The ceremony marking the certification of Athens College as a Unified Champion School by Special Olympics Hellas took place on Thursday, June 24, 2021 in Choremi Auditorium.

Amb. Dionysios Kodellas, President of Special Olympics Hellas, Ms. Artemis Vasilikopoulou, National Director of Special Olympics Hellas, and Project Manager of the Educational Program “Play Unified. Learn Unified,” Ms. Alexandra Vougiouka,  awarded certificates to the Directors of our Junior High Schools, High Schools and International Baccalaureate Programme in recognition of our students’ participation in this educational program.

The event was organized by the College’s Director of Social Welfare and Diversity, Mr. Chrysostomos Symeonidis, and his assistant, Ms. Eleni Pasalidou. College President, Prof. Costas Synolakis ΄75 and the General Coordinator of the HAEF School Units, Dr. Christos Papanikolaou ΄85, gave the welcoming addresses.

Mr. Chrysostomos Symeonidis then introduced Amb. Kodellas who spoke to the audience.

Award presented to the Director of Athens College High School, Mr. Christos Konstantopoulos

Award presented to the Director of Psychico College Junior High School, Ms. Nikoleta Kanelli

Award presented to the Deputy Director of Athens College Junior High School, Ms. Vasiliki Moumtzi


Award presented to the IB Programmes Director, Ms. Eleni Vasileiou

The Interschool Head of Physical Education and Sports, Mr. Vasilis Moschos, accepts a Special Olympics commemorative ball from Pres. Kodellas

The “Play Unified. Learn Unified” educational program aims to transform as many schools in Greece as possible into communities that accept and integrate persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  The College is one of the first of Greece’s 99 certified schools that promote Inclusive Sports and one of its 17 Unified Champion Schools.

As part of its collaboration with Special Olympics Hellas, Athens College co-organizes every year the PanEuropean Basketball Week, which includes students and Special Olympics athletes. At the same time, our students participate in actions organized by the Young Leaders Program of Special Olympics Hellas, in the PanHellenic Conference of Young Leaders and in the World Congress of Special Olympics International.

Additionally, in academic year 2020-2021, the Office of Social Welfare and Diversity organized an interdisciplinary, cultural integration action named “We Paint – We Coexist,” in which students across all the school units participated, creating paintings on the theme of acceptance and respect for diversity. The action culminated with an online conference, on April 21, entitled “Athens College – Special Olympics, Coexistence – Diversity.”