Greek – Chinese Relations Grow

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to arrive in Athens on Monday, November 24, and it is expected that this visit will herald a new era in bilateral relations between Greece and China, which date back to 1972. The recent development of Sino-Greek relations has been stunning, especially in the sectors of economy and culture. After Athens hosted the Olympic Games 2004, preparations for the Olympic event in Beijing began, which required officials to meet regularly and discuss everything from know-how to security. These meetings soon expanded to include not only sports, but also trade, shipping and tourism. Discussions have helped China’s Cosco Pacific take over the cargo management services of state-controlled Piraeus port in a 35-year deal assessed to be worth €4.3 billion, and the Chinese president is expected to seal the deal officially during his trip next week. Other sectors of trade include lottery and jewellery: lottery systems supplier Intralot is a Greek company expanding into the Chinese market, and the Folli-Follie group has more than 80 points of sale in China. The population of the Chinese community in Greece – estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 – is not merely interested in commercial relations with Greece, but also in evolving into a prosperous and integrated community, on many levels, throughout the country. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Greek- Chinese Bilateral Relations; Embassy of Greece in Beijing: www.grpressbeijing.com Mediainfo2004.gr: From Athens to Beijing; InterChina Cultural Centre in Piraeus: www.interchina.gr Secretariat General of Information: Feature Stories-The Greeks and the Chinese: Doing business for aeons (Economist, 21.08.08)

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Greek Participation at Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games

The Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games take place from September 6 to 17. The 69 Greek Paralympic athletes left Athens on August 29 for the eleven-day sports event. The Greek team counts 53 men and 16 women, who will compete in power lifting, swimming, boccia, cycling, shooting, athletics, archery, judo, sailing, wheelchair tennis and wheelchair fencing. In total, 4,000 athletes from more than 150 countries are expected to participate in Beijing’s 13th Summer Paralympics.  Beijing 2008 Paralympics: en.paralympic.beijing2008.cn/; Hellenic Paralympic Committee: www.paralympic.gr; Secretariat General of Information: About Greece-Sports

Greeks Returning Home from Beijing 2008

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The 29^th Olympic Games ended on August 24 after 16 days and 17 nights of sporting celebration. Although not equivalent to the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Greek harvest of medals is considered well satisfying. Greek athletes won two silver medals, one in rowing (Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls) with Vassilis Polymeros and Dimitris Mougios and another one in taek won do with Alexandros Nikolaidis winning his second Olympic medal after Athens 2004. Another two bronze medals were won by Sofia Bekatorou, Sofia Papadopoulou and Virginia Kravarioti in sailing (Yngling class), while our 2004 gold medal winner Chrysopigi Devetzi reached the third place in triple jump. With regard to the doping incidents, the International Olympic Committee has commissioned a full investigation over the Greek athletes who were disqualified facing charges of illegal substances use. IOC will recourse to the Greek courts, while measures have been taken in order to enhance already existing legislation concerning doping,this time introducing harsher penalties.  Hellenic Olympic Committee: www.2hoc.gr

The Greek Media Experience Transfered to Beijing

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    On the occasion of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Secretariat General of Information introduced its “mediainfo2004 – Media Services for the Olympic Games” website (www.mediainfo2004.gr). This website subscribed to the idea of a “one-stop-shop” service for media professionals, who wished to cover contemporary Greece before and during the Olympic Games 2004. The website was affiliated with the Zappeion Olympic Press Center, situated in central Athens in the grounds of the Zappeion Mansion. Secretary General of Information Panos Livadas, the Zappeion Olympic Press Center director, was in Beijing recently at the invitation of the Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG). BOCOG publicly paid tribute to his advice and contribution in setting up and operating the Beijing International Media Center (www.2008bimc.cn).

Greece @ China’s Cultural Year

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Greece relishes international attention by being the honoured country for this year’s Cultural Year in China (www.greece-china.com). Culture Minister Mihalis Liapis on Sunday inaugurated the International Olympic Truce Centre exhibition at Beijing’s Hellenic House (“From ancient Olympia to Beijing 2008 – forty Greek and forty Chinese artists discuss the Olympic Truce” ) in the presence of former International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch. The “Agon” exhibition by the National Archaeological Museum, initially held in Athens during the 2004 Olympic Games, presents themes from the athletic events of the ancient Olympic Games, along with the whole context of poetry, theatre and artistic competitions held from time to time at the major temples throughout the Greek world (Beijing’s Capital Museum). Dimitris Papaioannou, director of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games opening ceremony, brought his adapted version of ancient Greek tragedy Medea to Beijing (Grand National Theatre in Beijing on August 1 and 2). Greece will be the country of honour at the 15th International Beijing Book Fair to be held early September 2008. Greece is the fourth country after France, Russia and Germany to be receiving such an honourary invitation. Within the same framework, China will be the country of honour at the Thessaloniki International Book Fair in 2010.

From Athens 2004 to Beijing 2008

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  In 2004, the Olympic Games returned to Greece, the country of their birthplace, and Athens, the city of their revival in modern times. In 2008, Beijing is hosting the Olympic Games for the first time in its pioneering history as a seat of authority and government as well as culture and learning. Greece and China have benefited from a favourable development of friendly cooperation cooperation in political, economic, and cultural affairs. On the political side, top government officials have paid many visits to China, the latest being the one of President Karolos Papoulias last June. Concerning economic prospects, Greece can constitute a potential base of operations, from where China could expand its business in the EU, the Balkans and the Mediterranean. Shipping leaves much room for economic cooperation and the latest Cosco Pacific Ltd’s deal over Piraeus port inaugurates a fruitful synergy in the broader field.   Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Greece’s relations with China; mediainfo2004.gr: From Athens 2004 to Beijing 2008; Press and Communication Office – Beijing: www.grpressbeijing.com  
                                                     Greece @ 2008 Olympics
Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, Culture Minister Michalis Liapis, Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis, and General Secretary of Information Panos Livadas are in Beijing for the Olympic Games. Greece will participate in the XXIX Olympic Games of Beijing with 156 athletes, 84 men and 72 women. 22-year-old gold medal winner in the 2004 Olympic Games judoka Ilias Iliadis will be the flag bearer of the Hellenic delegation during the Opening Ceremony, at the Olympic Stadium. Hellenic Olympic Committe: www.hoc.gr; SportInGreece.com: Olympics 2008

Greek Ideas in Action…in China

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)              General Secretary for Information Panos Livadas was in Beijing last week at the invitation of the Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), Executive Vice-President Jiang Xiaoyu. Livadas was the media director of the Press Centre for non-accredited to the Games journalists during the ATHENS 2004 Olympics (www.mediainfo2004.gr). BOCOG adopted his idea and publicly paid tribute to his advice and contribution in setting up and operating the Beijing International Media Center for non-accredited journalists opened on July 8. More than 5,000 reporters, including 2,700 from abroad, have been registered so far. “I am very happy to see that BOCOG has set up a media center for non-accredited journalists” Livadas said, adding that “such reporters like to focus on the social and cultural aspects of the host nation.” He further pointed out that the legacy of holding the Athens Olympics was positive, and Greece used the event to re-brand itself. “I am sure the Beijing Olympics will be truly wonderful,” he underscored.  China Daily: Greek official hails media facilities  

From Greece the Routes of the Olive Tree

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    On the occasion of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, a “lame of Peace”will travel from the Mediterranean Sea into the depths of Asia, Beijing and Moscow. Motorcyclists participating in the “Routes of the Olive Tree” initiative, a programme of cultural journeys and activities inspired by the olive tree,  will ride on the “Routes of Silk” to transmit the messages symbolised by the olive tree, namely the need for peaceful coexistence. The journey will start from Messenia, Southern Greece, on the occasion of a big Mediterranean Feast, the 63rd Rally FIM of 2008 (7-14 July 2008 Pylos-Yalova), during which 2,000 motorcyclists from 44 countries will gather in order to bid travellers goodbye. The event is open only to motorcyclists who will “combine business with pleasure”; they will start their ride symbolically from ancient Messene and will cover 22,000 km with a view to carrying the “Flame of Peace” to 16 countries: Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, CHINA, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Moldavia, Romania, Bulgaria, FYROM and Greece. 

Greece: Waking the Dragon

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias arrived in Beijing on Sunday, for a five-day visit to China. Papoulias, who has already met with President Hu Jintao and the premier Wen Jiambao, commented on China’s “tremendous economic and political role” and was very satisfied to see bilateral relations reaching “the highest levels of cordiality and friendship”. Bilateral agreements focused on matters of justice, foreign aid cooperation, tourism, culture, international affairs such as climate change, as well as on educational issues. 

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 of the Olympic Truce by using nation’s trade marks such as their flags. Next stop for the exhibition is Athens, and then Beijing.