The awarded documentary “Qadir: An Afghan Odysseus” officially premiered on October 29, and a message from Minister Dora Bakoyannis was read out during a press conference to mark the occasion. The film tracks the nine-year journey of a young Afghan immigrant as he tries to make his life in Greece. In her message, Bakoyannis hailed the final effort as “a programme of developmental cooperation that seeks to sensitize western societies to the problems of the developing world, to show understanding for difference and the importance of encouraging return through developmental activities.” Co-financed by Hellenic Aid and the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), the film was screened at the ministry, in the presence of Afghan Deputy Culture Minister Omar Sultan. The filming of the documentary – that received 1st Prize at the International Roma Fiction Festival (Factual Section)- took place in Greece and Afghanistan. In an overview of Greek developmental diplomacy over the last five years, Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation Theodoros Skylakakis pointed out that Greece had given more than €60 million to Afghanistan’s reconstruction in that time, financing initiatives including emergency aid, health, education, preserving peace and culture. Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Qadir – An Afghan Odysseus
Filed under: Cinema, Government, Greece, International Relations | Tagged: Afghan, Afghanistan, Aid, Bakoyannis, Broadcasting, Corporation, Dora, ERT, festival, Fiction, Greece, Hellenic, immigrant, Immigration, International, Odysseus, Omar, Qadir, Roma, Skylakakis, Sultan, Theodoros | Comments Off on Greek Foreign Ministry: “An Afghan Odysseus”
Greek director Anneta Papathanassiou won the Best Documentary Award at the 2008 
Embassy of Greece in Poland Press & Communication Office 