Hellas: Athens participated in Earth Hour

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Created to take a stand against the threat of climate change, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming. It started as a local event in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million Sydney [...]

Halki International Seminars 2008

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The central theme for the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy’s (www.eliamep.gr) 2008 Halki International Seminars will be “Regional Flashpoints and Transatlantic Policies.” Discussions will concentrate on assessing current transatlantic strategies and drafting future policies for the stabilization of turbulent regions and the resolution of conflicts. Applications are welcome from policy-makers, [...]

Olympic Flame handed from Greece to Beijing

(ATHENS NEWS AGENCY) The Olympic Flame was turned over to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games organisers on Sunday 30 March afternoon during an internationally televised ceremony at Athens’ venerable Panathinaiko Stadium, the site for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, essentially inaugurating the reverse countdown for the closely watched upcoming Summer Games. (The Beijing Olympic [...]

The Olympic Flame Arrives in the City of Athens

(CITY OF ATHENS)  Memories of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games are being revived as the torch carrying the sacred Olympic flame arrives in the City of Athens tomorrow, Saturday, March 29, as part of its journey to Beijing. Seven torchbearers will represent the City of Athens in the historic Olympic Torch Relay, which was launched [...]

A Toast to Greek Wine

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)      The 8th Thessaloniki  International Wine Contest that was organised from March 19-21, ended in a very delightful way for the Greek wine industry as many Greek varieties proved true winners in this prestigious event organised by Wine Producers Association of the Northern Greece (www.wineroads.gr), within the context of Oenorama exhibition. Among 791 contesting wine [...]

Turkey Unveiled in the Greek Bridge Magazine

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   The Bridge magazine (www.bridge-mag.com) reports on European integration, Southeast Europe and the East Mediterranean.  The current issue now online (Issue 7), titled “Turkey Unveiled” presents an overall image of Turkey touching upon its political, economic and cultural aspects. Contributions include Conservatism Globalism vs Defensive Nationalism (Ziya Önis, Koç University), From Domestic Crisis  to Regional Challenge (Ioannis [...]

In Athens the Euro Mediterranean Cooperation

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) The Hellenic Parliament, through its speaker Dimitris Sioufas, is presiding over the 4th Plenary Session of the Euro Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, currently taking place in Athens. 37 country members from across the world, including European Union’s all 27 countries, are invited to attend the hearings.  The institution aims at promoting Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and will [...]

Italian honor for Greek Actor Irini Pappa

(GREEK NEWS AGENCY)  Italian ambassador in Greece Gianpaolo Scarante will host a reception in honour of veteran Greek actress Irini Pappa on the occasion of the 2008 International Culture Award that was bestowed on her by the organisation Premio Roma. An announcement by the Italian embassy states that Italy recognises Irini Pappa’s lengthy contribution to [...]

Greek Sculptor’s Pavlos Exhibition in Ancient Olympia

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  Greek sculptor’s Pavlos exhibition entitled “Flags of the World” was inaugurated on Tuesday by the Greek Minister of Tourism Aris Spiliotopoulos at the town hall of Ancient Olympia.  ”Flags of the World” includes flags of all the countries which will participate in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. The exhibition aims at elevating the values [...]

Greece’s longest tunnel opens

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   A new road tunnel measuring 4.8km – the longest in Greece - will open to traffic in April. The Egnatia Motorway’s two-way tunnel at Driskos, Ioannina north-western Greece that took seven years to complete, cuts through Mt. Mitsikeli linking the Ioannina plateau with the Arachthos River valley. A total of 76 two-way road tunnels [...]

Mini Guide of 2008 Events in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Always admired for its history, cultural heritage and beautiful landscape, Greece is now respected for the whole spectrum of its comparative advantages. From its status as an energy hub, a financial centre and overall gateway to Southeastern Europe to its leading role in shipping, Greece counts an increasing number of accomplishments and an [...]

Painter Mytaras elected member of Athens Academy

(ATHENS NEWS AGENCY) Painter Dimitris Mytaras was elected on Thursday as regular member of the Athens Academy. Mytaras was born in 1934 in Halkida and after his secondary education he arrived in Athens to study at the School of Fine Arts. During his studies he was awarded with two prizes. After completing his studies at [...]

Publications on Cavafy

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Three new editions of the acclaimed Greek poet C.P. Cavafy are presented in the latest issue of the “London Review of Books” (20.3.2008) and in “The Times” (14.3.2008). Charles Simic, in his article “Some Sort of Solution” reviews The Collected Poems by C.P. Cavafy, translated by Evangelos Sachperoglou, (Oxford University Press, 2007) [...]

Renewable Energy: Unexploited Potential

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    According to Kantor Management Consultants S.A’s latest report, Greece does not utilise its excellent potential in terms of renewable energy generation at an optimum level. Wind power is considered Greece’s strong point, however only a handful of large scale investment schemes are agreed and implemented. The consulting company attributes the inadequacy to [...]

Deutsche Telekom Back acquired 20% of Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) shares

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    On March 17, Deutsche Telekom – Europe’s biggest telephone company – acquired 20% of Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) shares from Marfin Investment Group (MIG) for €2.5 billion. The acquisition rendered the German giant the biggest stakeholder in the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation, after the Greek state, with 28%. Four days later, Minister of Finance [...]

Greece: Independence Day Celebrations

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Greece’s 187th anniversary of the March 25th Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire was celebrated with military, security forces and school parades across the country. The anniversary coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias declared himself “confident about the future of the [...]

March 25: Independence Day of Greece

GREEK NEWS AGENDA)            The celebration of Independence Day on March 25th refers to the Greek War of Independence (1821-1829). The declaration of the Greek Revolution against the Ottomans, the long war and its successful outcome with the establishment of an independent state inaugurate procedures of change which introduce the Greek society to modernity.  Eugene Delacroix’s painting of [...]

Olympic Games Exhibitions

Olympic Torches in Athens
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   An exhibition dedicated tο the Olympic Torches from 1936 to the Athens Olympic Games 2004 was presented under the auspices of the City of Athens, at the Technopolis Cultural Centre in Athens until March 19th. Rich photographic and audiovisual material, as well as the costumes of the priestesses participating throughout [...]

Greece: Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony for the Games Beijing 2008

(www.chinaview.cn)  The official Olympic flame lighting ceremony for the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 video:  http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/24/content_7850470.htm       
OLYMPIA, Greece, March 24 (Xinhua)  The Beijing Olympic flame was ignited in a traditional sun-ray ceremony on 11:45 on Monday at the Hera Temple of Ancient Olympia.

The Olympic Flame for the Beijing Olympic Games 2008 will Take Place in Ancient Olympia Today

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    The lighting of the Olympic Flame for the Beijing Olympic Games 2008 will take place in Ancient Olympia today. The ceremony of the lighting of the Olympic Flame marks the commencement of the Olympic Torch Relay, an event revived in 1936 for the Berlin Olympic Games. The Beijing Olympic Torch Relay 2008 is expected [...]