Eκδήλωση στην Σπιναλόγκα “Εσύ, ο τελευταίος λεπρός” (02.06-31.10.2012)

Στις 2 Ιουνίου 2012 εγκαινιάζεται στην Κρήτη, στο νησί Σπιναλόγκα, η εκδήλωση «Εσύ, ο τελευταίος λεπρός», που θα διαρκέσει ως τις 31 Οκτωβρίου .
Πρόκειται για το μεγαλύτερο καλλιτεχνικό εγχείρημα που επιχειρήθηκε ποτέ στην Κρήτη  και ασφαλώς  ένα από τα μεγαλύτερα στο κόσμο.
Όλο το νησί ( 85.000 τ.μ.) θα μετατραπεί σε έργο σύγχρονης τέχνης από τον εικαστικό Κώστα Τσόκλη και την ομάδα συνεργατών του.
Η εκδήλωση στηρίζεται  από το Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού, την Περιφέρεια Κρήτης, τον Δήμο Αγίου Νικολάου και τελεί υπό την αιγίδα της Ελληνικής Εθνικής Επιτροπής για την UNESCO.
Είναι φανερό ότι η καλλιτεχνική αυτή επέμβαση αναφέρεται , υπαινικτικά μόνο, στην περίοδο 1903-1957 οπότε η Σπιναλόγκα ήταν τόπος εγκλεισμού των λεπρών. Θέμα  διαχρονικό  μια που μπορεί να επεκταθεί σε κάθε είδος κοινωνικού αποκλεισμού.

Πηγές έμπνευσης για τον καλλιτέχνη είναι το νησί το ίδιο και τα ερείπια των κτισμάτων, η χωρίς ελπίδα επιθυμία φυγής, η απελπισμένη ανάγκη επικοινωνίας με τον έξω κόσμο, οι πολλές αυτοκτονίες, η φθορά, η έλλειψη κατόπτρων για ευνόητους λόγους, ο έντονος ερωτισμός, ο θάνατος και οι γεννήσεις, η βρωμιά, αλλά και η νοικοκυροσύνη καθώς και το μικρεμπόριο που ασκούσανε πάνω στο νησί.

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Συνέντευξη του πολωνού ποιητή Άνταμ Ζαγκαγιέβσκι στην “Ελευθεροτυπία”

Ανταμ Ζαγκαγιέβσκι «Οι πολιτικοί ας αφήσουν την Ιστορία στους ποιητές»
Ο Ανταμ Ζαγκαγιέβσκι είναι ο κορυφαίος Πολωνός ποιητής των ημερών μας και ένας από τους -πολλούς και ενδιαφέροντες- προσκεκλημένους στο Πρώτο Διεθνές Λογοτεχνικό Φεστιβάλ Τήνου ( 29, 30 και 31 Ιουλίου ). Στη συνέντευξή του στην «Ε», ο Ανταμ Ζαγκαγιέβσκι μιλά για την ποίηση, τη μνήμη, την Ιστορία, την πολιτική και τη διαδικασία της σύνθεσης απόψεων που πάντοτε οδηγεί σε καλύτερα αποτελέσματα από τον τυφλό φανατισμό.
Προ τριμήνου ένα μεγάλο μέρος της πολωνικής ηγεσίας χάθηκε σε αεροπορικό δυστύχημα ενώ προ εικοσαημέρου εξελέγη νέος Πολωνός προέδρος, ο Κομορόφσκι. Πώς είναι τώρα τα πράγματα στην Πολωνία; Είχε προηγηθεί η διακυβέρνηση της χώρας από τους αδελφούς Κατζίνσκι, οι οποίοι ήταν φιλοαμερικανοί και εχθρικοί τόσο προς τη Ρωσία όσο και προς τη Γερμανία και την Ευρώπη.

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)

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)

Corfu: An Ionian Jewel

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) “Corfu town is Venice and Naples, a touch of France and more than a dash of England, apart of course from being Greek.”  Countess Flamburiari who used these words to describe Corfu island was not the only one to be enticed by the beauties of this famous and much visited island off the West coast of Greece.  In 19th century, Empress Elisabeth of Austria expressed the desire to immerse herself in the Greek culture and in 1890, she commissioned the construction of a summer palace which she called the Achilleion, after Homer’s hero Achilles. The palace, with the neoclassical Greek statues that surround it, is a monument to romanticism as well as escapism.  The various architectonic styles of its buildings, monuments and city planning are due to the island’s long history of conquerors. Venetians, British, French, Italians and Germans, all left their mark. The island’s city centre -the Old Town- is an historic complex of narrow streets dominated by the 16th century fortress. Close to the capital lies a small island, home to a monastery, the white staircase of which resembles a (mouse) tail, thus the name of the island Pontikonissi (mouse island). Corfu’s natural habitat is equally exquisite. The island has some of the Ionian Sea’s most beautiful beaches, favoured by thousands of visitors. UNESCO World Heritage: Old Town of Corfu is protected by UNESCO; You Tube: UNESCO Ceremony

The Acropolis Museum Officially Inaugurated

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) The New Acropolis Museum was officially inaugurated on Saturday evening (20.6) during a ceremony that brought together Greek and foreign dignitaries, boosting hopes that the purpose-built museum’s opening will mark a “reverse countdown”  towards the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.
“Today, the most important sculptures of the Parthenon can be viewed together. Some are missing. It is time to heal the wounds of the monument with the return of the marbles where they belong” said Hellenic Republic President Karolos Papoulias in his address at the opening ceremony. Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis stressed that the new museum “is the achievement of all Greeks, for the entire world to enjoy. It is the property of universal culture”.  On his part, Culture Minister Antonis Samaras expressed optimism that the [pieces] that are missing, those that were taken apart 207 years ago will return.

“Parthenon marbles were looted” he said “but this looting can be redeemed and repaired today. The Acropolis Museum is a moral force that attracts the marbles back to where they belong.”  Following the ceremony, the distinguished guests –amongst whom were EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura, the Presidents of Cyprus and Bulgaria, Demetris Christofias and Georgi Parvanov, several Prime Ministers and Culture Ministers- were given a tour around the museum by Prof. Dimitrios Pandermalis, president of the new state-of-the-art facility. World Media on Greece: www.minpress.gr; Google News: Greece’s Acropolis Museum Greek News Agenda: Special Issue – The Acropolis Museum

Climate Change Conference in Athens

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   The impact of climate change as a challenge for the future generations with particular emphasis on the sensitive and vulnerable population groups of the Mediterranean countries, especially sick children, is the topic of the two-day international conference on “Climate Change and Challenges for the Future Generations.” The event opened Tuesday 2 june at the Athens Concert Hall and was organised under the patronage of UNESCO and in collaboration with the World Sustainable Development Forum. Speaking at the opening session, Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis called for international effort, political intervention and coordinated action forward in order to save the planet’s environment. Karamanlis warned that if we do not act immediately, environmental degradation could become irreversible. Investment in a new economy, with respect for the environment, he stressed, was necessary. UN Intergovernmental Committee on Climatic Change (IPCC) President, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Rajendra Pachauri -one of the keynote speakers at the conference- said that “climate change is a challenge for the present and future generations” and referred to the decrease in water reserves, big droughts, heat waves, the risk of wildfires and the reduction of farm crops as its repercussions in the Mediterranean region. Other keynote speakers include UN Secretary General Envoy on Climatic Change and former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, and cardiac surgery professor at the Imperial College in London, Sir Maghdi Yacoub. See also: Programme of the Conference

Athens Declaration on Climat Change

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The two-day international conference on “Climate Change and Challenges for the Future Generations” – under the patronage of UNESCO – concluded yesterday, june 3, with the adoption of the “Athens Declaration on Vulnerable Children and Climate Change,” which places emphasis on the urgent need to limit climate change and assume action facilitating the necessary adjustments.  “Vulnerable communities in the Mediterranean region, such as the elderly and the very young, especially those suffering from chronic diseases, are most likely to be among those who will be greatly affected by the destabilisation of the climate system coupled with the imminent disruption of the eco-system,” the declaration underlines.  According to the declaration, the Mediterranean region can play a key role in reducing greenhouse gases by increasing the use of renewable energy sources and promoting environmentally friendly technologies in important sectors of the economy.

Rhodes: HQ of Intercultural Euromediterranean Centre

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The city of Rhodes – capital of the southeastern Aegean island – will be the seat of UNESCO’s Intercultural Euromediterranean Centre and the founding act will be signed today in a special ceremony to be attended by prominent figures from Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, Israel, Romania, France, Belgium, the United States and Turkey. The centre will be temporarily housed at the Medieval City of Rhodes until the Rhodes Mansion is completely restored as its permanent headquarters. The Intercultural Euromediterranean Centre will undertake the organisation of European and international meetings and conventions on cultural heritage, cultural relations, and environmental protection. City of Rhodes: Press Releases   

International Astronomy Year 2009 in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

The Athens National Observatory’s Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics has scheduled a number of events to mark the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (April 205) – initiated by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and UNESCO – aimed at ensuring the broadest possible participation of the general public, while introducing more people to the secrets of outer space. Until April 5, internet users may visit the website www.astro.noa.gr and ask questions to the National Observatory astronomers, while a series of lectures, film screenings and telescope presentations are also scheduled.  Events will be held at the Astronomy Stations in Penteli and Krioneri as well as at the the Helmos Observatory in Kalavryta, southern Greece.

Η Ελληνική Συμμετοχή στο Πείραμα του CERN / Greek Scientists at the “Big Bang” Test

(ATHENS NEWS AGENCY)  Με την ουσιαστική συμβολή του Α.Π.Θ. σε ένα από τα μεγαλύτερα και σημαντικότερα επιστημονικά εγχειρήματα του αιώνα μας, ξεκινάει σήμερα η ‘ζωή’ του Μεγάλου Συγκρουστήρα Αδρονίων στο Διεθνές Εργαστήριο Πυρηνικών Ερευνών CERN, στη Γενεύη. Το Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης, μέσω της ερευνητικής ομάδας του Τομέα Πυρηνικής Φυσικής και Φυσικής Στοιχειωδών Σωματιδίων, συμμετέχει από το 1995, στο μεγαλύτερο σε όγκο πείραμα ATLAS.  (ΣΤΟ ΧΑΡΤΗ: Γαλαζια τα ιδρυτικά μέλη, πράσινα τα νέα μέλη)

Epidaurus is Now a UNESCO World Heritage Monument

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  Epidaurus, a small, ancient Greek city in the Peloponnese is now a UNESCO World Heritage Monument. It was a small, ancient Greek city on an inlet of the Saronic Gulf, northeast Peloponnese. Reputed to be the birthplace of Apollo’s son, Asklepios, the Greek God of Medicine, Epidaurus was known for its sanctuary, as well as its theater with the wonderful acoustics. The Asclepieion at Epidaurus was the most celebrated healing center of the Classical world, the place where ill people went in the hope of being cured. The prosperity brought by the Asklepieion enabled Epidaurus to construct civic monuments such as the huge theater, renowned for its symmetry and beauty, which is used once again for hosting dramatic performances. Athens and Epidaurus Festival establishment  in 1955 placed ancient drama firmly centre stage and ever since, the theatre has been hosting performances every summer.

 

Corfu on UNESCO World Heritage List

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The Old Town of Corfu was officially included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage List on April 19 at the island’s castle of St Michael and St George.  According to UNESCO, “the urban and port ensemble of Corfu, dominated by its fortresses of Venetian origin, constitutes an architectural example of outstanding universal value in both its authenticity and its integrity.”  

Greece and World Poetry Day

       Ithaka

As you set out for Ithaka
hope the voyage is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery…   

Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you’re destined for.
But don’t hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years…

Ithaka gave you the marvellous journey…
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.
Constantine P. Cavafy  ( 1911, translated by Edmund Keeley)

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  Today, (March 21) is World Poetry Day, as declared by UNESCO in 1999. The aim is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and, to “give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements.” World Poetry Day has existed in some form since 1505, according to the National Poetry Day Committee. From ancient to contemporary times, Greece’s tradition in poetry is long acknowledged globally. Young, talented Greek poets continue to grace this tradition and expand it with their works. On the occasion of the World Poetry Day, the National Book Centre (in Greek) is organising a series of events that will take place in several areas across the country.

Athens: Ιnternational Conference on the Return of Cultural Property

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   In the framework of the activities of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation. Addressing the event, Culture Minister Mihalis Liapis emphasised that changes in museum policies and an increase in instances of cooperation for the repatriation of looted artefacts could pave the way for the return of the Parthenon Marbles. , Greece is hosting a two-day international conference titled “Return of Cultural Property to its Country of Origin,” which concludes today at the New Acropolis Museum.  Athens News Agency: Return of cultural property conference; The Restitution of the Parthenon marbles: The Official Greek Position; International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures: www.parthenoninternational.org  (GREEK & ENGLISH TEXT FOLLOWS)

International Conference on Cultural Property in Athens

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    In the framework of the activities of the Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in case of Illicit Appropriation, Greece will host an international conference to be attended by lawyers, museum professionals and experts in the field of the return of cultural property on 17 and 18 March 2008 at the New Acropolis Museum (www.newacropolismuseum.gr) in Athens. This conference is the first in a series of international gatherings organized by UNESCO and its Member States to foster awareness and provide fora for reflection and exchanges on the issue of the return of cultural property. This meeting will also provide an opportunity to consider means of strengthening the action of the Intergovernmental Committee. “Return of Cultural Property to its Country of Origin” Conference: Programme; Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures Campaigns: ww.parthenoninternational.org; www.elginism.com 

Making Sense of Planet Earth on the Island of Lesvos

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) The Department of Geography of the University of the Aegean and the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest, in the context of the UN-designated “2008 International Year of Planet Earth,” have announced a series of events, aiming at enhancing research and increasing public awareness on environmental issues. Among others, the Department of Geography is organising a series of seminars on geosciences topics, on the island of2008 International Year of Planet Earth, from June 1to 6, while the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest is holding an international conference titled “Studying, Modeling and Sense Making of Planet Earth,” in June, with the support of the UNESCO Natural Sciences Sector. Other events include a “European Geo-Parks Week,” which will be celebrated simultaneously with all the Geo-Parks in Europe and an exhibition of “Paleontology finds in the Aegean.”

Maria Callas Grand Prix

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) The International Music Competition for the Maria Callas Grand Prix for pianists was first established in 1975 and is successfully revived ever since. The 34th annual competition commences today until February 24, by the Athenaeum International Cultural Centre, an institution operating under the auspices of UNESCO, dedicated to preserve the memory of Maria Callas.