It was announced on Monday in Athens that Maria Menounos, the renowned actress and television presenter, will represent Greece as Ambassador for the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
The decision was made during a meeting at the Hellenic Olympic Committee‘s (HOC) headquarters between Menounos and Isidoros Kouvelos, the president.
Maria Menounos is a radiant personality who honors Greece in the United States, and the new role she is taking on will undoubtedly help promote and highlight Greek participation in the upcoming Olympic Games. She will also engage the Greek-American community in support of Team Hellas as it prepares for its journey to Los Angeles in 2028.
Born in the Boston suburb of Medford, Massachusetts to Greek immigrant parents Costas and Litsa Menounos, Maria became a Greek citizen in 2023.
Maria Menounos supports Greece’s diaspora in the US
Speaking of the appointment, Kouvelos expressed his enthusiasm over Menounos accepting the role: “I want to thank Maria for being with us. I am truly happy and proud that she accepted my proposal. Maria is not only a brilliant and charismatic individual but also a person of great character.”
“As a member of the Greek diaspora, she consistently honors and supports her homeland, and her involvement brings us optimism,” he added. “She will stand with us at the Hellenic Olympic Committee, and I’m delighted she has agreed to serve as Ambassador for Team Hellas on the road to Los Angeles.”
“She will support many of the HOC’s initiatives,” Kouvelos revealed. “Most notably, she will serve as Master of Ceremonies at the Flame Lighting and Handover Ceremonies in Ancient Olympia and at the Panathenaic Stadium. This is a deeply symbolic role, and Maria, I sincerely thank you for embracing it. We want the Greek community to rally behind our Olympic delegation, and Maria is the ideal person to unite and inspire them. She will also assist in raising financial support to strengthen Team Hellas’s presence at the Games.”
Menounos: Proud to be Greek!
Maria Menounos, visibly moved, stated:
“Thank you for this incredible honor. I am so proud to be Greek and grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this meaningful mission. I want to support the athletes in every way I can and help bring together the Greek-American community. No matter where we are, we must stand united to support Greece and our team. When the day of the Flame Lighting in Ancient Olympia arrives, I know it will be a profound moment and I will be in tears.”
As a symbolic gesture, President Kouvelos presented Menounos with a statue of the goddess Nike.
“Maria, we’ve prepared a symbolic gift: the statue of Nike,” he said. “Engraved on its base is the title ‘Ambassador of the Hellenic Olympic Committee for LA 2028,’ a title you carry with honor and pride. Through this gift, we express our hopes that, inspired by you, the Greek team will soar to new heights on its Olympic journey.”
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