Visit of the President of the Hellenic Paralympic Committee | USC

A visit of the President of the Hellenic Paralympic Committee, Mr. Georgios Kapellakis, to Los Angeles. Paralympic Movement and Building an Inclusive Legacy for LA28, co-hosted by the Consulate General of Greece in Los Angeles and the USC Center on Public Diplomacy.

Mr. Kapellakis is a golden Olympian and he is leading our Paralympic Athletes who will compete during the LA28 Paralympic Games!

He is invited to give a speech at the USC School of Public Diplomacy on Monday, October 12th, at 12pm, as the keynote speaker at the 3rd event in our “Olympic Ideals” Series that our Consulate General is cohosting with the USC CPD.

Date: Monday, October 12, 2026
Time: Noon – 1:30 p.m. PT
Location: USC John McKay Center – Auditorium

RSVP here:  

https://uscannenberg.formstack.com/forms/olympic_ideals_paralympic_committee 

Join us for an inspiring conversation on the Paralympic Games, the advancement of accessible and inclusive sport, and the opportunities surrounding the legacy of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, featuring Georgios Kapellakis, Hellenic Paralympic Committee President and Paralympic Gold Medalist. 

Georgios Kapellakis is President of the Hellenic Paralympic Committee and a Paralympic gold medalist in swimming. A former elite athlete in the S2 classification, he competed at four Paralympic Games, including Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016. At the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, he won gold in the 50-meter freestyle, along with one silver and two bronze medals. He also became European champion in the 50-meter backstroke in 2009. Since retiring from competitive swimming, Kapellakis has continued to contribute to the development and promotion of Paralympic sport in Greece and around the world, through leadership roles in the Hellenic Paralympic Committee and the sports organization Megalonisos. 

This event will explore the role of sport in expanding access, challenging perceptions of disability, and promoting inclusion. The conversation will also look ahead to Los Angeles 2028 and consider how host cities, universities and community partners can help ensure that the impact of the Games extends beyond competition to create a lasting legacy of accessibility and participation. 

The conversation is part of the Olympic Ideals Series, an ongoing collaboration between CPD and the Consulate General of Greece exploring the values, diplomacy and cultural connections surrounding the Olympic and Paralympic movements as Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world in 2028. 

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Vicki Higgins, Program Manager, at vahiggin@usc.edu or 213-821-6582. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Also, Mr. Kapellakis will be in our Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Sophia on Sunday, October 11th, in the morning, for the Holy Liturgy and he is looking forward to meeting all of you afterwards at the Huffington Center!