Athens, 12 May 2008 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

A shadow is cast over the pleasure of this evening’s opening of the largest Chinese art exhibition in Athens by a dramatic event: the 7.8 Richter earthquake that hit southwestern China with a tragic toll of thousands, among whom are many children.

I would like to express my condolences to the government and the people of China, and the hope that the list of victims grows no longer.

As a country prone to seismic activity and with experience in rescuing trapped victims and providing emergency assistance, Greece is prepared to provide any assistance that it can.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This exhibition is the biggest of its kind in Europe and it is being organised by the Greek Embassy in China with the support of the Greek government.

The place and time of this major cultural event are by no means coincidental.

This exhibition takes Athenian visitors to China in thought, at the same time as the Olympic flame is on its journey from ancient Olympia to Beijing. It symbolically unites two peoples with uninterrupted centuries-old cultures; two countries with traditional relations of mutual understanding, solidarity, and friendship, and two governments that share the same view on what is mutually beneficial.

At the other end of the flame’s journey, its final destination, the Chinese are getting to know Greeks even better by celebrating the Year of Greece in their country.

This exhibition is therefore set in the right context; it is not just a cultural exchange. It is a confirmation and consolidation of excellent relations between Greece and China on all levels: on a political, economic, and of course cultural level. These relations are being fostered, broadened and deepened thanks to the will and initiative of both sides.  

The artistic works included in this exhibition entitled “360 Degrees: Chinese Modern Art – New Visions” couple elements of contemporary artistic movements with the unique Chinese cultural tradition. They show images of modern China, a country balancing between tradition and modernity; a country whose economy, technology, society and art have made giant leaps.

It is a great pleasure to welcome to Greece the artists taking part in this exhibition, who are important representatives of the younger generation of Chinese artists.

I would like to congratulate them and also those who took the initiative and worked hard in order to make this exhibition possible, and most particularly the Greek Embassy in China.

I am certain that all visitors to the Technopolis Center will enjoy this unique exhibition, embarking on a short but very interesting journey of the imagination to China.

Thank you.