Premiera książki “Bałkańskie Zapiski Kuchenne / Kuchnia Grecji Północnej w recepturach i opowieściach”

Autor: Iliana Genew-Puhalewa. Opracowanie graficzne: Simeon Genew

Bałkańskie Zapiski Kuchenne to seria wydawnicza, poświęcona sztuce kulinarnej narodów Bałkanów. Tematem drugiej książki w serii jest Grecja Północna (w szczególności Macedonia, Tracja i Epir). W centrum uwagi autorki jest nie tylko kuchnia tych regionów dzisiejszej Grecji, lecz także historia, etnografia – szeroko pojęta kultura. Łączy ona w sobie tradycje zarówno rdzennych Greków, jak i przesiedleńców z Azji Mniejszej, Turków, Wołochów, wędrownych Karakaczanów, Żydów i Południowych Słowian.
Większość przepisów w książce zawiera mięso lub ryby, nie brak jednak receptur na tradycyjne sałatki, przystawki warzywne i specjały serowe, a także na wyborne słodkości. Przepisom towarzyszą praktyczne wskazówki dotyczące technik kulinarnych oraz produktów pod względem ich dostępności w Polsce.
W Bałkańskich Zapiskach Kuchennych 2 zamieszczono liczne komentarze historyczne, wzmianki etnograficzne oraz opowieści o losach zwykłych Greków. Grecka rzeczywistość w książce obecna jest nawet poprzez samo słowo – tekst obfituje w greckie nazwy: potraw, osób, miejscowości, realiów historycznych, zjawisk charakterystycznych dla greckiej kultury.
Książka posiada wyjątkową szatę graficzną, na której składają się oryginalne zdjęcia potraw, stare fotografie, rysunki etnograficzne, elementy zdobnicze wywodzące się ze sztuki ludowej.
Do edycji limitowanej książki Bałkańskie Zapiski Kuchenne: Kuchnia Grecji Północnej w recepturach i opowieściach załączono grecką muzykę – wyjątkową płytę CD audio, która powstała specjalnie dla serii. Płyta zawiera 13 utworów w wykonaniu 5 zespołów, specjalizujących się w tradycyjnej muzyce ludowej z Tracji, Macedonii i Epiru, w stylu rembetiko oraz w interpretacjach w stylu etno. Są to Loxandra, Ihos & Paradosi, Trio Mare z Grecji oraz Ano Kato z Holandii.
Iliana Genew-Puhalewa – absolwentka filologii słowiańskiej oraz filologii nowogreckiej Uniwersytetu Sofijskiego, lingwistka (doktorat z językoznawstwa konfrontatywnego), wykładowca Uniwersytetu Śląskiego. Pasjonuje się kulturą ludową krajów Bałkańskich.
Simeon Genew –  grafik, ilustrator i producent serii Bałkańskie Zapiski Kuchenne.

Utwory na płycie:

1. Ihos & Paradosi: Apano stin triandafilia (Macedonia). Aranżacja: Giannis Poulios
2. Ihos & Paradosi: Galani Galaziani (Tracja). Aranżacja: Giannis Poulios
3. Ihos & Paradosi: Gel Aman (Azja Mniejsza – taniec karsilama) Aranżacja: Giannis Poulios
4. Graikoi: Arapaki (Epir, Zagoria – taniec sirto)
5. Graikoi: Perdika (Zachodnia Macedonia, Północna Tesalia – taniec berati Tasja)
6. Trio Mare: Embredeftika ena wradi (Rembetiko z USA). Adaptacja i aranżacja Loukas Metaxas i Trio Mare.
7. Trio Mare: Orko ston lula su kano (Rembetiko)
8. Trio Mare: Neos Konialis (Rembetiko USA)
9. Loxandra: Karsilamas (Macedonia – cygański taniec karsilama). Adaptacja i aranżacja Loxandra.
10. Loxandra: Zonaradikos (Tracja – taniec zonaradikos). Adaptacja Loukas Metaxas I Kyriakos Tapakis, aranżacja Loxandra
11. Ano Kato: Savato mera piname (Epir – Chr. Zoumbas). Adaptacja i aranżacja Ano Kato.
12. Ano Kato: O ilios wasilewi (Epir). Adaptacja i aranżacja Ano Kato.
13. Ano Kato Ksenitemeno mu puli (Epir). Adaptacja i aranżacja Ano Kato.

O zespołach:

Ihos& Paradosi: Sakis Giorgou (śpiew, ut), Nikos Zarkos (klarnet), Haris Tsipouridis (skrzypce), Giannis Poulios (lutnia – kontynentalna i kreteńska, gitara), Dimitris Panagoulias (perkusje: darbuka, bendir, daf), Loukas Metaxas (perkusje: bęben, tamburyn, rek).  Loukas Metaxas mp3
Graikoi: Katerina Ellinidou (śpiew), Panagiotis Ellinidis (klarnet), Rhea Ellinidou (perkusje), Soumeli Ellinidou (śpiew), Loukas Metaxas (lutnia), Asterios Trakas (skrzypce).
Trio Mare: Loukas Metaksas, Rhea Ellinidou (śpiew i perkusje), Vaggelis Pashalidis (santur, śpiew).Copyright by POLYPHONON Records.
Loxandra: Nikos Aggousis- Doitsidis (klarnet, kaval), Ira Kritarashova (śpiew), Loukas Metaxas: (perkusje: darbuka, bęben, bendir), Dimitris Panagoulias (perkusje – darbuka, riqq, daf), Kyriakos Petras i Makis Mpaklatzis (skrzypce), Kyriakos Tapakis (lutnia, cumbus, gitara), Dimitris Vasiliadis (santur). Copyright by POLYPHONON Records. Trio Mare mp3
Ano Kato: Michiel Koperdraat (śpiew, lutnia, santur, przeszkadzajki), Theo van Halen (klarnet), Michiel van der Meulen (skrzypce), Jurrie Eilers (gitara, śpiew), Andy Lleming (tambury, darbuka).Copyright by PAN Records. Ano Kato VIDEO

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Sztukę “Mleko” Autorstwa Vassilisa Katsikonourisa

Zapraszamy do Teatru Kamienica Emiliana Kaminskiego na sztukę “Mleko“ autorstwa Vassilisa Katsikonourisa . Jest ona jednym z najciekawszych osiągnieć współczesnej, greckiej dramaturgii. Akcja dramatu rozgrywa się pomiędzy trzema bohaterami – matką Riną i jej synami: młodszym Lefterisem, cierpiącym na kliniczną schizofrenię oraz starszym Antonisem, który wraz z matką próbuje ocalić brata przed ostateczną hospitalizacją. Spektakl obrazuje kilka dni z ich życia, życia rodziny emigrantów z Gruzji, którzy po upadku imperium Związku Radzieckiego wrócili do swojej historycznej ojczyzny – do Aten, w poszukiwaniu lepszego jutra. Inscenizacja sztuki dotyka płaszczyzny egzystencjalnej, porusza wiele aspektów związanych ze zjawiskiem emigracji – kompleks niższości,

Autor sztuki: Vasilis Katsikonouris, Kompozytor muzyki: Odysseas Konstantinopoulos, Rezyser sztuki: Sebastian Chondrokostas

poczucie wyobcowania, tęsknota za ojczyną. Jest próbą zobrazowania zmagań człowieka między ukrytymi lękami i nadziejami. Bohaterowie Mleka podejmują próbę pokonania swoich pragnień, ucieczki od tkwiących w nich tęsknot i kompleksów. Ich rzeczywistość sceniczna balansuje na granicy realności i wyobrażenia, jawy i snu. To tutaj groza miesza się nieustannie z groteską. Prapremiera polska 25 czerwca Mleko Vassilis Katsikonouris Reżyseria: Sebastian CHONDROKOSTAS Scenografia & kostiumy: Katarzyna GABRAT – SZYMAŃSKA Muzyka: Odysseas KONSTANTINOPOULOS Obsada: Anna CHODAKOWSKA, Matylda DAMIĘCKA, Andrzej ANDRZEJEWSKI, Rafał FUDALEJ
Obejrzyj! Cena biletu: Normalny: 50zł Straponten: 30zł Wejściówka: 20zł Przed spektaklem

Zdjęcia i muzyka ze spektaklu :  (V I D E O 1) ******* (VIDEO 2) ******* (VIDEO 3)

„Sztuka “Mleko”  ukazuje historię blisko związaną z losami mojej rodziny. Moi dziadkowie, bohaterowie wojny domowej w Grecji końca lat 40-tych ubiegłego wieku, również bowiem zmuszeni zostali do emigracji skazującej ich na wieczną tęsknotę za ojczyzną i życie z piętnem “obcego”. Pomimo iż w Polsce przeżyli ponad 40 lat, na zawsze pozostali rozbici na dwie ojczyzny.
Dlatego też przedstawienie w Teatrze Kamienica było dla mnie oraz dla kompozytora muzyki, Odysseasa Konstantinopoulosa, (też pół-Greka pół-Polaka) wyjątkowo osobistym przeżyciem, którym chcieliśmy podzielić się z widownią.”

Sebastian Chondrokostas
reżyser

Anna Chodakowska - Zdjęcia ze spektaklu : Filip Błażejowski

Najblizsze terminy przedstawien:
23 października 19:00 Scena Oficyna
25 października 19:00 Scena Oficyna

VIDEO

"MLEKO" / Taniec Pondyjski -Zdjęcia ze spektaklu : Filip Błażejowski

"MLEKO" / Finał - Zdjęcia ze spektaklu : Filip Błażejowski

“MLEKO”oczami polskich widzow (YOUTUBE)

Ettna 100: Jestem pod ogromnym wrażeniem obejrzanej sztuki “Mleko”Temat to przeplatające się sceny czarnej komedii z wyczuwającym zagrożeniem.Autentyczność jak wykazali aktorzy,wartości tematu,pozwala spojrzeć na bezsilność bezbronnego człowieka,Sztuka trafiła do serc współczesnej widowni…a muzyka którą słyszymy potwierdza autonomię współuczestnictwa…a poprzez rozszerzony kod muzyczny…o nastrój,rytm i pamięć spektaklu…
Magdalena59: Trudny — ale wspaniały spektakl… Kontrowersyjny — ale piękny… Mądra, chociaż niełatwa treść… Brawurowo zagrany, reżysersko “dopieszczony” do najdrobniejszych detali, z fascynującą muzyką w tle… Ale nie spodziewajcie się wyłącznie lekkiego relaksu, nie oczekujcie zabawnej “historyjki o Grekach”… tego tu nie znajdziecie… Polecam wszystkim ludziom myślącym i patrzącym dalej niż czubek wlasnego nosa…
Ettna 100: Wspaniała integracja muzyki ze sztuką,gdzie słychać uczucie,powagę spokoju,smutku i melancholię.Muzyka którą słyszymy,pobudza i niepokoi,zmusza do zaostrzenia ciekawości,wpływając na odbiorcę poprzez nastrój rozedrganymi dźwiękami i barwami…Forma muzyczna zawiera cechy ilustracji,ekspresji ruchu przekazywanych przez bohaterów sztuki..

“MLEKO” w Swiata

MLEKO w Nikosia

“ Milk” in Cyprus
Vassilis Katsikonouris’s play looks at how foreigners tackle integration into Greek society. The story focuses on a family of Russians from the Black Sea region -a widowed mother and her two sons. One son battles a debilitating illness -schizophrenia, according to doctors- and the other fights tooth and nail to adjust to his new home country. Directed by Achilleas Grammatikopoulos.
Admission: € 12.00 – 8.00
Oct. 25 – Dec. 28 (Fr-Sa): Nicosia, Open Theatre

MLEKO w Atenach / Direktora: Nikos Mastorakis

“Mleko” w Atenach

A play about the search for happiness in a foreign country. A Greek-Russian family leaves Russia to return to Athens. The oldest son is able to successfully integrate himself into society, leaving his younger brother to come to terms with his new doubled identity by himself. The mother of the boys is torn between her two sons. With great sensitivity and intensity, director Nikos Mastorakis reveals the many facets of life on the edge of society, aided by an ensemble that distinguishes itself at the highest level of acting ability.
1 hour 50 minutes, no interval
Public discussion after the performance on June 17th 2006

Dame Helen Mirren at Epidaurus Theatre

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  Following the instructions of Royal National Theatre’s artistic director Nicholas Hytner, Oscar-winning British actress Helen Mirren and co-star Dominic Cooper received widespread praise for Racine’s “Phedre” – based on Euripides’s play “Hippolytus”– performed on June 11 at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, as part of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival. Phèdre, recounts the story of a queen’s destructive obsession with her stepson, filtered through the eyes of a 17th century French playwright and the freewheeling translation of a British poet, Ted Hughes.  The night of the performance, the theatre was filled with admirers of both Mirren and the ancient Greek drama, with visitors coming from Greece and abroad.   Epidaurus Theatre is to host other prominent artists this summer, including British director Sam Mendes and veteran French actress Jeanne Moreau in the coming weeks.  The Times: Dame Helen Mirren is worthy of the Epidaurus   Athens and Epidaurus Festival: www.greekfestival.gr

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 New Acropolis Museum: Opening Online

Fanfare as Acropolis Museum opens

(BBC NEWS)  A glamorous ceremony was held as the long-awaited Acropolis Museum was officially opened in Athens.  (VIDEO)
The modern glass and concrete building, at the foot of the ancient Acropolis, houses sculptures from the golden age of Athenian democracy and offers panoramic views of the stone citadel where they came from. FOR MORE

Greece urges return of sculptures

(BBC NEWS) The Acropolis was lit up as the new museum opened in style. VIDEO Greek President Karolos Papoulias has renewed his country’s call for Britain to return sculptures removed from the Parthenon in Athens 200 years ago.  At the opening of the Acropolis Museum, Mr Papoulias said it was “time to heal the wounds” of the ancient temple. FOR MORE

New Acropolis Museum opens with lavish party

(ASSOCIATED PRESS / By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS)  ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Gods, heroes and long-dead mortals stepped off their plinths into the evening sky of Athens on Saturday during the lavish launch of the new Acropolis Museum, a decades-old dream that Greece hopes will also help reclaim a cherished part of its heritage from Britain. The digital animated display on the museum walls ended years of delays and wrangling over the ultramodern building, set among apartment blocks and elegant neoclassical houses at the foot of the Acropolis hill. The nearly euro3 million ($4.1 million) opening ceremony was attended by some 400 guests, including European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura, and foreign heads of state and government. Conspicuously, there were no government officials from Britain, which has repeatedly refused to repatriate dozens of 2,500-year-old sculptures from the Parthenon temple that are held in the British Museum.  President Karolos Papoulias said Greeks think of the Acropolis monuments as their “identity and pride,” and renewed the demand for the missing marble works, displayed in London for the past 200 years. “The whole world can now see the most important sculptures from the Parthenon together,” Papoulias said. “Some are missing. It is time to heal the wounds on the monument by returning the marbles that belong to it.” Culture Minister Antonis Samaras said the sculptures “will inevitably return,” but ruled out Greece acknowledging the British Museum’s legal title to the works — as requested by officials in London as a precondition for any loan. FOR MORE

Old Videos

The concept of the Acropolis Museum. (VIDEO)   Preparing the exhibition: The new Acropolis Museum . (VIDEO)  Preview of Acropolis Museum (VIDEO)

The BBC for the Openning

(BBC NEWS) News has posted a slide show of the new Acropolis Museum, which opened to the public today (title link). The marble statue of a youth on the right is the famous Kritios Boy (c.480 BC) so named because it is attributed to Kritios. This statue is the earliest known example of contrapposto (counterpoise) a term which refers to the off-centre weight shift of a statue to produce a more natural and relaxed pose. (Praxitelles’ Apollo Watching a Lizard is a fine example of contrapposto: CLICK). The Kritios Boy was unearthed in Athens in 1865. Despite its monumental appearance, it is less than 4 feet tall. FOR MORE

New Acropolis Museum the perfect home for Elgin Marbles, say Greeks

(BBC NEWS) Workmen were putting the finishing touches yesterday to Ancient Greece’s newest and most extravagant showcase, the New Acropolis Museum, due for a fanfare-filled inauguration today. But conspicuously absent are the very relics which the €130m futurist building was expressly designed for: the Elgin Marbles.    The airy top floor of the 25,000 square metre museum, offering an unparallelled view of the Parthenon atop the Acropolis a couple of hundred yards away, has been reserved for when the Marbles — as many Greeks devoutly hope — return.  Yet as dozens of dignitaries arrived for the opening that Antonis Samaras, the Greek Minister for Culture, promised would be “a magical atmosphere with musical surprises”, it seemed likely that the Parthenon Hall, as the glass-domed top floor is called, would remain empty for a considerable time to come. FOR MORE

Acropolis museum raises Marbles’ hopes

(BBC NEWS) As the new Acropolis museum opens in Athens, Frank Partridge investigates whether the long-running dispute between Britain and Greece over the Parthenon Marbles will be resolved. Museums are not renowned as places of high drama, but everything about the glassy, angular structure that has appeared at the foot of Acropolis Hill is dramatic. The design is provocative, the contents breathtaking, and its showpiece gallery is intended to deliver a cultural and political thunderbolt as powerful as anything the goddess Athena once threw. FOR MORE

The New Acropolis Museum

• Making it as good as new…

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Three days remain until the grand opening of the new Acropolis Museum, on June 20. Both the Museum’s organisation team and the Ministry of Culture are working closely to put the final touches on the surrounding area and of course, the Museum itself. The Acropolis Museum Website: www.theacropolismuseum.gr
• THE OPENING: June 20, a night to remember….
Fulfilling the core philosophy the ancient monument represents, the official inaugural event will not indulge in excessive or ostentatious displays, but will become a moderate festivity with artistic infusions. The guest list is long and comprises heads of state and government, royalties, top level officials, eminent academics and presidents of other museums. New technologies will be used to showcase the antiquities, acting as the “artistic event” of the evening. A dinner on the museum’s terrace will close the event and a cruise of the Saronic Gulf has been organized for the day after the inauguration ceremony for the heads of state and government attending. Tune online and watch the opening ceremony on June 20th. New Acropolis Museum Organising Committee: Preparing the museum

• THE MUSEUM
♦ A Museum of Sculpture and Light….

The New Acropolis Museum is a purpose built museum by architects Bernard Tschumi and Michalis Fotiades to house the archaeological findings related to the Acropolis Hill. It is located at the foot of the Acropolis (300 metres -980 feet-southeast of the Parthenon) and the total cost of the museum was €130 million.  The first Acropolis Museum was completed in 1874. Successive excavations on the Acropolis have uncovered many new artifacts which needed additional space for their housing. The initiative for a new museum coincided with Greece’s campaign over the return of the Elgin Marbles. Greece claims that the new museum offers both a technically and historically unparalleled shelter for the Acropolis’ treasures. Quoting the architect, “the museum appears effortless and almost undesigned.” The goal of the orchestrated simplicity is to focus the viewer’s emotion and intellect on the extraordinary works of art. Thus, the extensive use of glass in the Museum. The design allows for the free flow of natural lights into the museum spaces through 50 skylights, while the Parthenon gallery is flooded by light.
♦ Digital Parthenon
The museum’s crown jewel is the Parthenon gallery, where the entire frieze is exhibited in the same order and with the same directional orientation as when it adorned the monument. Visual contact from the gallery to the monument was set as a prerequisite and as a result, the visitor can now relish a breathtaking view of the Acropolis, the surrounding historic hills and contemporary Athens. Speaking to the Financial Times (June 4), the President of the museum, professor of archaeology Dimitris Pandermalis said that the “arrangement and labelling of sculptures, from the freize of the Parthenon to the dozens of free-standing pieces is designed so that people can wander around, stop and look, feel they are engaging directly with the antiquities.” Culture Minister Antonis Samaras stressed the importance of digital technology. “It has a big role to play in explaining not just the ancient world but modern Greek history. We would like to have visitor centres at the main sites that would use virtual reality to recreate scenes from daily life as well as the big battles,” he said. Ministry of Culture: www.parthenonfrieze.gr &  Play with the Frieze Acropolis Restoration Service: Let’s Go to the Acropolis! – Kits
♦ A Symbolic Entrance Fee
Samaras announced that entrance to the museum will cost €1 for the first six months. 2,200 tickets will be on sale online (e-ticketing) for the first three days, while about 2,5 million visitors are expected every year.  The Acropolis Museum was recently selected as the main motif for a high-value euro collectors coins: the Greek Acropolis Museum commemorative coin, minted in 2008.  This coin was issued to commemorate the re-opening of the museum. On the obverse, a panoramic view of the Acropolis can be seen; the museum resides in the base of it.
THE SIZE: The largest and finest one of all…
The words describe the famous sanctuary of ancient Athens, the Acropolis, as it so happened that the Acropolis of the fifth century BC was the most accurate reflection of the splendour, power and wealth of Athens at its greatest peak.  The New Acropolis Museum is 25,000 square metres with exhibition space of over 14,000 square metres- ten times more than that of the old museum.  The glass encased Parthenon Gallery is 7.5 metres high and has a floor space of over 3,200 square metres. It hosts approximately 4,000 artefacts.  The museum will offer all the amenities of an international museum of the 21^st century.

THE TECHNOLOGY: The Old Masters; how well they understood…

Just as the ancient masterpiece prevailed upon its contemporary monuments worldwide in craftsmanship and technology, the New Acropolis Museum is also designed and constructed based on environmental friendly and functional novel techniques, becoming that as well a monument of dexterity and grace.  In particular, the Museum’s novelties focus on a shell of glass covering the Parthenon gallery which allows natural light, while protecting contents from radiation and maintaining a normal temperature.  The floors of glass – 5 centimetres thick – are designed to provide the visitor with a view to the 2.5 acre area of underground excavations. The special soundproofing materials and the anti- seismic construction standing on 92 pillars are designed to endure a quake measuring up to 10 on the Richter scale.

ACROPOLIS: The lance of Athena’s statue was visible from miles away…

At the entrance of the Acropolis once stood an immense statue sculptured by Phidias, that of goddess Athena fighting in the frontline (Athena Promachos).  The colossal bronze statue is lost, but according to descriptions it was so large that ships approaching the coast of Attica could see Athena’s lance.  For the first time after 200 years of archaeological excavations at the on the rock of the Acropolis, all the significant findings will be displayed together in the one museum, telling the complete story of the Athenian Acropolis and its foothills.  Rich collections dating from prehistoric times through to the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods and up to late antiquity (700 AD) will provide visitors with a comprehensive picture of the centuries-old human presence on the sacred site.  The sculptural decoration of the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike, (the four major monuments built on the Acropolis under Pericles), together with the Propylaea (entrance, the gates) comprise some of the most important Classical architectural sculptures.  Among these, the Parthenon frieze with the splendid portrayal of the Panathenaic procession, the metopes and the pediments, the famous Erechtheion caryatids and others.  Ministry of Culture: The Archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens & The Acropolis Restoration Project National Geographic Channel: The secrets of the Parthenon VIDEO

WORLD MEDIA ON THE MUSEUM

The New Acropolis Museum has been in the spotlight of the foreign media for years. The media report on the museum making references to the historic resonance of the event, the artistic superiority of the museum’s building, as well as to the problems which emerged during its construction.  The Press also emphasises the international campaign over the repatriation of the Parthenon marbles showcased in the British Museum and Melina Mercouri’s personal contribution to the cause of the marbles’ reunification.

PROMOTION AROUND THE GLOBE

The new museum has helped revive the interest in Greece’s classical heritage.  The achievement of creating a new home for something which is considered part of Greece’s supreme legacy has sparked a series of cultural events almost in every continent.  From the United States to China, and from Athens to Helsinki foreign audiences have been offered a vivid, detailed and comprehensive presentation of both the Acropolis treasures and the new museum.  Secretariat General of Information: Press Center for the inauguration of the New Acropolis Museum & The Acropolis Museum: Press Kit

PARTHENON MARBLES: THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN
♦ “In the name of the world’s cultural heritage…”

The movement to reunify the Parthenon Marbles, which are situated at the moment in the British Museum, has been gathering remarkable support worldwide over the years and especially during the last months. In fact, in view of the New Acropolis Museum’s opening, Greece’s claim for the restitution of the Marbles has grown all the stronger. “Parthenon international“- an association of various national committees from different countries, the “American Friends of the New Acropolis Museum” organisation or the British campaign group “Marbles Reunited” are part of the international campaign sharing the same vision of the marbles’ return. On June 15, Parthenon International sent a letter to both the British Museum and the British Government, communicating their view on the matter.
♦ Melina Mercouri: “Culture is Greece’s heavy industry”

Internationally renowned Melina Merkouri (1920-1994) was a towering figure of Greece’s cultural life of the 20^th century. Daughter of an MP and grandchild of Spyridon Mercouris, a former mayor of Athens, the actress, singer and politician Melina Mercouri was an ardent supporter of the Parthenon’s Marble repatriation. As minister of Culture, Mercouri openly claimed the Parthenon Marbles and devote herself to it. Together with her husband Jules Dassin president of the Melina Mercouri Foundation until his passing away (2008), Melina Mercouri led a successful campaign, a fruit of which could be considered the New Acropolis Museum.  Melina Mercouri Foundation: www.melinamercourifoundation.org.gr You Tube: Melina Mercouri describes the Parthenon Marbles [Footage screened on the Greek television programme  “Erevna”  (=Research)]

New Acropolis Museum: Tour of the permanent collections

(ANA-MPA) The New Acropolis Museum, which will be officially inaugurated on Saturday, contains five Permanent Collections: The Acropolis Slopes, divided into sub-categories on The Settlement, and The Sanctuary; The Acropolis during the Archaic Period, with sub-categories on The Hekatompedon, The Ancient Temple, abd The Votives; The Parthenon, with sub-categories on The Monument, The Metopes, The Pediments, and The Frieze; Other Monuments of the Classical Acropolis, with sub-categories on The Propylaia, The Temple of Athena Nike, and The Erectheion; and Other Collections, with sub-categories on The Sanctuary of Artemis Vravronia, The Votives of the Classical and Hellenist Periods, and The Votives of the Roman Period. ANA-MPA takes its readers on a tour of the collections, in three parts, leading up to the official opening. The Museum opened its electronic gates (www.theacropolismuseum.gr) on Monday.
THE ACROPOLIS SLOPES
The first gallery of the Museum houses finds from the slopes of the Acropolis. The gallery’s glass floor affords views to the excavation, while its upward slope alludes at the ascent to the Acropolis. In antiquity, the slopes of the Sacred Rock constituted the transition zone between the city and its most famous sanctuary. This was the area where official and popular cults, as well as large and small sanctuaries existed alongside private houses.
The Settlement
Among the sanctuaries, or at a slightly lower level, archaeological excavations brought to light parts of the urban fabric of ancient Athens and gave evidence of its almost uninterrupted settlement from the end of the Neolithic period (about 3000 BC) until late antiquity (6th century AD). Houses and workshops, roads and squares, wells and reservoirs, as well as thousands of objects left behind by the local people in antiquity all provide valuable insight into the past. Most finds are made of clay, as objects made of other perishable materials have been lost to us, while the most valuable objects have been looted. The finds include tableware and symposium vessels, cooking pots, perfume holders, cosmetics and jewelry containers, children’s toys and others.
The Sanctuaries
The slopes, caves and plateaus of the Acropolis hill were sacred to gods, heroes and nymphs. The south slope was home to two of the most important sanctuaries of the city, those of Dionysos Eleuthereus and Asklepios. It was also the site of several other temples, smaller in size, yet of great importance to the Athenians. At a short distance from the Sanctuary of Asklepios was a small open-air temple dedicated to the Nymphe, who was the protector of marriage and wedding ceremonies. There, the Athenians dedicated the nuptial bath vases, as well as other votive offerings, such as perfume bottles, cosmetics and jewelry containers and symposium vases.
THE ACROPOLIS DURING THE ARCHAIC PERIOD
The period throughout the 7th century BC, until the end of the Persian Wars is called Archaic. This period is characterized by the development of the city-state and the development of democracy. It is also characterized by great achievements in the economy, art and intellectual life. In the early 6th century BC, the cult of Athena Polias on the Acropolis continued to be pursued in her late-geometric temple. In 566 BC, the tyrant Peisistratos re-organized the Panathenaia, the greatest festival in honor of the Goddess. It is possible that at that time, for reasons of political propaganda, a large temple was erected at the site to be occupied later by the Parthenon. This temple is the Archaic Parthenon or Hekatompedon, dedicated to the military facet of Athena Parthenos, the patron divinity of the city.
The Hekatompedon
The earliest building known on the Acropolis was the Hekatompedon or Hekatompedos neos – meaning 100 feet long, and comes from an inscription referring to the layout of the sanctuary. It is thought that the building was built on the site, later occupied by the Classical Parthenon. The fragments of poros architectural members and sculptures uncovered to the south and east of the Parthenon, reveal that the Hekatompedon was a Doric peripteral temple. The lioness pediment is distinguished by its high-relief carving and its striking size. It depicts a lioness with an unusually bushy mane, rearing on its hind legs and tearing apart a calf. It is believed to have adorned the east pediment of the temple. Two compositions belong to the west pediment. The one to the left depicts Herakles on his right knee, wrestling with the Triton, a creature with a body of a man ending in the scaly tail of a sea monster. The group to the right is the Triple-Bodied Monster, a composite creature consisting of three male figures conjoined at the waist. Each figure holds an object in its left hand: the first has water, the second fire, and the third a bird (symbolizing air).
The Ancient Temple
The Gigantomachy pediment belongs to the decoration of the Old Temple of Athena. It has been argued that the Temple had an earlier building phase (570 BC), involving the poros sculptures that are now assigned to the Hekatompedon, while the marble sculptures were associated with a renovation by the sons of Peisistratos. It is possible, however, that the Temple was built and given its marble sculpted decoration in the last quarter of the 6th century BC. The compositions of the pediments consist of larger than life-size statues, carved in Parian marble, which are attributed to the workshop of an important Athenian sculptor, either Antenor or Endoios.
The Votives
From the time of Peisistratos onwards, the site of the Acropolis began to fill with votive offerings, offered to the Goddess, both as tokens of respect and as marks of financial and artistic development. These important offerings were mostly statues meant to please the Goddess. The human form was at the core of artistic pursuit, and its depiction resulted in technique perfection. On the Acropolis, statues and other expensive artefacts were commissioned by members of aristocratic families and wealthy professionals, manual workers, as well as women, such as washer women and bakers. Clay plaques depicted Athena either as Promachos, fully armed and resting one foot on a chariot, or as Ergane, seated and spinning.
Ministry sponsors children’s film dedicated to the New Acropolis Museum
The education ministry on Wednesday announced that it will debut a children’s film dedicated to the Parthenon atop the Acropolis, entitled “The Parthenon and its Sculptures”. The film will be shown primarily within the New Acropolis Museum’s main atrium, as the entire museum will officially be inaugurated on Saturday. MORE PHOTOS.

Greek Sakis in Eurovision Finals

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Greek pop singer Sakis Rouvas made it through the semifinals of the Eurovision Song Contest and won the ticket to the final, which will be held tomorrow (May 16) in Moscow.  The impressive performance of “This is our night” at Moscow’s Olympic Stadium earned him the European public’s resounding applause and admiration. Sakis Rouvas will appear eighth in tomorrow’s finals, hoping for your vote!  You Tube: Greece-Eurovision 2009 2nd Semi-Final ;Greek News Agenda: Eurovision 2009;

Greece on CNN’s iReport

(www.minpress.gr)  CNN’s iReport features Greece this week. iReporters submitted their favorite vacation photos from Greece and a selection of 25 of them is been presented.   Photos from Santorini, Myconos, the Parthenon etc along with the enthusiastic comments and memories of the people who posted them, constitute a slideshow of some of the most beautiful aspects of Greece.  iReport.com is a user-generated site, where users submit stories, videos, pictures etc. See the photos here

Nikos Skalkotas: A Greek European

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)    Vrontos Haris (ed.), “Nikos Skalkotas: A Greek European“, Benaki Museum, 2009.  The book was published to mark the sixtieth anniversary since the death of major Greek composer Nikos Skalkotas (1904-1949).  A group of fourteen musicologists, composers, conductors, historians, critics and translators collaborated on this volume, under the supervision of composer Haris Vrontos, who also served as its artistic director. Nikos Skalkotas was one of the most important Greek composers of 20th-century music. A member of the Second Viennese School, he drew his influences from both the classical repertoire and Greek tradition. More Info: Wikipedia- Nikolaos Skalkotas; The Friends of Nikos Skalkottas`s Music Society & Feinberg-Skalkottas Society; Youtube: Skalkotas- Greek Dances “Epirot Dance” &”Kleftikos Dance”  (Photo:Skalkotas as a young violinist)

Greece: Athens in 2030

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) On April 20, Souflias heralded an ambitious 20-year plan, making provision for a future Athens facelift, as it is projected that, by that time, the population in the region of Attica will have probably doubled.  According to the minister, the plan foresees the coexistence of “sustainable development, protection of natural resources, stable economic growth, an upgrading in competitiveness and the improvement of citizens’ quality of life.”  One of the most ambitious aspects of this plan that aims at promoting Athens’ international role as a metropolitan area of Europe, is the creation of a 220-kilometer metro network comprising eight lines and covering 85% of Attica. Moreover, the plan seeks to ‘freshen up’ historic urban centres in Attica such as Athens and Piraeus downtown by turning roads along historic buildings and architectural monuments into pedestrian zones. The draft bill for the plan will be debated sometime by November, after its submission to the Parliament.  City of Athens: Urban Planning; Secretariat General of Information: About Brand Greece- Spatial Planning; Networks Attica-Piraeus Prefecture: Regeneration of Athens Pedion Areos Park (‘Field of Mars’)

EU Heads in Athens

International Biodiversity Conference

EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was welcomed  in Athens in order to attend a two-day international conference on “Biodiversity Protection Beyond 2010” hosted by Greece (April 27-28). Some 230 representatives of EU member states, NGOs, European enterprises and UN agencies discussed EU policy on biodiversity, as 2010 will be a major milestone for biodiversity policy both in the EU and globally. Addressing the event, Barroso underlined the significance of protecting biodiversity, shifting from “business as usual,” to a new model, hopefully shaped by this new “message emitting from Athens.” 

Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis praised Greece for its high quality biodiversity amongst Mediterranean and European countries, but stressed that environmental protection ought to know no geographic boundaries. Taking the floor, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas warned that the world cannot turn its back on climate change and on any pressing matters of environmental protection. European Commission: Follow the Conference on-line & Dimas on biodiversity

Remarks on Greek Economy

Meeting yesterday with Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, Barroso welcomed Greece’s plans to tackle microeconomic imbalances and deliver on structural reforms. The Greek government has pledged to rein in the country’s deficit by 2010 (a fall to less than 3% of GDP), in keeping with EU’s proposed measures on fiscal policy.

Honours Bestowed

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso received  (April 27) distinction from the Hellenic Parliament and the City of Athens. Hellenic Parliament Speaker Dimitris Sioufas decorated Barroso with the Gold Medal of the Hellenic Parliament, while Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis awarded Barroso the Medal of Honour and Benefaction of the City of Athens.

Greece: Chios “The Blessed Island”

Three Videos from the Greek island of Chios by Ellopia Media Group:

Chios: The Blessing Island Chios Genesis [ http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102534344287&s=1624&e=001YI79mKvPVP7D93_JKli4hVjNDQYm2kHuZ2jNhtoUJv4mFV9advZP9wZhVxqyop0df7BXSXczPMNkTkKUm-9h_UDz34LRjberQ_tFt0DHOzxB_G_vA9TIAeOlyexKIpIPnP_H1A-T6oiwv8iUZp3hDQ==} ]  
Chios: O Kampos,Chios o Kampos http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102534344287&s=1624&e=001YI79mKvPVP5toSlWNf3tvuetxfyTOOnxlu4PtBflOxeuLIjmrg_yBPrLNn9o0_sMOepW39TDtowMes-m-gvyNpJhjBRUWhYVXVypUTjoakN1uk0IZSI7c1GVYw-ASnqdIlHcn2-4YBVFR6FVQ9rlgg== ]
Chios: Metropolitis Dionisios 30 Years.Chios Despotis [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102534344287&s=1624&e=001YI79mKvPVP7o9mQBI0p6OMGUt3XFNz0Ztcu4so1lQ_g6ZfJiNGT8A6YmHebL5wGvK0zHk_SvgZXX-Okl-LBs1oj8fxbDqEklZ_U0QiP_s_owdoSeT1f5j2mLvYidnfoD9iZ7CPm_Errd2Lr27cWJ5A=

=]

Greece in Eurovision 2009

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Greek pop singer Sakis Rouvas and “This is our night” is Greece’s entry for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held in Moscow in May. The lyrics for the song are written by the Greek Australian musical composers and songwriters Craig Porteils (born Craig Portelis) and Cameron Giles-Webb. Sakis Rouvas (37) represented Greece in 2004 with “Shake It” and won third. The singer has been active in the Greek and Cypriot music business since 1991, and over this period has launched over a dozen of successful albums, selling an estimated two million copies. The night the song was selected at a live show hosted by the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), viewers from 66 countries tuned in for the webcast of the Greek show. See also You Tube: Sakis Rouvas- This Is Our Night LIVE performance     Greek reporter: Greek-Australians write Greece’s Eurovision Song (18.02.09) 

Which Europe do We Want – Citizens Have Their Say

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The Office of the European Parliament in Athens in cooperation with the Citizens’ Movement “Kapodistrias-Spinelli-Europe” organisation  debated on the topic “European Elections 2009: Which Europe do we want. Citizens have their say,” on February 20, and addressed by deputies of the European Parliament. The 2009 parliamentary elections as well as a historic overview of Altiero Spinelli’s contribution to the European Union’s creation was the focus of discussion.  Although centuries apart, Spinelli and Kapodistrias appear to have shared common visions. The towering figure of Count Ioannis Capodistrias (1776-1831) who laid the foundations of the modern Greek state, inspired democratic and constitutional ideals across Europe. He participated in shaping the constitution of the Swiss Confederation during the 19th century as well as the Congress of Vienna in 1814 which determined the fate of the European states in the era of restoration. Altiero Spinelli (1907-1986) was a strong advocate of European federalism with a highly esteemed European activity which culminated on 14 February 1984, when the European Parliament adopted his report and approved the Draft Treaty Establishing the European Union. See also: Kapodistrias-Spinelli-Europe

Carnival Celebrations in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Greece’s Carnival season known as “Apokries” is a period of eating, drinking, dancing and masquerading. Traditionally, it begins ten weeks before Greek Orthodox Easter and culminates on the weekend before “Clean Monday,” (Ash Monday) the first day of Lent. This year, the carnival season lasts from February 8 until March 2. The roots of Carnival celebrations and customs can be traced back to ancient Greece and are linked to the worship of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and festivity. In fact, Carnival is closely related to the cultural heritage of each region and every year many traditional customs are being revived in different parts of the country. The Patras Carnival is the most popular in Greece, ranking among the top carnival celebrations in the world. The Carnival of Xanthi (Thrace) and Skyros include more traditional events (Skyros – Carnival) . In Corfu and Rethymno (Crete), the celebrations have absorbed a slightly Venetian flavour from the periods that the islands were under the control of Venice. In Galaxidi, Carnival events culminate on the first Monday of Lent with a parade of floats, transformed into a battlefield, as the “warriors” merciless pelt each other with ample quantities of variously coloured flour.   Agrotravel.gr – Information Gate to Greek Rural Tourism: Carnival Events Around Greece  Athens Plus (February 13): “Fokida: Come and Join the Carnival” (13.02.09, p.42) 

A “Mouving Museum” in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The National Museum of Contemporary Art recently inaugurated the programme “In & Out” which includes presentations of new works by Greek and international artists in the project room of the Athens Conservatory and in public spaces in the city. In the framework of this new exhibition programme, George Hadjimichalis, one of the most important representatives of contemporary art in Greece presented his new work-a video-, titled “The Famine in Athens in the winter of 1941-1942.” Hadjimichalis’ video includes photographic and videotaped archival material and is presented from a television placed inside a container from the window of which passers by will be able to watch. The work tours and stops in eight different sites of Athens, functioning as a “moving museum.”  The artist’s aim is to stimulate the memories of that cruel period, bringing the people of Athens in contact with the recent history of the city. More information: Foundation of the Hellenic World – Famine

In Europe for Help Dial “112”

(GREEK NEWS ADENDA)  How much do we know about “112″, European Union’s emergency phone number throughout the EU? Instead of searching for the national number when in emergency, any traveller circulating on EU territory can dial EU’s single “112” number. This number will not replace existing national emergency numbers and therefore, in most countries, including Greece, it operates alongside the existing national numbers. (“100” for Greece) In an attempt to raise EU citizens’ awareness concerning this service, the European Commission has established February 11  as European 112 Day. Recalling the difficulties in promoting the “112” service, Commissioner Reding in charge of the project commented that when she took up office, “it was said that 112 was EU’s best kept secret.”  You Tube: 112 – The single European emergency number

Enterprise Europe Network

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   The European’s Enterprise Europe Network is a network of integrated support for businesses throughout Europe. This year, the European Commission is launching the European Entrepreneurship Video Award 2009, for videos that explore any of the following subjects: “The entrepreneurial spirit,” “Innovative Entrepreneurship”, “Responsible Entrepreneurship.” The deadline for submission of short videos is March 31, 2009. The producers of the best videos will be invited to the opening event of the European week for small and medium sized enterprises on May 6, in Brussels, Belgium.  European Commission – Enterprise and Industry: European Entrepreneurship Video Award and Enterprise Europe Network in Greece Greek News Agenda: Enterprise Europe Network in Greece
1^st SME Week
The First European SME Week, taking place from May 6 to 14, 2009, is a campaign to promote entrepreneurship across Europe and to inform entrepreneurs about support available for them at European, national and local level. Throughout 2009, events are taking to help them develop new ideas and benefit from personalised information. The SME Week encourages and supports SMEs to reach their full potential. It also marks an opportunity to inspire potential entrepreneurs to ‘take the plunge’ and work towards achieving their aspirations.

Actress Irene Papas Wins International Award

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Another international award will complete the collection of international distinctions for the renowned actress Irene Papas, who will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 40th International Theatre Festival of the Venice Biennale on February 20. The Board of Directors of the Venice Biennale chose Papas upon recommendation of Director Maurizio Scaparro “for being one of Europe’s most famous artists who over her 50-year career has played important female roles in theatre and in film (many in classical tragedy), becoming, in the eyes of the world, the spokeswoman and symbol of the Mediterranean culture, the very incarnation of the power of Greek tragedy.” Irene Papas was born in 1926 and began her career in Greece (she was discovered by Elia Kazan), achieving widespread fame there, before starring in internationally renowned films such as “The Guns of Navarone,” (video) “Zorba the Greek” , Costas Gavras’ “Z” , and recent ones such as “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” .