Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis today announced plans by OPAP SA to finance the remodeling of six City of Athens sports and recreation sites, during a joint press conference with OPAP SA chairman and director Christos Hadjiemmanuil and City of Athens Youth and Sport Organisation chairman Vassilis Kikilias at City Hall.

OPAP SA will provide a total of 900,000 euros in funding to the City of Athens as part of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility Programme.

The funds will go toward the reconstruction of the indoor basketball and volleyball courts in the Grava Sports Centre and the remodelling of five municipal playgrounds. The playgrounds to be upgraded comprise the 117th Strefi Hill playground, 295th Agios Ioannis Vouliagmenis playground, 685th Kanari Square-Fokionos Negri playground, 483rd Pantazopoulou Square-Kolonos playground and the 589th Vallianou and Dorpfeld-Ano Patissia playground.

Mayor Kaklamanis thanked Mr Hadjiemmanuil for the sponsorship announced today as well as the 200,000-euro grant the company provided the City of Athens for the redecoration of Syntagma Square during the Christmas holidays.

Mayor Kaklamanis also referred to the New Acropolis Museum, objecting to the fact that the Mayor of Athens does not serve on the museum's board of directors. He said that this case is unique, compared to all other major European cities.

OPAP SA chairman and director Christos Hadjiemmanuil made the following statement:
"Our contribution to Greek society constitutes an integral element of our philosophy and business activity. The company's administration runs an extensive, well-organised corporate social responsibility programme which focuses on financing major, permanent projects which benefit the wider community, rather than philanthropic events. We focus on activities which do not attract direct assistance from the political system. We want to help children senior citizens, disabled individuals and our needy fellow citizens. Within this context, we decided to support the City of Athens and help improve playgrounds and sports centres, which constitute a public resource - especially in a city like Athens, which is so densely populated and offers children few such opportunities".

City of Athens Youth and Sport Organisation (ONA) chairman Vassilis Kikilias said:
"I am pleased to have OPAP SA on our team in our effort to make all children in Athens our first priority. As we have learned in the past two years here at ONA, OPAP's sponsorship will be put to use on our part in practice".