Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gianna Angelopoulos–Daskalaki
Olympic Order
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Γιάννα Αγγελοπούλου-Δασκαλάκη
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| President “Greece 2021” National Committee | |
| In office 31 July 2019 – 31 December 2021 |
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| President of the Athens Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games | |
| In office 1 October 2000 – 29 August 2004 |
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| IOC President | Juan Antonio Samaranch (2000–01) Jacques Rogge (2001–04) |
| Preceded by | Michael Knight |
| Succeeded by | Liu Qi |
| Chair of the Athens Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games | |
| In office 15 May 2000 – 8 July 2005 Chair of the Athens bid: 1996 – 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Panagiotis Thomopoulos |
| Succeeded by | Position dissolved |
| Convening Sponsor, Clinton Global Initiative Honorary Ambassador of the Greek State | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 December 1955 Heraklion, Greece |
| Political party | New Democracy |
| Spouses | George Parthenis (1979-1990) Theodoros Angelopoulos (1990-today) |
| Children | Carolina Partheni-Angelopoulos Panagiotis Angelopoulos Dimitris Angelopoulos |
| Relatives | Frixos Daskalakis (father) Eleni Daskalaki (sister) (1958) Marika Daskalaki(mother) (1932) |
| Education | Law School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki (born Ioanna Daskalaki on December 12, 1955) is a Greek businesswoman. She is also an Ambassador-at-Large for Greece. This means she is a special representative for her country. She is most famous for leading the teams that helped Athens host the 2004 Summer Olympics.
In July 2019, the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, chose her to lead Greece 2021. This was a year-long project to celebrate 200 years since the Greek Revolution. It also aimed to show the world a new, hopeful Greece. Forbes magazine once named her one of the 50 most powerful women. She also wrote a book called My Greek Drama.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Ioanna Daskalaki was born in Heraklion, Crete. Her family was middle-class. She studied law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
In 1990, she married Theodore Angelopoulos, who was a successful businessman in shipping and steel. She became involved in his businesses. Gianna is a mother of three children: Panagiotis, Dimitris, and Carolina. She is also a grandmother to five grandchildren.
Political Work
In the late 1980s, Gianna became active in politics in Athens. In 1986, she was elected to the Athens Municipal Council. This is like a local city government.
In 1989, she was elected to the Greek Parliament. She won reelection the next year. This meant she helped make laws for the whole country.
In 1998, the Greek government made her an Ambassador-at-Large. She donated her salary from this role to Greek charities every year. She has received important awards, like the Commander of the Order of Honour of the Hellenic Republic in 2004. In 2008, she was given the Chevalier of the French Republic's National Order of the Legion of Honor.
Leading the 2004 Olympic Games
Greece wanted to host the Olympic Games in 1996, but they did not win the bid. So, they decided to try again for the 2004 Summer Olympics. Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki led the team that worked to bring the games to Athens. She was the first woman to be president of any Olympic or Paralympic organizing committee. Her team successfully won the bid for Athens.
Later, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) worried that Greece was not ready for the games. They were concerned about preparations. So, in May 2000, Gianna was asked to return and lead the Olympic Organizing Committee. She was the first woman to hold this specific position.
Under her leadership, all the sports facilities were finished on time. Security for the games was also made sure to be excellent. Both Juan Antonio Samaranch and Jacques Rogge, who were presidents of the International Olympic Committee, said that Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki was key to the games' success. At the Closing Ceremony, Rogge called them "unforgettable, dream Games."
After the 2004 Olympics, she bought a newspaper called Eleftheros Typos. She also attended the opening ceremony of the next Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, in 2006.
The Greece 2021 Project
Greece 2021 was a special project that happened during the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution. This project honored Greece's past. But it also celebrated the skills and strength of the Greek people today. It showed confidence in the country's future. The project focused on new businesses, science, and new ideas. It highlighted opportunities in modern Greece.
In 2019, the Greek Government chose Mrs. Angelopoulos to be the President of the "Greece 2021" National Committee. The project ended on December 31, 2021.
Work After Politics
In 1994, she became a vice-chairman at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She still works with them today.
She has also supported many educational programs. In 2012, she started the Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellowship program at Harvard. This program helps important leaders who are leaving public office. It gives them a chance to teach, learn, and do research at Harvard.
In 2013, she created the Angelopoulos Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU) Fellowship program. This program helps Greek students with good ideas for new businesses. She has supported over 75 students through this program.
In 2019, Gianna Angelopoulos started a new program at Cambridge University. It is called the Gianna Angelopoulos Programme for Science, Technology and Innovation. This program supports students and research in areas like energy and computing.
Books She Has Written
Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki wrote a book called My Greek Drama: Life, Love, and One Woman's Olympic Effort to Bring Glory to Her Country. This book became a bestseller on The New York Times list in 2013. It was also a bestseller for The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.
