Black Sea Economic Cooperation

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  On June 25, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation (BSEC) commemorated its 16th anniversary. Ever since its establishment as International Organisation, BSEC has been responsible for developing intergovernmental, interparliamentary, economic, business and scientific cooperation between the countries of the broader Black Sea region. Although not on the Black Sea, Greece has been closely linked to all eleven other members of BSEC since ancient times. Greece’s significant role to BSEC is being constantly promoted through the operation of the Thessaloniki based Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, the International Center for Black Sea Studies, headquartered in Athens, as well as Greece’s recent presidency at BSEC’s Parliamentary Assembly. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Greece and the BSEC & Statement of FM Dora Bakoyannis on the occasion of the BSEC’s 16th anniversary

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XVI Światowy Festiwal Poezji Marii Konopnickiej

Towarzystwo im.   Marii Konopnickiej  poinformowało Ambasadę, że w dniach 13 – 16 sierpnia 2008r. odbędzie się XVI Światowy Festiwal Poezji Marii Konopnickiej nad którym patronat objął Pan Bogdan Borysewicz Marszałek Senatu RP.  (ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΕΙ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟ ΚΕΙΜΕΝΟ )

Greco-Australian Connections

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) In an article published at Australia’s Herald Sun, (15.4.2008), Peter Ewer reports on a special feature that keeps the peoples of Melbourne and Greece connected. “They seem to have almost merged in some ways. The cafes and lounges around Lonsdale street have the feel of Athens. But before the wave of immigration made Melbourne one of the world’s biggest ‘Greek’ cities, the two nations had forged a brotherhood in blood. It came from April 1941, with the brave but ill-fated efforts of a poorly organised British-Anzac force to defend Greece from Nazi invasion.” According to the reporter, the Greek community honoured on Saturday “the contribution of the Hellenes to the Australian war effort in the 20th century,” in the Melbourne Town Hall, while ten young Victorians will soon visit Greece as winners of the Premier’s Spirit of Anzac prize. 

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 residents turned the switch off for an hour. In 2008, 24 cities participated in Earth Hour at 8pm on March 29, including Athens. For 60 minutes, famous Greek monuments were kept in the dark, signaling Greece’s social sensitivity on environmental issues. Earth Hour Hellas: earthhourhellas.wordpress.com     

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 growing number of friends.  Greece is a well established brand and a timeless destination. A variety of exhibitions, conferences, business fairs, cultural events and research colloquiums are taking place throughout the country on a yearly basis. The following is a selection of such events during 2008.

Olympic Torch ceremony on Monday 24/3

(ATHENS NEWS AGENCY)     The lighting of the Olympic Flame for the 2008 Beijing Games and the start of the Olympic Torch Relay will take place on Monday with a ceremony in ancient Olympia at 11:00 a.m. Among those attending will be President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, main opposition PASOK President George Papandreou, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge and IOC honorary president Juan Antonio Samaranch. 

Το Δορυφορικό Πρόγραμμα της “ERT World”

( ΕΡΤ Α.Ε.) To εβδομαδιαίο πρόγραμμα του Ελληνικού δορυφορικού σταθμού ERT World από την 01/03/2008 έως 07/03/2008. Όλες οι ποδοσφαιρικές συναντήσεις, οι κινηματογραφικές ταινίες και οι εκπομπές που θα μεταδοθούν.

Winter storm blankets Greece with snow

(ATHENS NEWS AGENCY)  Heavy snowfall blanketed much of Greece on Sunday, as meteorologists’ predictions, days earlier, of a severe winter storm passing through the east Mediterranean proved extremely accurate.  The primary goal for state services over the weekend was to keep the main north-south road axis in the country, the Athens-Thessaloniki highway, opened, even if meant only for four-wheel drive vehicles or vehicles fitted with snow chains.

EADS Eurofighter Signs with Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) The fighter jet unit of aerospace giant European Aeronautic Defence & Space SA (EADS) signed a €9.7 million deal with Greece’s government controlled aerospace company Hellenic Aerospace Industry SA on February 5. Under the agreement, Hellenic Aerospace will obtain technology and know-how to bolster its airframe design and development capability at a newly created design centre recently opened by the company. The move comes before a much-anticipated tender by the Greek air force to purchase several dozen next- generation fighter aircraft. EADS’ warplane unit, Eurofigher, is one of several companies hoping to win a deal with Greece. Associated Press: EADS Eurofighter signs Greek contract 

Possible depth-bomb detected near anchor of cargo ship that ran aground off Thessaloniki

A round metal object, believed to be a depth bomb left over from World War II, was spotted by divers on the seabed near a Panama-flag cargo ship that ran aground off the coast of Akra, in Epanomi, Thessaloniki, and Navy bomb disposal experts were due to begin investigation on Friday morning.

A cargo ship is seen off the coast of Epanomi…

KATHIMERINI 

NIKOS ARVANITIDIS/ANA  

A cargo ship is seen off the coast of Epanomi, near Thessaloniki, yesterday. The Panama-flagged Gerda Vesta ran aground on Monday but experts were yesterday trying to defuse a World War II mine that was discovered very near the ship.

Digital Greece

The Greek Information Society has made a significant progress over the last few years thanks to the implementation of the Digital Strategy 2006-2013 and the increase of competition in the broadband market. The Digital Strategy 2006-2013 is compatible with the “Growth and Jobs” Lisbon Strategy and the i2010 policy. It utilizes more effectively existing financing instruments, such as the Operational Programme for “Information Society” in the context of the 3rd Community Support Framework, and the Operational Programme “Digital Convergence” which lies within the framework of the National Strategic Reference Framework 2007-2013.

Meeting of the “Olive Group”

The 5^th Informal Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Mediterranean EU member states known as the “Olive Group” (Paphos, 17-18.1.2008), concluded its proceedings in Cyprus. Greece was represented by Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and Deputy Foreign Minister Yannis Valinakis. The meeting’s agenda included current affairs of Mediterranean interest, i.e. the Middle East Peace Process, the European cooperation initiative for a collective response to natural disasters, Kosovo, and the recently proposed “Mediterranean Union.”

Children in the Greek Museums

In a growing, worldwide trend aimed at making museums more interesting for children, Athenian museums are beginning to attract the Lilliputian crowd by making exhibits fun and friendly.

Poland Signals Doubts About Planned U.S. Missile-Defense Bases on Its Territory

New York Times / By JUDY DEMPSEY / Published: January 7, 2008

BERLIN — Signaling a tougher position in negotiations with the United States on a European antiballistic-missile shield system, Poland’s foreign minister says his country’s new government is not prepared to accept American plans to deploy missile-defense bases in Poland until all costs and risks are considered.

Greece respects privacy

Greece has topped the “International Privacy Ranking” list for 2007. The London-based Privacy International (PI) and Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information have published the 2007 rankings report. Greece, Romania and Canada had the best privacy records of 47 countries surveyed. The report recognizes countries where privacy protection and respect for privacy is nurtured, while identifying countries in which governments and privacy regulators have failed to create a healthy privacy environment. PI is a human rights group formed in 1990 as a watchdog on surveillance and privacy invasions by governments and corporations. PI is based in London and has an office in Washington, D.C.
International Herald Tribune: A privacy group paints much of the world in black

Gourmet Greece

From its celebrated virgin olive oil and its historic wines to its flavorsome tomatoes, ripe, sun-drenched fruits and wonderful cheeses, Greece offers a stunning array of fine foods and drinks unique to its islands, its traditional villages and regions.  Many of these gourmet delicacies are unknown or unappreciated outside of Greece.  Epikouria magazine (www.epikouria.com), published twice yearly in English, is not just to promote but to celebrate the extraordinary products available for export from Greece.  
Epikouria magazine: Issue 5 Fall/Winter 2007, Media Kit 2008; More Gourmet Greece Initiatives: Kerasma – Greece’s Offering to the World, Gourmed – Taste the Med

Sarkosy’s Greek roots

“Me the grandson of a Greek,” a book about the roots of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, went on sale this week. Sarkozy’s great-grandfather, Mordechai Mallah and his wife Reina, both living in Salonika, had seven children.
One of the children, Benico Mallah was 14 when he left Greece with his mother for France where he studied medicine and served in the French army as a doctor during WWI. The book reveals various details of Sarkozy’s Greek roots such as that two members of his family, Asser Mallah and Pepo Mallah, were members of the Greek parliament during the early 20th century. Most of the members of the Mallah family perished in the Holocaust.
In July 2006, while on a visit to Greece, Sarkozy was honoured at the French embassy in Athens by the Thessaloniki Jewish Community.
Giorgos Anastasiadis, Leon Nar, Christos Raptis, “I, the grandson of a Greek,” Kastaniotis Publications, 2007
European Jewish Press: A Greek book on Nicolas Sarkozy; Sarkozy: “My roots are in Salonika”

Greece donates 200,000 euros to IMO for Lebanon

In the context of its broader effort to support the people and restoration of the state of Lebanon, the Permanent Representation of Greece in Geneva has granted the sum of 200,000 euros to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which offers psychological and social support to the Lebanese and to the other population of the country which has suffered from the clashes of July 2006 in southern Lebanon.Greece also responded immediately to the appeal by the UNRWA during the start of the crisis in the refugee settlement Nahr el Bared in June 2007, donating the sum of 500,000 euros in aid of the Palestinian refugees which live in the settlement.

Greece, Bulgaria, Romania to step-up cooperation for Balkan stability, growth

“Greece, Bulgaria and Romania have increased resonsibilities for stability and growth on the Balkan region, and we intend to shoulder these responsibilities,” Greek foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis said on Saturday, following a tripartite meeting in Athens, at Greece’s initiative, with her Bulgarian and Romanian counterparts Ivaylo Kalfin and Adrian Cioroianu, respectively.