The event for the International Day of Older Persons was held with great success and emotion on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at the Gonnon Primary School in collaboration with the Gonnon Women's Association, in the presence of the Mayor of Tempi, Mr. Georgios Manolis, and numerous representatives of the Third Age from the Gonnon Community.
The event was opened by the Director of Gonnon Primary School, Ms. Apostolina Saiti, who with heartfelt words emphasized the importance of honoring and caring for the Third Age. She referred to the undeniable duty we all have to recognize the invaluable contribution of the elderly to the younger generations and the power of love that transcends the years, while she underlined the importance of actions that unite generations, cultivating empathy and respect.
The Mayor of Tempi, Mr. Georgios Manolis, then expressed his deep appreciation for the elderly, who, as he said, are the guardians of the traditions and values that shape our present. He promised that the Municipality of Tempi will continue to support actions that strengthen the interaction and cohesion between generations.
This was followed by the speech of Ms. Chrysa Dimou, representative of the Association of Women's Mothers, who, with words full of gratitude, referred to the importance of family and local ties, which keep alive the memory and identity of the community as well as the strength that the new generation has.
The most moving part of the event came when the school students led the guests to the basement of the school, where the 6th Grade, under the guidance of Mr. Georgiou Alexandris, presented at the Gonnon School Life Museum a representation of an old school classroom, wearing blue school aprons, bringing to life the images and memories of the elderly's childhood days. The attendees, sitting at the wooden desks of the old school, felt as if they had returned to their own school years, bridging the past with the present in a unique and invaluable way.
Afterwards, the students of the 2nd and 3rd Grades under the guidance of the teachers Mrs. Paraskevi Tsiourva and Mrs. Aikaterini Pouliou sang and particularly moved the attendees. The students of the 2nd Grade recited poems, which illuminated the event with purity and sensitivity, highlighting the value of poems as a means of communication between generations.
The event culminated with the children singing happy songs to the representatives of the Third Age, under the preparation of the school's musician, Mrs. Theodora Koltsida. The happy atmosphere brought everyone together, young and old, in a dance full of love and gratitude.
The closing of the event was particularly moving, as the students offered the elderly a small commemorative gift, a painting colored with the brushes of the heart, a symbolic "thank you" for the wisdom and experiences they shared with them. The smiles and warmth that filled the space were priceless, with everyone leaving with their hearts full and their memories full of images that will remain forever engraved.
The event was honored with their presence by the President of the Municipal Community of Gonnon, Mr. Thomas Papadontas, the President of the Cultural Association-Folklore Museum of Gonnon, Mr. Vasilis Karavides, Mr. Dimitris Gougoulias and Mrs. Flora Gougoulia, members of the organization Friends of the Delta of Pineos and Tempi, retired school teachers and educators.
The Director of the Primary School of Gonnon, Mrs. Apostolina Saiti, expresses on behalf of the Teachers' Association her warm thanks to the Association of Women of Gonnon, the Association of Parents and Guardians, as well as to all those who contributed to the successful organization of this event. She especially thanks the elderly who, with their presence, gave life to this special day, bridging the past with the future and offering life lessons to the new generation.