Federal President Joachim Gauck and his partner, Daniela Schadt, went on a state visit to the Hellenic Republic from 5 to 7 March 2014. The focus in Athens was on talks with President Karolos Papoulias, Parliamentary Speaker Evangelos Meimarakis and a number of members of parliament. Federal President Gauck also met Greek intellectuals, found out about dual vocation training projects and gave a speech at the Acropolis museum.
He then traveled on with President Papoulias to his host’s home region, Epirus. The two Presidents visited the village of Lingiades, where Wehrmacht soldiers carried out a massacre during the Second World War. In the region’s capital, Ioannina, they paid a visit to the Jewish community. 25 March 2014 marks 70 years to the day since the Jewish population of Ioannina was deported to Auschwitz.
This visit by the Federal President underlined the significance of relations with Greece, which holds the Presidency of the EU Council for the first half of 2014. In his speech at the Acropolis museum in Athens, the Federal President stressed Europe as our heritage and our future.
An overview of the programme of the state visit by the Federal President and Ms Daniela Schadt to the Hellenic Republic:
Wednesday, 5 March 2014
• Arrival in Athens
Thursday, 6 March 2014
• Presidential Palace: Welcome with military honours by Dr Karolos Papoulias, the President of the Hellenic Republic, and Ms May Papoulias with talks thereafter
• Luncheon hosted by Mr Evangelos Meimarakis, Parliamentary Speaker of the Hellenic Republic, in honour of the Federal President
• Syntagma Square: Wreath laying on the grave of the Unknown Soldier
• Talks with Mr Alexis Tsipras, President of the Syriza United Social Front
• Acropolis Museum: Speech by the Federal President on “Europe: The Legacy and the Future”Thereafter, guided tour of the Acropolis Museum by the President of the Museum
• Presidential Palace: Speech by the Federal President at the state banquet hosted by the President of the Hellenic Republic
Friday, 7 March 2014
• Talks with Greek entrepreneurs and people who have started up their own businesses
• Talks with students at Alimos tourism school
• Flight to Ioannina: Arrival at King Pyrros airport and welcome with military honours
• Lingiades: Wreath-laying and speech by the Federal President at the memorial in Lingiades
• Ioannina: Luncheon hosted by the President of the Hellenic Republic and Ms Papoulia
• Ioannina Synagogue: Talks with representatives of the Jewish community in Ioannina
• Flight to Berlin