An Indian philanthropist and a couple of Dutch tourists, exceptional friends and lovers of the island, were awarded by the Municipality of Rhodes.
The Tourism Directorate of the Municipality of Rhodes awarded them the highest honors, a platinum plaque and a gold honor, as they are the best ambassadors of the island.
“I have three homelands, India, the country where I was born, Germany, the country where I live and create, and Rhodes, which I love and visit for more than 35 years, twice a year!” With these extraordinary words, drawn from his soul, the great Indian philanthropist who supports children, schools, and hospitals in his homeland of India, Manherlal Nanubhai Desai, shows the great love he has for our island.
He also thanked from the bottom of his heart the executives of the Tourism Directorate who awarded him the golden honorary distinction for the friends of Rhodes and specifically the Director Dr. Nikos Manikaros and the Tourism-Culture Advisor Maria Hadjikyriakidou, who represented the Tourism Directorate of the Municipality of Rhodes at the awards ceremony, due to the absence of the Deputy Mayor of Tourism & Culture Georgios Toppou abroad.
Mr. Desai, who is worth noting, visits Rhodes with his wife Renate Dieter Ernst, who was unable to come to Rhodes this time. Come to the island in spring and autumn and have been staying at the Apollo Beach Hotel for a number of years. In spring, he visits Rhodes as a member of an international bridge team with other members, while in autumn, specifically in October, he comes with his family for a vacation.
At the award ceremony, Mr. Manherlal Nanubhai Desai was accompanied by the manager of the Apollo Beach Hotel, Georgios Koliadis, who, as he told us, considers him not only a friend but also a father after so many years, as well as by the well-known and excellent Rhodes journalist Nektarios Kalogirou.
Afterwards, the executives of the Tourism Directorate awarded a platinum plaque, the highest honorary distinction, to a Dutch tourist couple, Hans & Chris Statema, who have been visiting Rhodes continuously for over 50 years, more than 100 times, honoring them as ambassadors of Rhodes in their homeland and beyond.
Mr. and Mrs. Statema came to Rhodes with all their family members, children, and grandchildren, to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of their relatives on their beloved island.
Their ties to Rhodes are timeless! The island has taken root in their hearts, they have been enchanted by its unparalleled natural beauty, the history and culture that are reflected in every corner of it, but above all the warmth and hospitality of its inhabitants! They have even developed close family and friendly ties with the island’s residents.
The friends of the island spoke with the executives of the Tourism Directorate about their impressions and best memories from their holidays in Rhodes. They were given printed and digital material about Rhodes as well as invitations to screenings of Throne of Helios.
The director Mr. Manikaros thanked all the repeat visitors of Rhodes, the well-known repeaters, for the love they have for our island but also for the fact that by visiting Rhodes all these years, they are in practice the best ambassadors of the island in their homeland.
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