In the presence of the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Ms Sofia Zacharaki, the Deputy Minister of Sports, Mr Yannis Vroutsis, the Secretary General of Sports, Mr George Mavrotas, the President of the Ephorate of the EIA «Ioannis Fokianos», Ms Maria Alevisos and the President of the National Olympic Academy, Mr. Demosthenes Tabakos, held on Friday 26 September 2025 the celebration of the 12th Panhellenic Day of School Sports and the European Day of School Sports 2025, with the motto: «I move, I act, I create».
The event was implemented by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports and the Directorate of Physical Education of the Ministry of National Defence in the historic site of the National Gymnasium of Athens “Ioannis Fokianos” and at the Zappeion Hall, with the assistance of the National Olympic Academy (ETHNOA), the presence of Olympic champions and distinguished athletes, as well as the participation of the School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
This year's celebration was dedicated to the 180th anniversary of the birth of Ioannis Fokianos, a pioneer of gymnastics in Greece and founder of school sports. Through his work, he highlighted the importance of physical education in the cultivation of young people, linking teaching with social responsibility and fair play.
The day focused on the link between school sport and the concept of «active citizenship». An active citizen is one who participates, cooperates, respects others, takes responsibility and acts for the common good. Sport, with its values of respect, solidarity, inclusion and «fair play», fosters these characteristics in young people, while promoting volunteering, social action and environmental awareness.
The students participated in a rich programme of sports and cultural activities, such as athletics, football, volleyball, field hockey, tug-of-war and Paralympic sports (basketball and volleyball sitting). They were accompanied by Olympic champions and distinguished athletes of ETHNOA, who, through their sports and activities, shared their experiences and inspired the new generation. Among them were Alexis Albanos (handball), Alexandros Yakupovich and Christina Zachariadou (tennis), Christina Kalta (rhythmic gymnastics), Kallinikos Kreanga (table tennis), Sofia Simantiri (volleyball), Nikos Skiathitis (rowing) and Anna Charalambidou (water polo).
In the spirit of volunteering, ETHNOA distributed 100 T-shirts to the volunteers who supported the action, enhancing participation and highlighting the importance of collective effort.
The massive participation of the students confirmed that school sport is not only a means of physical exercise, but also a field for the development of social skills, the cultivation of values and the strengthening of cooperation. The National Olympic Academy continues to support initiatives that promote sport, education and social cohesion.
