ATHENS — Athens Mayor Costas Bakoyannis on Thursday decorated the chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Robert Menendez, with the Medal of the City of Athens at a special event held earlier on Thursday at the Athens City Hall.

The event was attended by US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt and Greek Ambassador to the US Alexandra Papadopoulou.

Athens mayor Bakoyannis presents Senator Menendez with the Medal of the city of Athens. (Photo by Eurokinissi/Yiorgos Kontarinis)

In his address, the senator spoke of Athens as an inspiration to the world with its ancient history and innovative present and referred to the joint history of Greece and the United States, particularly the influence of the Greek War of Independence, now in its 200th anniversary, on Americans.

Bakoyannis spoke of Menendez's support of Greece and Cyprus, the EastMed initiative, and the shared ideal of democracy Greece and the United States share.

Athens mayor Bakoyannis presents Senator Menendez with the Medal of the city of Athens. (Photo by Eurokinissi/Yiorgos Kontarinis)

Menendez is visiting the country for contacts with the state and political leadership on the occasion of the 200th anniversary since the 1821 Greek Revolution that led to the founding of the modern Greek state.

He will deliver a speech at the Acropolis Museum at 21:00 on Thursday, at an event organised by the "Greece 2021" Committee, in the context of the Forum "Greece in 2040".

Athens mayor Bakoyannis presents Senator Menendez with the Medal of the city of Athens. (Photo by Eurokinissi/Yiorgos Kontarinis)

Athens mayor Bakoyannis presents Senator Menendez with the Medal of the city of Athens. (Photo by Eurokinissi/Yiorgos Kontarinis)