Dora Galani, urban planner
At first sight, Athens has won the wager: with Olympics-related works, rituals, cultural events, celebrations… For me, however, the most important thing, besides visitors’ wonder, is the look of pride in its residents’ eyes. There are plenty of things still to be done – to exploit the experience of mass use of public transportation, to keep the city clean, to continue with projects of quality, to… It’s a unique (or is it one last?) opportunity, as long as this euphoria continues and citizens of every generation fall over each other to enjoy an Athens that is different, to take advantage of the world’s gaze being focused on their city. The works alone, without visitors to give them life, will quickly lose their glamour and as easily acquire the marks of time. We can keep Athens riding high, maintaining it in the place it acquired in our own hearts with its current image and atmosphere, and which restored our self-esteem as residents of a unique metropolis. Dora Galani is a director of the Unification of the Archaeological Sites of Athens (EAXA).
