More than 120 elderly staying at the Athens Nursing Home, one of the largest old people’s nursing home in Greece, had the opportunity to take a long tour around Athens recently to witness firsthand the festive decorations of the Greek capital.
The elderly toured the streets of the city by taxi and admired the illuminated capital city of Athens up close.
The evening tour of Athens was organized by the Municipality of Athens in collaboration with the Taxi Drivers Union of Attica (SATA).
The event involved more than seventy taxi drivers, who toured the elderly through Athens, which has been decorated for the Christmas holidays. They circulated through the main streets of the city, including Vasilissis Sofias, the University, Omonia Square, the Panathenaic Stadium, and lastly in the brightly-lit Syntagma Square.
From the comfort of their taxi, participants enjoyed the route, which throughout its duration was accompanied by motorcyclists from the municipal police of Athens.
Athens “cares” about the elderly in nursing homes
In his statement, the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyiannis, said, “These people are our grandparents, they are our roots and our ‘wings.’ In the Municipality of Athens, we care about them and try to take care of them all year round and not only on holidays.
“Our main concern is that no one feels alone, [and that] no one [is] without support and solidarity. For this joy ride, the assistance of SATA and the taxi drivers of Athens was decisive, and we thank them very much because they generously provided their vehicles for such a noble and essential cause. We’ll do it again!”
For her part, the Deputy Mayor of Social Solidarity and Civil Society, Katerina Gagaki, emphasized in her statement that “the shine and joy of Athens belongs to everyone and not only to those who have the opportunity to enjoy it every day while going to work or for a walk with our family.
“So today we became a [warm embrace] and brought the warmth and optimism of the shining city to those who most need our thought, love, care, and respect. To the people who raised us,” she concluded.
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