Newsmakers: Greek Ambassador-at-Large

Greece’s History—And Some Olympics, Too

Gianna Angelopoulos, ambassador-at-large of the Hellenic Republic (Greece), met with Pitt Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg in his office at the Cathedral of Learning on March 28. Later that day, she delivered a free public lecture, “For the Glory of Greece: Looking Forward by Looking Back,” in Posvar Hall. Angelopoulos, a former member of the Greek parliament, discussed how she headed Greece’s successful bid to host the 2004 Olympic Games, an achievement that led to her appointment, in 1998, as ambassador-at-large. She was later asked to assume the presidency of the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, taking over preparations that were significantly behind schedule and over budget. Under her leadership, Athens held what International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge called “unforgettable, dream Games.” In the photo, Nordenberg presents Angelopoulos with a commemorative University of Pittsburgh 225th anniversary plate, featuring the Cathedral of Learning.