Karaghiozis: “Inextricable part of Greek Culture”

Greece is planning to press its claims to Karaghiozis, a shadow puppet theatre character that UNESCO has deemed to be part of Turkey’s cultural heritage.
“Karaghiozis is an extricable part of our culture,” Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson said, adding that UNESCO allows neighbouring countries to access the same commodity when it comes to intangible cultural heritage.
The issue has prompted an announcement by the Ministry of Culture, according to which, “it is commonly known and undoubted that shadow theatre refers to a cultural tradition which surpasses boundaries and spans through the Balkans, and the broader East, long time before the emergence of contemporary states.

Concerning the Greek version of Karaghiozis, it represents a vivid chapter of Modern Greek culture, which defends traditional values broadly cherished by the Greek people.”

Museum of Shadow Theatre: Museum of Shadow Theatre & Greek Shadow Theatre Group Athanasiou: Karaghiozis-History

You Tube: Karagiozis & Athens Plus (16.7.2010): Greece to stake its claim to Karagiozis show

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

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Bilderberg meets in Athens

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   The 57th conference of the Bilderberg Club is taking place in Athens (May 14-16). Heads of State, top level politicians, military officers, as well as businessmen from all over the world come together to discuss politics and economy. The same meeting was held again in Athens in 1993.  The guest list comprises more than one hundred members with influence in key sectors. The history of the which has been dubbed “the shadow world government” traces back to 1954.   It was set up as a loose, informal, invitation-only conference promoting cooperation between Europe and the United States. The Club was named after the hotel, where the first meeting took place.

Lost for the Greek Shadow Theater

Shadow puppet theatre master, Evgenios Spatharis passed away on May 9, at the age of 85.

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Spatharis was taught the art of shadow theatre by his father Sotiris and began his career during the German occupation. Since then, he gave numerous performances in Greece and abroad, participating in international festivals and conferences on shadow theatre. He was member of the Artistic Chamber of Greece, of the Institute of World Theatre (Unesco). In 1991 his Shadow Theatre Museum (“Spathario”) was established. Spatharis was well-known throughout Greece for his puppet theatre stories revolving around the hunchbacked character “Karaghiozis,” who came to represent the virtues and vices of the average Greek. Shadow theatre is thought to be from China or India and arrived in Greece in the mid-15th century. The “In praise of shadows” exhibition at the Benaki Museum (23/05/2009 – 26/06/2009) focuses on shadows, based on old and contemporary folk tales and on simple narratives expressed with economy of means.  This exhibition brings together key works by 8 contemporary artists from seven different countries, and two master filmmakers from the first half of the twentieth century.  The Washington Post – Greek puppet master Evgenios Spatharis dies at 85; Greek News Agenda – Karagiozis Shadow – Theatre

Global Transparency Conference in Athens

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Coming up, the 13th International Anti-Corruption Conference: Global Transparency, Fighting corruption for a sustainable future, will be held in Athens on October 30 to November 2, under the aegis of Transparency International-Greece and the Ministry of Justice. Attracting up to 1,500 participants from more than 120 countries, the IACC shapes the anti-corruption agenda for years to come. The theme for this year’s IACC focuses on the role of transparency and accountability in human security, climate change, sustainable globalisation, as well as natural resources exploitation and management. Supreme audit institutions in the European Union: Anticorruption Strategies in Greece ; South-eastern Europe Journal of Economics: The Shadow Economy and Corruption in Greece (June 2006)