Demetrius Vikelas

Demetrius Vikelas was a Greek businessman and writer who played a significant role in the revival of the Olympic Games in the modern era. He was born in Ermoupoli, on the island of Syros, in 1835. His father was a merchant from Veria and his mother was a member of the wealthy Melas family. He received his education at home from his mother and later moved to Constantinople and Odessa to work for his father's business. He also developed an interest in literature and translated works by Jean Racine and William Shakespeare into Greek. He moved to London in 1852 to join his uncles' business and married Kalliope Zalokosta, the daughter of a Greek poet and diplomat. He also attended evening classes at University College London and learned German and Italian. He published his first anthology of poems in 1862 and wrote numerous articles for London periodicals on various topics. He moved to Paris in 1863 and devoted himself to literature and history. He wrote several novels, short stories and essays that earned him a distinguished reputation in the Greek literary scene. He also became involved in philanthropic and educational activities for the Greek community in Paris. He founded the Melas Institute, which provided preschool education for Greek children in rural areas. He also helped establish a Greek school in London and supported the publication of Greek books and newspapers. He was a loyal supporter of the Greek cause and advocated for the liberation of Crete from Ottoman rule. He also participated in the Cretan Revolt of 1866-1869 as a member of the Cretan Committee in Paris. He was a friend of Pierre de Coubertin, the French educator and historian who initiated the idea of reviving the Olympic Games in the modern era. He was invited by Coubertin to represent Greece at the Congress of Paris in 1894, where the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded and the first modern Olympic Games were planned to be held in Athens in 1896. Vikelas was elected as the first president of the IOC and presided over the organization and preparation of the Games. He faced many challenges and difficulties, such as the lack of funds, facilities and public support, but he managed to overcome them with his diplomatic skills and enthusiasm. He also secured the participation of many countries and athletes and ensured the success of the Games. He stepped down as the president of the IOC after the Games and handed over the office to Coubertin. He remained active in the Olympic movement and attended the Olympic Congress in Brussels in 1905. He also continued his literary and cultural pursuits and published several works on Greek history, mythology and folklore. He died in Athens in 1908 and was buried at the First Cemetery of Athens. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of the Olympic Games and a prominent representative of the Greek diaspora.