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Thursday, 22 February 2018 07:00
Greece Launches The First European Cultural Heritage Year Events
Held at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron Mousikis), Athens had the pleasure of launching the first European Cultural Heritage celebration with the event 'Rebetiko Meets Flamenco and Fados." The event was organized by the Greek Culture Ministry and marked the official start of festivities of the European Year of Cultural Heritage.
2018 will be the year to encourage Europeans to discover and engage with their history, identity, and traditions through a series of events across the continent. It is an initiative of the European Commission with major themes this year in research and innovation and efforts to make cultural heritage more accessible to people across Europe.
The Athens concert showcased three urban popular traditions, which were born and developed in the ports of the Mediterranean. One in particular was the Greek rebetiko genre, which was listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in December 2017. What is Rebetiko? Click HERE to learn more!
Events will take place across Europe this year. Please click HERE to find out what's happening in Greece!
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Local News
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Tuesday, 20 February 2018 17:02
Echoes of Athens - A Taste Of Home In America
At the age of 16, Vivian Economy came to the U.S. from Kalamata. Her adopted country offered many more opportunities than her beloved Greece. The young woman missed ‘home’ and came up with an idea to bring some of her old home to her new home. In 1949, at the tender age of 18, she launched the very first Greek radio show in the Southeast.
‘Echoes of Athens was broadcast on WATL in Atlanta, GA for 50 years. Vivian’s daughter, Vickie Henson, the show’s current host, recalled those days. “The entire Atlanta Greek Community would rush home after church each Sunday to tune in. Imagine, my mother, the young woman, a trailblazer! Her listeners would find out the latest in the world of Greek news, politics, music, concerts, local community events. From marriages to deaths — she covered it all.”
When Vivian retired in the 1990s, there was a void in the community. Vickie took up the torch in recent years, armed with a new technology her mother would never know — the internet — which now allows ‘Echoes of Athens’ to be broadcast all over the world.
To read this article in full, please visit: Windy City Greek
Please click HERE to listen to Echoes Of Athens!
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People
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Tuesday, 20 February 2018 07:00
Clean Monday Celebrations Kicks Off Lent And Ends Carnival Season
In a village 200 kilometers west of Athens lies Galaxidi, a place of only about 1,700 inhabitants. Every year on Clean Monday, carnival celebrations ensue and residents and visitors "have a right to lose their civility."
They have what's known as a "flour war" — participants pelt each other with bags of dyed flour along the coastal road lining Galaxidi's old harbor.
"It's an explosion of color that takes place every Clean Monday, an Orthodox Christian holiday marking the start of Lent and the end of the carnival season which holds onto many of the country's pre-Christian traditions."
To read this article in full, please visit: NY Daily News
Published in
Local News
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Monday, 19 February 2018 07:00
Greek Wines Gain International Recognition
Greek wines are finally gaining recognition around the world, recently reported by Tornos News. "With near-perfect grape-growing regions and oodles of sun and favorable conditions for producing wine in a wide range of varies, from the bitter retsina to the silky smooth Assyrtiko and a host of others, Greece is finally being discovered."
At a recent event organized by the National Inter-Professional Organization of Vine and Wine of Greece (EDOAO), Greece has been involved in a campaign to extensively market their wines beyond the borders of the European Union.
Greek winemakers have not only seen increases in their sales abroad, but also in the prices buyers are willing to pay, a fact that demonstrates that the country is gaining recognition as a source of high-quality wines.
To read this article in full, please visit: Tornos News
Published in
Greece In The News
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Sunday, 18 February 2018 21:08
February 13th - Love Is In The Air
Discover some of the best Roof Gardens in Athens, check out a guide for a perfect day out in the city and much more in this week's newsletter!
Please click HERE to view this issue of our newsletter!
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Newsletters
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Monday, 10 February 2020 07:00
Top 10 Reasons To Love Living In Greece in 2020
Every year on the anniversary of moving to Greece, an American expat and a good friend of XpatAthens puts together a list of reasons why she loves living in Greece. Eight years ago, she left her job and life in San Francisco and decided to make the move to Athens, Greece. She has never looked back! Here are this year's top 10 things she loves about living in Greece:
- The Paliatzis/Παλιατζής
All throughout the streets of Athens, you can hear the paliatzis, a driver with a megaphone shouting out cryptic messages. When I first moved to Greece, I thought it was some sort of political announcement but I eventually came to understand they are asking for our old household furniture-like a self-appointed recycling program. - GNTM
I’m surprised to be listing a Greek reality show about fashion models as one of my favorite things about living here, but the truth is… I’m obsessed. I started watching the show on YouTube to improve my Greek, but after the initial auditions and 20 young women moved into a house together, it was impossible not to get swept into the drama. - B&E Goulandris Modern Art Museum
In October of 2019, the B&E Goulandris Modern Art Museum opened in central Athens. The art at the Goulandris Museum could easily go toe-to-toe with the collection at SFMoma in San Francisco. It’s four floors of modern art including one floor dedicated only to Greek artists. The collection is impressively diverse. No one can say Athens doesn’t have a culture. - Greece Is Going green
When I moved to Greece in 2012, plastic bags were everywhere, recycling was a joke, and I was met with confusion when I asked about composting. Not so anymore–Greece is waking up to the green moment with zero-waste stores like Plastikourgeio shop & lab in the center of Athens. Paros island is working to become the first plastic-free island. In 2018, the country banned free plastic shopping bags, and it’s working to abolish plastic straws. And over the last few months, I’ve started to see electric cars and charging stations in Athens. No word on composting yet, but I bet that’s coming soon. - The Island Of Ikaria
Last summer, I discovered the island of Ikaria, a blue zone location where a disproportionate percentage of the population live to be over 100 years old. The island is famous for its relaxed relationship with time–Ikaria has its own rhythm where no one rushes, and days seem to disappear without you realizing where they went. The island has beautiful beaches, great food and even a nice surf break. - Greek Names
I read Greek mythology when I was young, but I never thought I would have real-life friends named Athena, Aphrodite, Eros and Aris. It feels sort of majestic having friends named after the gods, though it is puzzling why I’ve never met a Zeus or Hera. -
Smoking Has Been Banned (For Real) In Restaurants, Bars And Tavernas
Ten years after being passed, it seems the ban on smoking in public places in Greece is actually being enforced. The no-smoking ban went into effect in 2009, but it was widely ignored to the point of being comical. But then almost overnight, that changed, and now when I walk into a bar or taverna, it is smoke-free. I try to stay out of politics, but I do appreciate this element of the new administration.
- The Tiny Specialty Stores
All throughout central Athens, there are small stores specializing in the sale of a single thing: the doorknob store, the glass jar store, the rope store, the ladder store, etc. It is a mystery to me how these stores stay in business, but there is something very charming about the way you see so much expertise concentrated in a tiny shop. Most of the shops have been around for years, they are passed down through the generations and the owners really do seem to know everything about the single thing they sell. It takes a little longer to get your shopping done, but it is worth it. -
I Generally Feel Safe In Greece
Greece is a country with 11 million people and while things do happen, as a country it scores low for violent crime. The police presence is strong, violent crime is low, regular people are willing to get involved, and unlike my own country, there is no need for “active shooter” drills in children’s schools.
- I Have A Church!
In April of 2019, I was baptized Greek Orthodox with the name Evangelia/Ευαγγέλια and as part of the process, I formed a relationship with a church and a Greek Orthodox priest. I love my church–it is called the Ragavas Church in Plaka, and it is where the revolution in 1821 started in Athens. They have a special bell-ringing ceremony on March 25th to commemorate the revolution, which works out well for me since that’s also my name day.
Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.
Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons. She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece. And so she did.
“I remember getting on the plane to leave San Francisco. My dog and two cats were in cargo below and I had packed a suitcase full of clothes. Almost everything else I had sold or given away. There wasn’t anyone to meet me in Athens because I didn’t know anyone. But it was one of the calmest moments of my life. I was totally sure I was making the right choice. And I haven’t regretted it at all. I love Greece.”
We're thrilled to collaborate with Lynn as an official XpatAthens Content Contributor! To learn more about her and all the great things she does in Athens please click here.
We're thrilled to collaborate with Lynn as an official XpatAthens Content Contributor! To learn more about her and all the great things she does in Athens please click here.
Published in
My Week In Athens
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Thursday, 15 February 2018 10:11
YouGoCulture Platform ~ Born in Greece... Addressed To The World!
Online interactive platform with virtual tours of destinations across Greece.
A new initiative for the extrovert promotion of the Greek culture by the E-Learning of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) and currently in the making with everyone’s support through the act4Greece crowdfunding program by the National Bank of Greece.
How does the world see Greece and its culture? Do we share the same perspective? How do we overcome the stereotypes and the distance they create between us? Can we communicate, come closer and get to know each other, learning the real Greece? Can we capture the image of our country to share it with the world?
A new initiative implemented by the E-Learning of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) entitled YouGoCulture invites us to "enter the picture", even with one euro, and create the images that we will share to travel Greece across the world ... through its culture.
Because ... Culture is not only (everything) that made us proud yesterday! Culture is also all that makes us proud of what we are today! Culture is everything that make us Greek every day. Because Greece means culture ... And culture is us!
The Action
A platform made up of familiar materials ... Materials that shaped the "soul" of Greece, its culture, over the centuries ... Everything that made it and still makes it special. A platform made of images ... Made with knowledge, artistry and genuine passion to take Greece even farther ... but at the same time to greet Greek and foreign friends from all over the world, "welcoming" to this corner of the planet all those who are interested in knowing the “real” Greece.
A free access, public and nonprofit platform, which has already begun its mission. It captures the charm of unique destinations in the Peloponnese and in Attica, and is committed to highlight the dual character of cultural heritage - modern lifestyle all over the country and can achieve it with the power of many, with the minimal contribution of us through Act4Greece.
The aim is to raise funds of €65,000 to produce the original audiovisual material of the destinations specified below.
Purpose - Benefits - Approach
An act of extroversion that relies on the generosity of Greeks and aspires to be a practical example of re-launching against the widespread crisis. On the side of the productive forces, the new generation and the local communities, together with the Greece of innovation and the representatives of the real economy, the productive sector and the sustainable entrepreneurship, the YouGoCulture platform contributes in the common pursuit of progress and development, both at national and local level, through the use of symbolic capital and comparative advantages of the country for the promotion of our cultural asset and tourist product.
We travel to every corner of Greece to meet its people. We follow their paths. We hear their thoughts. We get to know their faces and record what makes them special, highlighting the culture that makes them Greek.
People and monuments share their "stories" so that Greece can share its story ... with the world! They narrate memories of their past and moments from their present so that Greece can narrate its future to the world. Together, in a special narrative through the "ecumenical language" of culture, they create a rare mosaic of images and knowledge that reflects the authentic characteristics of Greek identity of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Come to share experiences ..., art ..., knowledge ..., sports ..., innovation ... To share dances ..., festivals ..., but also struggles ..., tastes ..., smells ..., memories ..., feelings ..., traditions ..., customs ..., landscapes ..., moments ...
... so that Greece can share its values ..., ideals ..., hospitality ..., democracy ..., philosophy ..., theater ..., nature ..., light ..., its blue ... its invaluable wealth ...
Let's share our present ... so that Greece can share its past, but also its future...
Because every story, our story, is invaluable ... and it's worth sharing it!
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Local News
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Thursday, 15 February 2018 07:00
Greek Man Kayaks Around Crete In 39 Days
A Greek man sailed around Crete on a kayak and circled the island in 39 days, starting on New Year’s Day and completing his journey in early February 2018.
He started from Elafonisos, off southern Peloponnese, passed through Kythera and Antikythera and reached Crete where he started his journey around the island.
In the 39 days he was on his kayak, Loudaros faced bad weather, strong winds in some cases, and conditions that made his task even more difficult. He fought hard against the bad conditions and he made it with high spirits.
To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter
Published in
Greece In The News
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Monday, 19 February 2018 07:00
Qatar Airways To Launch Flights To Mykonos, Greece May 2018
Qatar Airways has recently announced it will begin flight service from Doha to Mykonos, starting May 30th, 2018. Because Mykonos is centrally located in the Cyclades and a very popular holiday destination for many travelers, Qatar has been seeking to add Mykonos to their repertoire of flights for quite some time.
Four weekly seasonal flights to Mykonos will be operated by an Airbus A320, featuring 12 seats in business class and 132 seats in economy class.
Qatar is also launching weekly non-stop flights to Thessaloniki in March 2018. They already offer three daily flights to Athens.
Source: Greek Reporter
Published in
International Travel
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Tuesday, 13 February 2018 05:24
NKUA Introduces Greek Culture & Heritage Through E-Learning Platform - YouGoCulture
A new initiative has been developed by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which promotes Greek culture and heritage in a digital E-learning platform. YouGoCulture creates images that allows us to travel to Greece from across the world, all through its online platform.
YouGoCulture is a free access, public and nonprofit platform, which captures the charm of unique destinations in the Peloponnese and in Attica. This new digital platform is committed to highlighting the character of cultural heritage and modern lifestyles all over the country. So far, their work includes 9 destinations, dozens of videos and interviews, thousands of photos and panoramas, and much more.
"The site is designed for international visitors to Greece and is entirely in English. It has been operational for almost a year, currently offering nine digital destinations: Mystras, Lavrio-Sounio, Elefsina, Marathon, Mycenae, Ancient Olympia, Messene, Epidaurus and Athens. Five more are set to be added in the near future (Limnos, Delos, Knossos and Delphi), while another 16 are in the pipeline."*
YouGoCulture, supported by Act4Greece and the National Bank of Greece, is seeking to raise €65,000 to produce more original audiovisual material to promote Greece's culture and heritage to international audiences. So far, over €41,000 euros have been raised.
*Source: Ekathimerini
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Local News
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