Tag: STUDY IN GREECE

“Greek athletic heritage and spirit at the 2026 Shijiazhuang Marathon”

The 2026 Shijiazhuang Marathon in Hebei province, held on March 29th, marked a vibrant event which highlighted the growing enthusiasm and appeal of the long-distance race in China, attracting a total of 35.000 runners. The Embassy of Greece in China was proud to participate in this event, celebrating the marathon—a sport that traces its origins in ancient Greek heritage—while further strengthening athletic and cultural ties between Greece and China.

Early in the morning of the 29th of April, H.E the Ambassador of Greece to China, Dr. Evgenios Kalpyris, together with other dignitaries, officially launched the 2026 Shijiazhuang Marathon. On the previous day, Ambassador Kalpyris had inaugurated the Greek exhibition, “The Olympic Spirit: From Ancient to Modern Olympic Games”, at the Shijiazhuang Marathon Expo Site, as a central part of the Marathon Culture Exhibition. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Kalpyris highlighted “the common Olympic traditions that unite Greece and China” and added: ‘‘In ancient Greece, faith in humanity, equality, brotherhood and peace for the whole world, along with the spirit of companionship and noble competition, shaped the athletic ideal, which was remarkably expressed in the Olympic Games’’. He also noted that the fact the Shijiazhuang Marathon attracted tens of thousands of people, demonstrates the enduring value and universal symbolism of this sport.

During his stay in Shijiazhuang, Ambassador Kalpyris had a meeting with the Hebei Provincial Governor, Mr. Wang Zhengpu, during which discussions focused on further strengthening the cooperation and exchanges between Greece and Hebei Province

Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of National Economy and Finance, described the IMF’s annual Article IV report on the Greek economy as “extremely positive.” As Mr. Pierrakakis stated, “the report presented by officials of the International Monetary Fund at the Ministry of National Economy and Finance constitutes a highly positive assessment by the organization regarding the course of the Greek economy, confirming that the country is prepared to cope with the climate of international instability.”

Specifically, the minister noted that, as outlined during a press conference by the Fund’s officials:

In 2025, strong growth momentum was maintained
Fiscal stability was further strengthened
The financial sector is showing increased resilience
Risks to growth prospects have been significantly reduced
Furthermore, as Kyriakos Pierrakakis emphasized, “the IMF recognizes that the reform and strengthening of the public sector enables Greece to effectively manage international challenges, supporting its growth trajectory and enhancing households’ purchasing power.”

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Harry Theoharis, participated in the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 26 to 29 March.