International Conference “”More Europe” in and outside the EU. What role can culture play?” (Warsaw, 19/11/2012)

19 listopada 2012 (poniedziałek), godz. 9:30 – 20:00
Warszawa, Centrum Nauki Kopernik, Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20  

19 November 2012 (Monday), 9:30 am – 8:00 pm
Warsaw, Copernicus Science Center, Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20 

”MORE EUROPE” to obywatelska inicjatywa kulturalna, której celem jest podkreślenie i wzmocnienie roli kultury w relacjach zewnętrznych UE. Obecna edycja debaty ”More Europe“ odbywa się w stolicy największego kraju spośród tak zwanych „nowych członków“ UE. Polska, aktywnie współpracując w dziedzinie kultury z krajami spoza Unii, zwłaszcza z państwami Partnerstwa Wschodniego, pełni rolę „mostu“ pomiędzy Zachodem a Wschodem, także w obszarze polityki i gospodarki, kładąc jednocześnie szczególny nacisk na wzmocnienie społeczeństwa obywatelskiego przez kulturę. Debata dotyczyć będzie głównie sposobu, w jaki kultura może wspierać budowę europejskiej tożsamości kulturowej w oparciu o społeczeństwo obywatelskie wewnątrz i na zewnątrz UE; struktur do tego potrzebnych; a także sposobu, w jaki artyści i artystki oraz organizacje pozarządowe spoza UE, widzą te kwestie.

 “MORE EUROPE” is a civic cultural initiative that seeks to highlight and reinforce the role of culture in the external relations of the European Union. This edition of More Europe takes place in the capital of Poland, the biggest country among the so called “new” EU Member States and a very active player in the field of cultural co-operation with countries outside the European Union, notably the Eastern Partnership area. Poland acts as a “bridge” between the West and the East in terms of politics, the economy and culture, and puts special emphasis on strengthening civil societies through culture. The Warsaw debate will focus on ways in which culture can contribute to the development of a European cultural identity through the activities of civil societies inside and outside the EU. It will also look at the structures needed to support this process, and present insights of artists and NGOs from outside the EU.

Tłumaczenie: cała konferencja będzie tłumaczona na język polski i angielski
Interpreting: the entire conference will be interpreted into Polish and English
Informacja/Info:
www.austria.org.pl
prosimy o kontakt z /please contact at:
moreeurope@austria.org.pl; 0048 22 526 88 00

19-go listopada Centrum Nauki Kopernik, ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, będzie otwarte od godziny 8:30
Doors open at the Copernicus Science Center, Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20 Str., at 8.30 am on 19 November

“Greece is Changing” campaign

Greece is Changing, is a campaign launched through international media, in four languages, English, French, German and Dutch, aiming to bring to the attention of a wider international audience, through a series of graphs and compact information, the changes initiated in Greece in the last two years.
It is a one-off public service initiative funded by a group of leading Greek business people, whose aim is to ensure that the sacrifices made by every Greek under the toughest austerity package in modern history, are not in vain.

New era in Greek-Turkish relations

High Level Cooperation

Premier George Papandreou and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan expressed their will to take important steps towards the improvement of Greek-Turkish relations, as the Turkish leader wrapped up an official visit to Athens on Saturday.
This was sealed with the opening session of the Greece-Turkey High Level Cooperation Council and the signing of 21 agreements.
George Papandreou met with the chiefs of Turkish media, while Erdogan with the chiefs of the Greek newspapers.
The Greek premier told Turkish journalists that Erdogan’s visit heralds a new era in Greek-Turkish relations, further adding that the two sides had better overcome their differences. He also touched on economic cooperation between Athens and Ankara.

“We have an agreement”

Twenty-one cooperation agreements in fields as diverse as technology and tourism were signed during the Turkey-Greece High Level Cooperation Council.
Ministers signed agreements boosting trade, investments and shipping and the two countries will hereby extend their cooperation in projects concerning infrastructure works and transnational transport networks.
Relations between the two countries in the field of immigration will be governed by a bilateral agreement which provides for readmission of illegal immigrant flows to Turkey and cooperation in the fight against organized crime, trafficking and civil protection.
Both sides agreed to improve tourism cooperation, aiming at increasing their market share in countries with economic potential such as China, as well as raising global awareness on matters of cultural heritage protection.

Special attention was given to education and synergies concerning research. Environment protection and joint ventures in energy projects including renewable energy sources and the existing Turkey- Greece-Italy gas pipeline were also sealed with respective deals.
In terms of strengthening bilateral ties,  a Joint Political Declaration on the establishment of the High Level Cooperation Council as well as a Protocol on regular political consultations between the two countries’ foreign ministries were signed.

Signing the Olympic Truce

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan concluded on Saturday his landmark visit to Athens by signing the Olympic Truce initiative.

At a brief ceremony in front of the imposing Panathenaic Stadium, Erdogan referred to the “great honour in signing my name in this book; to put my signature for a world of peace.”
Papandreou said that Turkey’s support for the idea sends out a clear message “by Turkey and Greece to the world,” adding that Greece will actively support Istanbul’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games.
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

Hellas:from Tourism to World Heritage

“Kalimera”…It’s a Way of Life

“Kalimera”…the Greek word for ‘good morning’ is the new slogan for the advertising campaign of the Greek National Tourism Organization and Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The 2010 campaign was unveiled by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Angela Gerekou on March 8, and is based on a redesigned pattern of previous campaigns with the addition of the well-known greeting in the Greek language.
The campaign will be available through the renewed portal of Hellenic Tourism Organisation at the web address www.visitgreece.gr.
Kathimerini Daily: ‘Kalimera’ is the country’s new tourism motto    

A Popular Tourist Destination

Greece is the fourth most popular tourist destination in the European Union for 2010, according to a new Eurobarometer survey on “The attitudes of Europeans towards tourism.”
The EU Eurobarometer poll unveiled on March 8 shows that tourism is one of Europe’s most important service industries, accounting for 5% of Europe’s GDP and 6% of employment. Greece is the fourth most attractive tourist destination, after Spain, Italy, and France. 
European Commission: Tourism-Upbeat Prospects for 2010 Season  

“Med Diet” to Be Recognised by UNESCO 

The town of Koroni in Messinia Prefecture will represent Greece in an initiative put forth by four Mediterranean countries to have the “Mediterranean Diet” recognised by UNESCO as a cultural heritage of humanity. 
Koroni from Greece, Cilento from Italy, Soria from Spain and Chefchaouen from Morocco will join forces to ask the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to include the diet to its World Heritage List.
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

Immigration Policy:Interview of Giorgos Tsarbopoulos

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) In an interview with a Greek daily (Ta Nea), Giorgos Tsarbopoulos, head of the Greek branch of United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) comments on the government’s decision to overhaul Greece’s migration policy. Tsarbopoulos admits that the draft law on granting citizenship to immigrants is a positive initiative but needs to be supplemented. He says that naturalisation should be the first step within a broader social integration policy. Similarly, asylum policy needs to be enhanced by a well organised hospitality and welfare safety net. What is important about the new asylum policy is that it disassociates itself from the police and that a new independent body is created to address the issue. UNHCR recognises that within the European Union, the Dublin II Regulation has placed a disproportionate burden on Greece and advises other EU countries not to send back asylum seekers when their reception is deemed precarious.  Greek News Agenda: UN Refugees High Commissioner in Athens & A Joint Letter on Immigration; UNHCR: 2010 Regional Operations Profile – Greece

Hellenext: Next Generation Initiative

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)          The Next Generation Initiative is non-profit educational foundation in Washington DC, founded in 2002 by an independent, collaborative network of global Greeks.  Their mission is to engage the young men and women of the next generation and empower them with the skills and experience necessary for effective and affirmative leadership.  Currently, the organisation is looking for students with Greek ancestry interested in taking part in the first national online study exclusively for undergraduate and graduate students of Hellenic heritage: gotgreek.hellenext.org  The Next Generation Initiative:  Next Generation internships & World-class leadership forums 

Adriatic – Ionian Initiative

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   The meeting of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII) members’ Parliament Speakers took place on May 4, within the framework of the Hellenic Chairmanship of the AII. Greece assumed the AII’s one-year Chairmanship on June 1, 2008.  Addressing the event, Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said that only one clear conclusion comes out of discussions on how to find a way out of this crisis: global problems call for global solutions. “Though there are no magic recipes, any collective international effort is valuable,” said the minister.  She emphasized that strengthening relations between countries and enhanced international cooperation between significant players – such as the academic community and local authorities- constitute valuable contributions to mutual understanding in order to address common challenges. Adriatic – Ionian Initiative: Hellenic Chairmanship ; Ministry of Foreign Affairs: International Conference for an Adriatic–Ionian Development Strategy (Corfu, 13.2.2009)

Society On-Line in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    WebSci’09: Society On-Line, March 18-20, 2009, Athens, Greece.  Web Science focuses on understanding, designing and developing the technologies and applications that make up the World Wide Web. But the WWW does not exist without the participation of people and organizations. Now that a significant proportion of everyday life is spent on-line in many countries, it makes sense for the first Web Science conference to be dedicated to the presentation of research into society on the Web. The conference is organised by the Web Science Research Initiative (WSRI) and the Foundation of the Hellenic World (FHW).

Greek Portal for Over 50 Citizens

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   An internet initiative aimed at citizens over 50 now is now available in English and Greek. The www.50plus.gr/english website, established in 2005, provides information of interest to anyone over 50 years of age on issues such as employment, social policies, health and a variety of other subjects. “50+ Hellas” is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting the interests of the elderly and speaking out on their behalf. It is a member of AGE, the European Older People’s Platform, a European network of 144 older people’s organisations representing 25 million members and involved in influencing EU policy affecting older citizens.

Hellenic Technology Clusters

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   In today’s competitive world, cross-industry synergies have become a necessary core competency, making clusters of enterprises increasingly important. Corallia – Hellenic Technology Clusters Initiative (www.corallia.org) is a novel cluster initiative that facilitates innovation clusters to be formed in a way that can help Greece become an “added-value services” market player. Corallia supports the development of highly-specialized clusters in knowledge-intensive thematic areas that can drive and sustain economic growth. It brings together people, companies and technologies in order to create an ecosystem where innovation can flourish. Corallia aims at establishing and developing innovation clusters in carefully selected sectors where Greece can attain a worldwide competitive advantage. In collaboration with the Hellenic Semiconductor Industry Association, Corallia has helped to emerge and strengthen the first Hellenic innovation cluster in the area of Microelectronics and Embedded Systems. The cluster’s reference point is the Microelectronics Innovation Center, which acts as a representing facility for more than 30 organizations and 650 employees throughout Greece. Corallia: Hellenic Technology Clusters Initiative  – Press Kit mi-Cluster: Microelectronics & Embedded Systems; mi-Cluster company members: Success Stories National Documentation Centre: Research, Technology and Innovation; Secretariat General of Information: About Greece- Scientific & Technological Research 

Replanting the burned Greek forests

SEEDS OF HOPE >>> Drive to Reforestation

The replanting of burnt pine forests on Mount Penteli, north of Athens, is to begin on Sunday, January 13, in a reforestation drive backed mainly by Greek-American and Cypriot ‘pro-green’ businesspeople based abroad. The initiative to reforest areas of Athens stricken by last summer’s destructive fires was launched last autumn. The most recent addition features ‘Plant your Roots in Greece’, a U.S. and Athens-based organisation which operates under the auspices of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) and the Hellenic American National Council. The organisation has been very active in Greece since 1999, and is planning a second round of tree plantings during 2008 at the archaeological site of Dion, Pieria, northern Greece, and on the Cassandra peninsula, Halkidiki, northern Greece, which was devastated by wildfires in 2006.