Officials from the Greek government explained in detail on Tuesday the reasons why it extended an offer of citizenship to Tom Hanks in December and also stated that the offer included Hanks’ wife, actress and producer Rita Wilson, and their two sons, Chester and Truman.

The decision, published in a government gazette and co-signed by Greek Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos, says that the Hanks family were offered Greek citizenship in recognition for their help in assisting victims of the deadly wildfires near Athens in July of 2018.

“The Hanks family provided excellent service to Greece, as during the devastating fire which broke out in at the resort of Mati in Attica; they made a decisive contribution to mobilizing and sensitizing the global community to reach out to the tested Greek citizens,” the decision relates.

The statement goes on to say “The Hanks family has given the signal all over the world for immediate relief actions to our fire-stricken fellow citizens, with the announcement of their intention to set up a global charity to raise large sums of money… In addition, the Hanks family, with their continued presence in Antiparos, where they own a home, have contributed to the global tourism promotion of the country”.

Read more: greek reporter