Athens, 10/01/2025
PRESS RELEASE
A special event was organized by the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) and the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, with the sponsorship of AEGEAN, on Thursday 9th of January 2025, at the Jacqueline de Romilly Hall of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports. The event honored the top five students who admitted through the 2024 National exams from all departments and faculties of universities in Greece.
The special ceremony was honored by the presence of the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, Mr. Kyriakos Pierrakakis, representatives and officials, prominent members of the academic and research community, as well as members of the Administrative Board and staff of IKY.
All the awardees received a Prize and a Certificate of Excellence for their outstanding performance in the national exams. Additionally, the first-year student who has enrolled with the highest score through the 2024 national exams in the schools and departments of higher education institutions in Greece will be awarded a prize of one thousand euros (1,000.00 euros) by the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY).
The event was supported by AEGEAN through its sponsorship, which rewarded the students by offering them a trip to any destination within its network, as well as covering their travel expenses to the award ceremony.
The President of the Administrative Board of IKY, Mrs. Vasiliki Kinti, in her opening speech, referred to the work of IKY, which for over 70 years has supported the individual efforts of thousands of young people to acquire knowledge and qualifications. She has also emphasized the assistance that IKY provides to Greek society, as it promotes equality of opportunities and strengthens social mobility.
“Excellence is a continuous struggle to improve ourselves and achieve our goals,” emphasized Mrs. Kinti. Addressing the students, she stated, “You set your goals, worked hard, and achieved them. Now, you must continue your efforts to another level. Think of this period as a starting period unique in your life: with no other obligations beyond learning in many and various fields. It is a period of exploration, testing, and discovery that primarily depends on you. You are taking the baton of knowledge in humanity’s relay race.”
Afterwards, the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports, Mr. Kyriakos Pierrakakis, took the floor: “We are here to congratulate, to honor, to recognize the immense effort made by the top students of last year’s National Examinations, an effort that is reflected in your faces and in those of your families, your teachers.”
For us, excellence is not a state; it is a process. It is not something you achieved today at the age of 18 by succeeding in a very difficult challenge and then can be satisfied with that. It is a way of thinking that means conquering the next peak and striving to become the best version of yourself – and this means many different things for each one of us.
The world around us is changing, its pace is accelerating, and the demands are multiplying. What we are here today to recognize in your faces and efforts is this way of thinking. It’s about continuously improving yourself, doing so not individually, but in connection with your friends, your environment, the surrounding space, and your country, constantly offering and conquering the next peak, the next goal.
A big thank you to AEGEAN, a big congratulations to IKY, and personally to its Chairwoman Vasso Kinti for all the efforts she is making, essentially through the reorganization and reform of the Foundation, so it can fulfill its founding purpose with the terms of 2025.
On behalf of AEGEAN, the CEO of AEGEAN, Mr. Dimitris Gerogiannis, delivered a greeting:
“Firstly, I would like to congratulate IKY and the Ministry of Education for this initiative, as well as for giving AEGEAN the opportunity to participate and sponsor this event, which recognizes and rewards students who excelled. Next, dear students, I would like to congratulate you on your remarkable success. It is very important to continue to have strong motivation and goals in your life, to love what you do, and to keep seeking knowledge. Knowledge is what nurtures critical thinking, and that, in turn, fosters constructive and productive questioning, which is the driving force behind change and improvement in every aspect of our lives. You have already made a positive impact and sent a message to Greek society, and now it is our job to help support and strengthen that message, ensuring that public education remains the driving force of social mobility and opportunity creation. Universities must become more active parts of society and the economy, equally nurturing both soft skills and hard skills in students. On the other hand, businesses, when you enter the job market, must create the conditions for you to apply the knowledge you have gained, to enjoy the excellent results that come from teamwork, and to link practical experience with academic knowledge.”
The attendees followed with interest the brief remarks of the top four students from the 2024 national exams, who shared with the audience their experiences, the challenges they faced, their goals, and their plans for the future with maturity, special humor, and responsibility.
You can watch the video of the event here.
