First-Ever Pop-Up American Space at a Sports Venue Opens at Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium

The Pop-Up American Space at the Karaiskakis Stadium, a continuation of the successful American Corner of Piraeus, which was established at the Piraeus Municipal Library, was inaugurated on Friday by US Ambassador to Greece, George J. Tsunis, the President of Olympiacos FC, Evangelos Marinakis, and Piraeus Mayor Yannis Moralis.

The inauguration took place a few months after the official transfer of the space by Olympiacos FC and a friendly held at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium between the Olympiacos veteran players and celebrities, in the presence of retired American pro footballers Carli Lloyd and Cobi Jones.

Tsunis: Greece and US are unbelievably close

In touching on the significance of the space for the city of Piraeus and youth, Amb. Tsunis first underlined that relations between Greece and the United States are at the highest point they’ve ever been.

Amb. Tsunis noted that both countries and people are “unbelievably close”. He said this is the result of both peoples and governments doing the work that is necessary, while sharing common values and principles.

The top American diplomat in Greece noted that both the mayor of Piraeus and the president of Olympiacos FC believe the eponymous port city stands for opportunities and potential, along for hope, diversity and inclusiveness.

“We are all Children of God,” he said characteristically, adding that cooperation at the Karaiskakis Stadium aims to build “bridges” between peoples; to provide educational opportunities for Piraeus’ citizens.

He went on to say that his goal is for the United States and Greece to serve as an inspiration and example for the world, with the Pop-Up American Space @Karaiskaki being the result of cooperation between the US embassy in Athens, the Piraeus Municipal Library, the municipality of Piraeus and Olympiacos FC.

As such, he said the current project is part and parcel of “sports diplomacy,” a concept that builds “bridges” between peoples and provides opportunities – especially educational opportunities.

Olympiacos FC President Evangelos Marinakis, right, with US Ambassador to Greece George J. Tsunis, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.

Karaiskakis Stadium first sports venue to host such a space

Tsunis jokingly reminded that he himself was a pretty good footballer in his youth, and said he wished that there had been such a place he could visit when he was young.

He praised the Olympiacos FC owner as the force behind the creation of the space, while also publicly lauding Mayor Moralis and the head of the US embassy’s public diplomacy department, Christine Roberts, who, according to Amb. Tsunis, fought hard for the project’s implementation.

Amb. Tsunis also mentioned that Maria Olsen, the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Athens, who will assume Washington’s overall diplomatic mission to Athens in roughly two months’ time, when his term as US ambassador ends, and before a new ambassador is appointed.

Along these lines, he said Greek-American relations are in extremely good hands.

The Pop-Up American Space @Karaiskaki is the first such initiative in the world that was established in a sports venue, with Amb. Tsunis saying it will be replicated elsewhere – and, as with other great ideas, this one also begins in Greece.

Evangelos Marinakis’ invitation to youth

On his part, the President of Olympiacos FC, Evangelos Marinakis, thanked all of the people involved in the project, an idea he said originated from the US embassy, and one that from the very beginning was considered to be very productive and good for Piraeus and the people of Piraeus.

Marinakis said the space emphasizes education, sport and diplomacy, allowing young people to meet in a place where they can be entertained by watching their favorite team, on the one hand, as well as being able to partake in other activities, such as basketball and other sports.

The president of Greece’s most successful and popular football club underlined that Piraeus retains long-standing ties with the United States. He reminded that most Greek immigrants departing from their homeland for the United States left from the port of Piraeus – people, as he said, who remained in America, built careers and contributed a great deal to the American Dream and to what the United States is today, “which we all admire.”

Finally, Evangelos Marinakis expressed his satisfaction over the fact that this space was established in Piraeus, while inviting Piraeus’ citizens and youth to visit, to learn about the United States, so that we’re able to say after a while that we have done something constructive and are happy about it.

Yannis Moralis: Piraeus an extroverted municipality  

Piraeus Mayor Yannis Moralis first thanked the US ambassador and the President of Olympiacos FC for the close cooperation that resulted in the first Pop-Up American Space in the world that is located within a sports venue.

He noted that the initiative comes seven months after the American Corner of Piraeus was inaugurated by the municipal library of Piraeus.

Mayor Moralis also reminded that the idea belonged to the US embassy but was thoroughly embraced by both the municipality and Olympiacos FC.

Moralis described the initiative as something very useful, as young people will be able to visit these sites and come into contact with culture, technology and the values of sport. The space will also allow young people to learn how to study, work and travel in the United States – via technology systems that have been set up in Greece and the world for the first time.

Moralis also expressed special thanks to all his associates at the municipality, saying they gave their best to create “the American corner in the Library and at Karaiskakis” as well as to the President of Olympiacos FC.

Referring to Evangelos Marinakis, he said that the Olympiacos FC president fully supports initiatives concerning the municipality, while adding that Marinakis and he himself want Piraeus “to be a municipality that is extroverted, a city that radiates” far beyond its boundaries.

Long-standing ties between Piraeus and USA  

 In referring to relations between the port city of Piraeus and the United States, Yannis Moralis called them long-standing, and pointed out the particularly warm relations between the governments of Greece and the United States, and, of course, between the two nations’ peoples.

Finally, he invited the people of Piraeus, and especially its youth, to visit the Pop-Up American Space at Karaiskakis, to learn what the space offers and to learn about culture, technology, the values of sport and much more, as he said.

Olympiacos FC President Evangelos Marinakis, center, with US Ambassador to Greece George J. Tsunis, left, and Piraeus Mayor Yannis Moralis, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024

The new Pop-Up American Space @Karaiskaki

 The ground-breaking cooperation between the municipality of Piraeus and Olympiacos FC, with the support of the US embassy in Greece, has resulted in the new “Pop-Up American Space @Karaiskakis”. The Pop-Up space has officially commenced its operation at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, marking the start of a unique initiative that combines entertainment with innovation and the values of sports.

This new space as an extension of the American Corner and aims to provide a modern environment of information regarding educational opportunities in the United States, as well as a modern environment to nurture creativity as well as cultural and social activities for Piraeus’ youth.

Fans at the stadium will now have the opportunity to discover the American Space experience through video game consoles, virtual reality gear, tablets and computers, as well as screens where they can watch games in the United States and Greece before the start of Olympiacos’ matches.

Education and social inclusion

 The Pop-Up American Space @Karaiskaki aspires to be an inclusive space that welcomes all people. In collaboration with the American Corner at the Piraeus Public Library, it offers activities such as exhibitions, presentations, information about studying in the United States, educational initiatives with schools and youth groups, as well as interactive workshops and games for children.

In the summer, the initiative will be augmented with summer camps, in an effort to enrich the cultural experience of the participants.