¡SI have always liked to give without getting anything in return, and the great fascination of being a volunteer is the feeling of independence and freedom. Being a volunteer is not something that can be done with logic, but one that is driven by compassion. For this reason volunteering is non-negotiable. This is very true, and is something that must be in our minds when organizing teams of volunteers. There is therefore a delicate balance between whatever goals have been set and the expectations of the volunteers themselves. This balance is without doubt the key to success for any volunteer program.

¡SPersonally, I have been enthralled by sailing. I have taken part in the organization of many local events as well as international meetings and have also organized friendly excursions so as to introduce the fun of sailing to other people. I have tried - and I hope I have succeeded - in encouraging many people to take part in Greek sailing teams; in particular it has been important to me to support and strengthen the role of women in the sport. In Seoul I was a volunteer for sailing. I was also a member of the public relations team of the bid committees for both the Athens 1996 and 2004 Olympic Games.

¡SUnfortunately, because volunteers aren't paid, some people have the impression that they are "Jacks of all trades" and not colleagues who can carry out and accomplish the tasks given to them. Frequently I have seen situations where professionals have brushed aside or tried to downgrade the volunteers, with the excuse that you cannot rely on someone whose period of involvement isn't fixed. This just goes to prove that the only recognition volunteers get is personal and comes through the work they do.

¡SOver the years that I have worked as volunteer, I have undertaken many jobs which I felt I could complete successfully. A volunteer must be able to handle many things --for this reason, training a volunteer is extremely important and complex. Apart from knowledge and ability, enjoying life is what counts, and inevitably accompanies whatever a volunteer does.

¡SVolunteerism demands friendliness, tolerance, understanding, willingness for participation, tenacity and persistence in achieving goals, together with honesty and tolerance of diversity. My experience has taught me that diversity can prove to be a never-ending source of creativity, fantasy and inspiration. Moreover, the Olympic games bring all the different people together in a worldwide ceremony of friendship for a few weeks, so that once again they can surpass themselves and feel united through their diversity.

¡SThe volunteering does not end, as the Olympic Flame is extinguished. The flame in the heart of man is not easily put out. It denotes the collective effort to achieve goals, creates relationships, experiences and memories that are never forgotten. Even if contact is lost after many years, as soon as a new opportunity presents itself, the flame of cooperation is rekindled.

¡SThe Athens 2004 Olympic Games is a unique opportunity for my country to present the Olympic Ideal as a way of linking the past to the present to the future. Greece is a country with great reserves of generosity, willpower and dynamism. The quality of life improves daily, and Greek society is now ready to link the Olympic Ideal creatively with modern lifestyles. The Games makes us all proud and provides us with a unique opportunity to leave a legacy, which will embrace our culture and national identity to our children for generations to come.

¡SAll these reasons lead me to believe that the volunteers will be able to express with their actions a better quality of life that symbolizes a more human, familiar and personal world. A world which can combine the old with the new, the foreign with the familiar, and the spirit with the body; the very values that can be found at the heart of what we call the Olympic Ideal.

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