By Maria Katsounaki

This time last year we were singing the praises of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, glorifying the spectacular show that mesmerized the nation...

Afterward, everyone had something positive to say: Santiago Calatrava, the Spanish architect who designed the main Olympic complex in Maroussi, declared, “You have created a city that should fill you with pride.” He praised our new national roads, metro and tram and said he hoped “Athens would continue renewing itself, as Barcelona is doing years later.”

But one thing is certain: Athens has not become, nor does it appear destined to become, a Barcelona. Although our Olympic legacy may be impressive, the Games have left us with many loose ends to tie up, and at no small cost.

So, what about culture, which we had considered our strong card? What progress have we made since the Olympic Opening Ceremony? And how are we marking the first anniversary of this significant event? With a concert by the winner of this year’s Eurovision song contest, Helena Paparizou, at the Faliron Olympic complex...

But what about the creative team behind the scenes of the Olympic Opening Ceremony? We didn’t send them on a tour around Europe, neither did we celebrate with them until the early hours for being our “No. 1.” It seems that the cultural void has not been filled after all...