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World Poetry Day – 2011 Elytis Year

Odysseas Elytis and his work will be the focus of this year’s World Poetry Day, which is celebrated each year on March 21.
The National Book Centre of Greece (EKEBI) launches a poetry campaign including several events.
One of the day’s highlights is an event jointly organized by EKEBI and the Hellenic Authors’ Society which brings together well-known poets and writers such as Katerina Anghelaki-Rooke, Vassilis Vasilikos, Kiki Dimoula and Evgenia Fakinou to recite poems by Odysseas Elytis.
Athenians and citizens of Thessaloniki, Mytillini, Rhodes and Zakynthos will have the opportunity to come across illustrated verses by Elytis as public transport means will feature some of the Nobel laureate’s most beloved and renowned poems. Poetry reading nights, with young poets will also be held in Athens and Thessaloniki.
Moreover in Athens, poet Nanos Valaoritis will present a new theory regarding Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey at the Hellenic American Union, while at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, World Poetry Day will be celebrated through poetry, music and stand-up poetry.
The year 2011 has been designated as an Elytis Year by Culture and Tourism Ministry, in order to mark the 100th anniversary since the birth of the Nobel laureate poet.
Nobel Prize Organisation: Excerpt from Worthy It Is, Poetry International Web- Odysseas Elytis: I Lived the Beloved Name, Drinking the Sun of Corinth, Marina of the Rocks, The Wind That Loiters.
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

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Christmas in Greece

Traditionally, the Christmas holiday period in Greece lasts 12 days, until January 6, which marks the celebration of the Feast of the Holy Theophany (Epiphany).
There are many customs associated with the Christmas holidays, some of which are relatively recent, “imported” from other parts of the world (like eating turkey on Christmas day and decorating the Christmas tree).
The modern Christmas tree entered Greece in the luggage of the country’s first king, Otto of Greece, who ascended to the throne in 1833 – yet, the tree did not become popular until the 1940s.
In the past, Greeks decorated small Christmas boats in honour of St. Nicholas. Today, they are increasingly choosing to decorate boats, instead of trees, reviving this age-old Christmas tradition. Undoubtedly, celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Greece is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Xmas: A Word of Greek Origin
Where did “Xmas” come from? Some transliterations of Greek spell Christos as “Xristos.” The “X” stood in for the first letter of the word Christ (ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ).
“Xmas” has been used for hundreds of years in religious writing, where the X represents the Greek letter X (chi). While in modern times Xmas is regarded as a kind of slang, it was originally considered to be a perfectly respectful.
Christmas (“Χριστούγεννα”), the Feast of the Nativity of Jesus is one of the most joyful days of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Christmas Elves
Greece’s hobgoblins are called “kallikántzari,” friendly but troublesome little creatures which look like elves. Kallikantzari live deep down inside the earth and come to surface only during the 12-day period from Christmas until Epiphany. While on the earth’s surface, they love to hide in houses, slipping down chimneys and frightening people in various ways.
Throughout Greece, there are customs and numerous rituals performed to keep these hobgoblins away. In Epirus, residents place twelve spindles in front of the fireplace to prevent the kalikantzari from climbing down the chimney.
On Christmas Eve, in the town of Grevena, people place a large log in the corner of the house and set it alight. As the fire burns, lasting until the Feast of the Epiphany, it protects the family from the naughty kalikantzari. On the island of Cephalonia, women burn incense at the front door of their houses making the sign of the cross in order to repel these undesirable “guests.”
The “kallikántzari” disappear on the day of Epiphany when all the waters are blessed, and they return to the earth’s core.
Sweets & Treats
Traditional culinary delights symbolise good luck in the New Year and adorn the white-clothed tables. “Melomakarona” (honey cookies) and “kourabiedes” (sugar cookies with almonds) are the most characteristic. In the past, melomakarona were made exclusively for Christmas, while kourabiedes were prepared for the New Year.
Today, this distinction is not observed anymore and both melomakarona and kourabiedes are prepared and consumed throughout the festive season.
Another traditional custom that dates back to the Byzantine times is the slicing of the Vassilopita (St.Basil’s pie or New Year Cake). The person who finds the hidden coin in his/her slice of the cake, is considered to be lucky for the rest of the year.
At the meal table there is also a special decorated round loaf called “Vasilopsomo” or St. Basil’s bread -which is really identical in form to the “Christopsomo” or “Christ bread” eaten on Christmas Day – and the “Photitsa” or “Lights’ bread” that is eaten on Epiphany.
“Kalanda” or Carols
The singing of Christmas carols (or kalanda, in Greek) is a custom which is preserved in its entirety to this day. On Christmas and New Year Eve, children go from house to house in groups of two or more singing the carols, accompanied usually by the sounds of the musical instrument “triangle,” but also guitars, accordions, lyres and harmonicas.
Until some time ago, carollers were rewarded with pastries but nowadays they are usually given money. Listen to some sound extracts with Greek Christmas carols (Kalanda) from Ikaria Island. Things to Do, Places to Go…. 
A Christmas spirit is taking over the squares and streets of the country’s major cities, as local authorities organise a variety of events and festivities, culminating with New Year’s Eve countdown parties in central squares.
Festivities in Athens revolve around Syntagma Square and its Christmas tree, with daily concerts throughout the season, while the National Garden turns into storybook Magical Forest for children.
Thessaloniki runs the country’s biggest Christmas village: the Helexpo pavilions are hosting Christmas Magic City, featuring shows, workshops and a big Christmas market.
The north-western city of Kastoria celebrates with “ragoutsaria,” the local carnival that starts on New Year’s Day, with every neighbourhood forming a carnival group, complete with brass band. In Agios Nikolaos, Crete, the New Year will come from the sea, with the New Year’s Eve party at the port, and Santa arriving on a boat.
And Holiday Performances
Venues and clubs participate in the Christmas spirit with special holiday performances.
The National Opera’s Christmas rich programme includes the Snow Queen ballet and Hansel and Gretel opera for children.
The Athens Concert Hall hosts the Bolshoi Theatre Academy on December 22-29, in a much-awaited performance of the Nutcracker, and the London Community Gospel Choir on December 27-28.
The recently inaugurated Onassis Cultural Centre presents Jean-Baptiste Thiérrée and Victoria Chaplin in their phantasmagoric yet poetic Invisible Circus, on December 28-30 and January 1-2.
At the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, on December 27 & 28, the Sounds of Christmas Go Baroque: a festive concert featuring Baroque Concertos.
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

Eminent Greek Authors Digitised

Tributes in the form of cultural events and publications prepared over the last few years by the National Book Centre to commemorate birth or death anniversaries of eminent Greek writers now take a permanent place in the Centre’s digital archive.
Authors such as Stratis Tsirkas and M. Karagatsis, as well as poets like Nikos Kavvadias have their own website in the progressively increasing Book Centre’s electronic archive of Modern Greek literature. The latest addition bears the name of poet Yiannis Ritsos, whose 100-year birth anniversary was observed in 2009.
National Book Center: Modern Authors Archives in Greek
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

2010 Έτος Νίκου Καββαδία-Ραδιοφωνικό αφιέρωμα

Έτος Νίκου Καββαδία
100 χρόνια από τη γέννησή του
Αφιέρωμα από το Δεύτερο Πρόγραμμα 103,7 σε συνεργασία με το ΕΚΕΒΙ
Φέτος συμπληρώνονται 100 χρόνια από τη γέννηση του μεγάλου ποιητή και το 2010 έχει κηρυχθεί «Έτος Νίκου Καββαδία». Ο θαλασσινός ποιητής, ναυτικός, Νίκος Καββαδίας ή «Κόλλιας» γεννήθηκε στις 11 Ιανουαρίου 1910 σε μια επαρχιακή πόλη του Χαρμπίν στη Μαντζουρία, από γονείς Κεφαλλονίτες. Το Νοέμβριο του 1928, έβγαλε το πρώτο του ναυτικό φυλλάδιο ως “ναυτόπαις” και μπαρκάρισε τον επόμενο χρόνο στο φορτηγό “Άγιος Νικόλαος”. Από το 1954 μέχρι και το 1974, ταξίδευε διαρκώς με πολύ μικρά διαλείμματα. Τα πιο σημαντικά του έργα: Μαραμπού (1933), Πούσι (1947), Τραβέρσο (1975),Το ημερολόγιο ενός τιμονιέρη: Αθησαύριστα πεζογραφήματα και ποιήματα, επιμέλεια Guy (Michel) Saunier, Βάρδια (1954), Λι (1987), Του πολέμου/Στ’ άλογό μου (1987), έμειναν χαραγμένα στη μνήμη και στην καρδιά των Ελλήνων και μεγαλώνουν γενιές σε σχολεία και πανεπιστήμια.
Το Δεύτερο Πρόγραμμα 103,7 σε συνεργασία με το Εθνικό Κέντρο Βιβλίου παρουσιάζει από τις 31 Μαΐου μέχρι τις 4 Ιουνίου ένα αφιέρωμα στον σπουδαίο Έλληνα ποιητή. Κάθε ημέρα, από τις 7 το απόγευμα μέχρι τις 10 το βράδυ, το έργο του Νίκου Καββαδία μέσα από το μάτια των ανθρώπων που τον έζησαν, τον μελέτησαν, τον μελοποίησαν και τον τραγούδησαν.
Μιλούν (με αλφαβητική σειρά) Γιώργος Ζεβελάκης (Ερευνητής Λογοτεχνίας), Έλγκα Καββαδία (ανιψιά και κληρονόμος ποιητή), Δημήτρης Καλοκύρης (συγγραφέας-ποιητής), Γιάννης Κοντός (ποιητής), Μαριανίνα Κριεζή (στιχουργός), Μαίρη Μικέ (καθηγήτρια Φιλολογίας Αριστοτέλειου Πανεπιστημίου), Θανάσης Νιάρχος (συγγραφέας), Σταύρος Πετσόπουλος (εκδότης), Γιώργος Τράπαλης (συγγραφέας-γλωσσολόγος), Διονύσης Τσακνής (τραγουδοποιός), Φίλιππος Φιλίππου (συγγραφέας), Αντώνης Φωστιέρης (ποιητής), Τηλέμαχος Χυτήρης (πολιτικός-ποιητής).
Ερμηνεύουν (με αλφαβητική σειρά) Γιώργος Ανδρέου, Χρήστος Θηβαίος, Γιάννης Κούτρας, Μαρίζα Κωχ, Θάνος Μικρούτσικος, Ελένη Τσαλιγοπούλου, και μαθητές των Αρσάκειων Σχολείων.
Στο ακριβώς κάθε ώρας, ποιήματα του Ν. Καββαδία διαβάζει ο ηθοποιός Γιώργος Κιμούλης.
Ένα αφιέρωμα που χρωστάμε στον σπουδαίο Έλληνα, στον μεγάλο ποιητή. Συντονιστείτε και συναντήστε τις θάλασσες, στις οποίες ταξίδεψε ο Νίκος Καββαδίας.
31 Μαΐου – 4 Ιουνίου, 19.00 – 22.00
στο Δεύτερο Πρόγραμμα 103,7
(Πηγή: ΕΚΕΒΙ)