from each other."
Mayor Panagiotopoulos said this was a sister-city agreement carried strong symbolism that would deliver practical results.
"The Gold Coast brings valuable experience in tourism and major international events while Ancient Olympia brings the Olympic idea and a UNESCO World Heritage Site," he said.
"Our task now is to turn that shared connection into practical partnerships between our schools, young people, organisations and communities.
"By the time the Olympic Flame travels from Olympia to Australia for the Brisbane 2032 Games, I want it to be traveling not to strangers, but to friends."
The Gold Coast's Greek community provides an important local connection to this friendship, helping celebrate the strong cultural ties between Greece and Australia and bring the partnership to life on the Gold Coast.
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