A lot has happened at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, Greece, throughout its history, including gladiator fights to the death and the first modern Olympic Games.
However, it won't host Coca-Cola corporate events, as the city's culture minister shut down construction on a temporary conference structure for violating historic monument regulations, according to The Pinnacle Gazette.
What's happening?
The stadium, also known as the Kallimarmaro, is a renowned spot that dates all the way back to 330 B.C. The Coca-Cola construction project — basically a metal tent — was planned to host a leadership conference at one end of the stadium, according to Keep Talking Greece.
It was approved by local authorities with certain limits on how tall and how close to the monument Coca-Cola could build, The Pinnacle Gazette explained.
However, about a week into construction, backlash from the media, the public, and the mayor started brewing. The city's culture minister and the Central Council of Modern Monuments promptly revoked the permit for the project.
Several violations of the original agreement were cited, including building bigger and closer to the stadium than originally discussed. Another rule was broken by not communicating the construction progress to the government, per the Pinnacle Gazette.
Why is protecting historic places important?
The bits and pieces of ancient civilizations that are still around are incredibly special places — especially for people who live there today.
While there are regulations and laws in place to preserve these cherished cultural sites, big companies that don't have the best intentions can still be a threat. Even protected lands like National Parks have had to fight off real estate developers or companies.
In this case, that company was Coca-Cola, which historically does not always have preservation in mind. The beverage giant continues to create more plastic pollution than any other company worldwide, despite some efforts to improve its environmental impact.
What's being done to stop corporate takeovers of public spaces?
While Coca-Cola disputed the situation — specifically that it had failed to follow proper procedures — it ultimately canceled the event.
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Yes 💯 According to The Pinnacle Gazette, the Athens government is expected to tighten up guidelines for similar projects going forward. If a significant monument is involved, it could mean more in-depth reviews and chances for public input.
Consumer choices can also help send a message about these kinds of conflicts. Use your purchasing power to shop from brands whose actions you can get behind just as much as their products.
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