Mati residents send message of hope, determination
Residents of Mati and the nearby areas that so severely felt the effects of a deadly fire last July 23 lined up part of the route of the 36th Athens Marathon on Sunday to send a message of hope and determination that their devastated communities will flourish again.
The residents were wearing t-shirts proclaiming that “together, we’ll bring color back again” to once green areas now blackened by the fire, which claimed 99 lives, the worst such disaster in recent Greek history.
They also carried banners saying, in English, “We will never forget” and “99 of our friends left to die; don’t let our paradise die, too,” the latter a call to authorities to stick to their commitments to provide relief, help revitalize the area and ensure better protection from wildfires.
