PROGRAM OF THE THREE-DAY EVENTS OF THE 8TH REVIVAL OF THE NEMEAN GAMES
“IN MILLER’S FOOTSTEPS”
1st Day: Friday, June 28th 2024
Opening Ceremony
17:00 Temple of Nemean Zeus in Ancient Nemea.
17:15 A trumpet announces the beginning of the ceremonies.
17:15 The Historic Choir of the Attorney’s Association of Athens, accompanied by musical instrument and under the direction of maestro Dimitris Karouzos, lawyer and a music profesor, welcomes the participants with songs.
17:55 Welcome by the Society and speeches by the invited officials.
18:55 First world presentation of the “Hymn to the Athlete”, in poetry by Kostis Palamas, set to music by the internationally awarded composer Pigi Lykoudi. The presentation will take place in collaboration with the Philharmonic and the Choir of the Municipality of Nemea, which are directed by the musician Dr. Georgia Giannakopoulou.
19:00 Officially announcement of the beginning of the 8th Revival of the Nemean Games.
19:00 Ekecheiria crowns Nemea (Short theatrical play).
Lighting of the torch and recitation of “Hymn of Nemea” by the writer and poet Mr. George Mpouchoutsos and the “Hymn of Nemean Games” by the Nemea Municipal Philharmonic Band.
19:20 Sekilos Hymn by the Soprani Ms. Zavitsa Maria and 1st Orphic Hymn by the musician Mr. Kleopa Athanasios , accompanied by ancient lyre.
19:25 Transfer of the Flame to the Ancient Stadium of Ancient Nemea, accompanied by torchbearers from the Nemea Sports Club and the Lykeion Ellinidon of Kiato, whose girls dressed as Priestesses will accompany the entire event.
19:55 The torch is carried to the Altar by Miss Andriana Moulou, student and distinguish Shotokan karate athlete with Greek, pan European and world awards.
20:00 Music harp by Mrs. Dianne de Laet..
20:05 Greek National Opera
The Green National Opera will present the musical performance “Heracles rages”, based on the special work “Heracles” by Georg Friedrich Handel. Artistic direction: Giorgos Koumentakis.
Cast Members:
Translations : Lenia Zafeiropoulou
Music director : Markellos Chrysikopoulos
Performed by : Myrsini Margariti (Soprano), Elena Maragou (mezzo-Soprano), Christos Kechris (Tenor), Sarantidis (Bass). The actress Karyofyllia Karabeti appears as the narrator. With the participation of a 21-merber musical ensemble.
21:00 End of the first day.
2nd Day, Saturday, June 29th 2024
Program of the Races
At the Ancient Stadium
07:00 Short Distance Race 100m at the stadium
10:30 The archaic crops “Leonidas” (Hoplitodromos) will give a presentation..
12:00 Presentation of Pankration by the Greek Pankration Federation.
18:00 Long Distance Race 7.500 m.. «Footsteps of Heracles».
19:30 Closing Ceremony.
Awarding of the traditional crown of wild celery to all the victors in the Eighth Nemean Games, accompanied by the now well-established “Hymn to the Athlete”, after its first presentation at the Opening Ceremony of the 8th Revival of the Nemean Games, in poetry by Kostis Palamas and music by Pigi Lykoudi.
11:00 Event in honour of Stephen
Archaeological Museum of Nemea.
Official guests (friends and associates of the deceased) will give speeches. The children and youth choir accompanied by the Philharmonic of the Municipality of Nemea will keep us company.
Note: The above hours are indicated and may be subject to some changes without prior notice.
The 8th Revival of the Nemean Games is under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, the Region of Peloponnese and for the first time under the auspices of the International Organization for Cultural Diplomaxy (IACD Uppsala – Sweden).
Co-organizer: Municipality of Nemea
Communication Sponsor: ERT S,A
Eighth Modern Nemead (Nemean Games 2024)
If you would like to participate in the Eightt Modern Nemead (Nemean Games 2024), and in a revival of the Olympic Spirit.
“It is our belief that the modern Olympic Games, despite their obvious success in many respects, have become increasingly removed from the average person. Our goal is the participation, on the sacred ancient earth of Greece, of anyone and everyone, in games that will revive the spirit of the Olympics. We will achieve this by reliving authentic ancient athletic customs in the ancient stadium of Nemea.”
The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games is a movement born from nearly 40 years of excavation by the University of California at Berkeley in the panhellenic Sanctuary of Zeus at Nemea, Greece, and from the enthusiasm and dedication of local residents of Nemea who feel that they could make an important contribution to today’s world because of their personal ties to Nemea.
It was at Nemea that the ancient Greeks celebrated athletic and religious festivals that were part of the cycle of games at Delphi, Isthmia, and (best known today) Olympia. It was at one of these four sites that, for a brief period each year, wars and hostilities were suspended by a sacred truce, and all Greeks gathered in recognition of their common humanity. This impulse toward peace – albeit limited to a few days each year – was the first in the history of mankind on an organized, regular, and international scale. Thus, the festivals at Nemea, Olympia, Delphi, and Isthmia are the direct ancestors of today’s United Nations and Olympic movement. The ancient stadium discovered at Nemea is, therefore, an important monument in the history of such institutions.
The Olympic movement has become an ever more important and complex international event, and a symbol of the nobler aspirations of our human race. But it has also become increasingly removed from those who are not extraordinarily athletically gifted. The average person, inspired by the ancient lessons of peace and hopeful of participation in the movement finds even the role of spectator difficult to fulfill at the modern Olympics.
The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games believes that there is scope for the average person to participate in such an international athletic festival where no records will be kept and no medals awarded. Races will be organized by gender and age, and participants will be rewarded only by bare feet sore from contact with the same stones and the same soil where ancient feet ran more than 2,300 years ago.
The Seventh Nemead took place on June 24 – 26, 2022.
The Eighth Nemead will take place on June 28-30, 2024.
For more details about the organization and significance of the games, see ANCIENT BASIS; for a living image of the games, see STEP INTO HISTORY; to participate, see RUN.
Young (Ancient) Greek Athlete mounts steps of the Temple of Zeus, 330 B.C.
