The new “Pop-Up American Space @Karaiskakis” in Piraeus officially began operations at the “G. Karaiskakis” stadium, marking the start of a unique initiative that combines entertainment, innovation, and the values of sports. The event was attended by Olympiacos FC President Evangelos Marinakis, Piraeus Mayor and Vice President of Olympiacos FC Giannis Moralis, U.S. Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis, Olympiacos football players Panagiotis Retsos and Konstantis Tzolakis, the club’s Strategic Advisor and Ambassador Christian Karembeu, members of the Olympiacos FC Board of Directors, and Deputy Regional Governor of Piraeus Stavroula Antonakou.
This new space extends the American Corner Piraeus—a highly successful initiative operating for seven months at the Piraeus Municipal Library—and offers a modern environment providing information on educational opportunities in the United States, along with a creative setting for cultural and social activities for young people in Piraeus. Stadium fans now have the chance to experience the “American Space” through video game consoles, virtual reality devices, tablets, computers, and screens where they can watch matches from the U.S. and Greece before Olympiacos games begin.
A space for education and social inclusion
The “Pop-Up American Space @Karaiskakis” is an inclusive space welcoming everyone. In collaboration with the American Corner at the Piraeus Municipal Library, it offers activities such as exhibitions, presentations, information about studies in the United States, educational initiatives with schools and youth groups, as well as interactive workshops and games for children. This summer, the initiative will expand with summer camps, enriching the cultural experience for participants.
U.S. Ambassador to Greece George Tsunis was the first to speak, emphasizing: “The Mayor of Piraeus and the President of Olympiacos believe that Piraeus is synonymous with opportunity and potential. It is also synonymous with hope, diversity, and inclusion. And at the Karaiskakis stadium, we are all here to build bridges to provide educational opportunities to the people of Piraeus. This space speaks of opportunity and hope, as I want the United States and Greece to be an inspiration to the world—a model to emulate. This is the work carried out by the U.S. Embassy, the Piraeus Municipal Library, the Municipality of Piraeus, and Olympiacos”.
Piraeus Mayor and Olympiacos FC Vice President Giannis Moralis said: “The ‘Pop-Up American Space’ at Karaiskakis follows the establishment of the American Corner Piraeus, a multipurpose technology and culture center we have operated at the Piraeus Municipal Library for around seven months. Today, in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Greece and Olympiacos FC, this pioneering space within the ‘Georgios Karaiskakis’ stadium officially opens. It is a space that creatively combines entertainment, knowledge, and the values of sports. Fans can come here before matches, access computers, enjoy video games and virtual reality technologies, and find information about studies in America, travel, and tourism. This is an initiative that brings our two nations closer. That was the goal; that was the proposal from the Embassy, which we immediately embraced, as did Olympiacos, which consistently supports the Municipality’s initiatives and has been a partner for years. I would like to thank the Ambassador and all his colleagues at the Embassy, Olympiacos FC President Evangelos Marinakis, who always embraces such initiatives concerning the Municipality of Piraeus and beyond, the appointed Municipal Councilor for Culture Yiannis Hadjialexis, the Municipality’s Culture Director Evangelia Bafouni, and the Municipality’s partners. I hope this new endeavor will succeed and serve the benefit of Piraeus’ youth”.
Olympiacos FC President Evangelos Marinakis stated: “I would like to thank everyone involved in this project. It was an idea from the American Embassy, which has been very constructive for Piraeus and its people. And of course, for education, sports, and diplomacy. Young people can gather here in a place where they can enjoy themselves and watch their favorite team. Another aspect, as discussed with the Ambassador, is that Piraeus has deep roots in the U.S., as most Greeks who emigrated there traveled from the port of Piraeus. They lived in the U.S., built their careers, and I believe they contributed significantly to the American dream and what we all admire in the U.S. today. Therefore, I am extremely happy this has happened here in Piraeus. I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing the people of Piraeus, especially the new generation, come here to learn about what is happening in the U.S. And hopefully, in a short time, we can say that we achieved something constructive, and we are all happy for it. I wish you all the best!”.
Formalizing the Collaboration
It should be noted that the opening of the space took place a few months after the official lease of the space by Olympiacos FC and the friendly match at the “G. Karaiskakis” stadium between Olympiacos veteran players and celebrities, attended by American athletes Carli Lloyd and Cobi Jones.
