A Step into History/The Sixth Nemead 2016

DO YOU WANT TO STEP INTO HISTORY ?

Following our exceptional visit to Nemea in October, where Pr. Miller, except for the tour he gave us, spoke to us in depth about his dream concerning the revival of the Nemean Games, we would like to inform you that if you want to be part of history and participate in the Nemean Games 2016, here is what you have to do:

 

CLICK ON: nemean games for the Nemean Games Trailer

 

June 11-12, 2016

If you would like to participate in the next (6th) Nemean Games, and in a revival of the Olympic Spirit, you must register before May 1, 2016.
There are no registration fees.

ATTENTION! The 7.5 kilometers race “In the Footsteps of Herakles” will take palce ONLY on Saturday, June 11, 2016. Please, whether you register directly electronically or send your registration form to us, do not omit to fill in every space. Please also write your name and surname with lower case letters (e.g. John Green, not JOHN GREEN) and if you write in Greek characters, don’t forget to use accent marks.

Please click here to register.

 (or you can download and submit the registration form that you will find here)

 

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GAMES

 

Sixth Nemead, June 10-12, 2016 (tentative schedule)

 

Friday, June 10, 6:30 p.m.

at Temple of Nemean Zeus:
Greetings
Sacred Truce (Ekecheria) Crowns Nemea
Jelena Jovanovic Bakopoulou sings “Ode to Nemea”
Torch is lighted at the Altar of Zeus, and Truce and Nemea carry the torch in procession toward the stadium
Armed ancient troops “Leonidas” lay down weapons as the torch passes
at the Ancient Stadium:
The torch enters
Nemea Municipal Philharmonic and the New Choir of Nemea perform “You the Flame” and selections from “Ode to Nemea”
The stadium altar is lighted by Nemea with the torch
The start of the Sixth Nemead is inaugurated by H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos
National Anthem
8:30 p.m. at the Main Square in front of the City Hall of Nemea:
Performance of “Greece! The Musical” by students from the Primary School “Olga Milosevic” of Smederevska Palanka, Serbia

***

Saturday, June 11, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

Footraces in the stadium in groups of twelve organized by age and gender
4:30 p.m. to Ancient Kleonai: the 7.5 km “Footsteps of Herakles” race
7: 30 p.m. In the stadium: Closing ceremonies
Concert by local choral groups
Entrance of Priestesses and Judges (Ambassadors)
Award of the official Sixth Nemead pin to all participants
Entrance of victors and award of crowns of wild celery
Speeches
Prayer to Earth
Extinguishing the Flame
Trumpet Farewell
9:30 p.m. reception for the participants

***

Sunday, June 12 

*
10:30 a.m. in the stadium: exhibition of the ancient Pankration
1 p.m. in the city hall of Nemea: presentation of two new Nemean books
7 p.m. in the stadium: performance of the “Nemeada” poem and music of Nemean myth and history

 

 

About the rivival of the Nemean Games:

“It is our belief that the modern Olympic Games, despite their obvious success in many respects, have become increasingly removed from the average person. Our goal is the participation, on the sacred ancient earth of Greece, of anyone and everyone, in games that will revive the spirit of the Olympics. We will achieve this by reliving authentic ancient athletic customs in the ancient stadium of Nemea.”

Statement of the Purpose of the Society, December 30, 1994

 

The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games is a movement born from nearly 40 years of excavation by the University of California at Berkeley in the panhellenic Sanctuary of Zeus at Nemea, Greece, and from the enthusiasm and dedication of local residents of Nemea who feel that they could make an important contribution to today’s world because of their personal ties to Nemea.

It was at Nemea that the ancient Greeks celebrated athletic and religious festivals that were part of the cycle of games at Delphi, Isthmia, and (best known today) Olympia. It was at one of these four sites that, for a brief period each year, wars and hostilities were suspended by a sacred truce, and all Greeks gathered in recognition of their common humanity. This impulse toward peace – albeit limited to a few days each year – was the first in the history of mankind on an organized, regular, and international scale. Thus, the festivals at Nemea, Olympia, Delphi, and Isthmia are the direct ancestors of today’s United Nations and Olympic movement. The ancient stadium discovered at Nemea is, therefore, an important monument in the history of such institutions.

The Olympic movement has become an ever more important and complex international event, and a symbol of the nobler aspirations of our human race. But it has also become increasingly removed from those who are not extraordinarily athletically gifted. The average person, inspired by the ancient lessons of peace and hopeful of participation in the movement finds even the role of spectator difficult to fulfill at the modern Olympics.

The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games believes that there is scope for the average person to participate in such an international athletic festival where no records will be kept and no medals awarded. Races will be organized by gender and age, and participants will be rewarded only by bare feet sore from contact with the same stones and the same soil where ancient feet ran more than 2,000 years ago.

The Sixth Nemead will take place on June 11, 2016.  For more details about the organization and significance of the games, see ANCIENT BASIS;  for a living image of the games, see STEP INTO HISTORY;  to participate, see RUN.

 

“LIVIN’ AND LOVIN’ IT IN GREECE”  STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE REVIVAL OF THE NEMEAN GAMES

***

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *