Former President Barack Obama visited famous actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson on the island of Antiparos earlier this week. Obama’s touched down on a private flight to the island of Paros. Former President Obama did not come without an entourage – Supposedly, he was accompanied by 35 security personnel. The Civil Aviation Authority, the Police and the Coast Guard were busy preparing in Athens and Paros.
What did Obama and Tom Hanks Eat?
The stars dined together at a local taverna. Among the local plates the Obamas sampled along with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were fava bean crepe, dusky grouper carpaccio, marinated mullet from the open sea, grilled rockfish and trahanas with local lobster.
Former President Obama departed on June 20th, and set a course for Athens and the SNF Nostos Conference 2023. On June 22, he discussed ways to strengthen democracy and took part in the Obama Foundation Leaders program.
Tom Hanks: A Greek Citizen
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are now honorary citizens of Greece. They received their citizenship back in 2020, accompanied by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his wife. The movie star couple was granted citizenship because they helped bring attention to a devastating fire near Athens in 2018. Wilson has Greek heritage and the couple has been visiting Greece for years. They have come to love the Greek way of life, and Hanks later converted to Orthodoxy.
Hanks says “Greece is a haven… I’ve been around the world, I’ve been to the most beautiful places in the world, none of them tops Greece. The land, the sky, the water, it’s good for the soul, it’s a healing place.“
High-profile visitors usually like visiting in June because there are fewer people and fewer privacy and security issues to deal with. Still, it’s likely that the former president tried to travel with as much secrecy and discretion as possible. He was, however, caught walking through the streets of the island of Sifnos wishing a good evening to passersby as they went to dinner.
Obama’s Speech in Athens
Former president Obama also visited Athens on June 22nd to deliver a speech at the SNF Nostos Conference, which was organized by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. It’s the first time he will deliver a speech at this conference since he was in Greece in 2016.
Obama’s visit to Athens is also motivated by a chance to meet leaders from the Obama Foundation Leaders program, which features 105 leaders from Africa, Asia-Pacific and Europe who represent 75 nations and territories. Obama’s tour in Athens is set to finish on June 23rd.
