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Welcome address by Yiannis Boutaris, Mayor of Thessaloniki |
 It is with great pleasure that I welcome the Grand Prix Chess Tournament to Thessaloniki. It is an honour for Thessaloniki to host this major chess event organized by FIDE.
"Many stories, one heart" is the message Thessaloniki sends to its visitors. Thessaloniki is itself a mosaic, a lively and colorful city, where many trajectories meet and diverse stories connect, all beating together in one heart, the heart of the city. This is Thessaloniki’s unique charm.
A crossroads of cultures, Thessaloniki has always been the settlement for multiple ethnic and religious communities, a city with an abundance of monuments that reflect the city's historic importance, dating from antiquity to modern times, with a long modern promenade along the waterfront, extensively renovated, with a rich culinary tradition reflected in the numerous restaurants, with a vibrant market located in the historic centre, a lively presence of youth and an active academic research in the universities, the colleges and the technical institutions.
History, arts and festivals, education and scientific research, gastronomy, sea, sports, entertainment: our city has many stories to tell.
I warmly welcome our visitors, wish them a pleasant stay and invite them to explore Thessaloniki's diverse stories.
Yiannis Boutaris
Mayor of Thessaloniki
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