Friends of Canada

About FoC

Friends of Canada is an informal network beginning in 2001 when the Canadian embassy suggested alumni from Canadian universities band together in Thessaloniki, Greece. We later embraced a more open-door policy and, in close collaboration with the Canadian Consulate of Thessaloniki, welcomed all friends of Canada into our Northern Greece group.

In late 2011, incoming Canadian Ambassador to Greece, Robert Peck, and Maria Pantazi-Peck suggested we start an informal sister FoC network in Athens, and they hosted an opening Christmas event at their official Canadian residence. Since then, FoC has strived to serve as a link between the local community and the embassy/consulate. 

FoC’s main purpose is to facilitate the exchange of Canadian-related information, as well as to encourage old-fashioned camaraderie. Membership is free and all nationalities are welcome to join. 

Newsletter

This is the backbone of FoC. We send out our free newsletters whenever we have Canadian-related news that is of particular interest to the local community. We email notices about our own FoC events, as well as pertinent notices from our embassy-related affiliates: the Canadian Embassy in Greece, the Canadian Institute in Greece (CIG), the Hellenic Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Vorres Museum (‘Canada House’) and the Canadian University Graduates in Greece group. 

Events

We collect no monies, so there is a ‘pay as you go’ philosophy at FoC happenings in both Athens and Thessaloniki. To facilitate participation by all, special care has always been taken to keep participation costs to a minimum, and to use venues with easy public transport access. Over the years, FoC has hosted numerous events and activities, however COVID has brought downsizing. Our affiliates also host several open-to-the-public events, so our FoC newsletter acts as a link to inform the local community about such occasions.

Membership

There is no membership fee. To join up and receive our free electronic newsletter, simply send all of the following information to friendsofcanada.greece@gmail.com (your confidentiality will be respected):

• Full Name
• Nationality
• Email address
• Mobile phone number
• Landline phone number (home or office)
• Present city/town
  Preferred newsletter, Athens or Thessaloniki
• Facebook name (if you are on Facebook)

Please also copy and send the following statement: *'Friends of Canada has my consent to process my data.'

* This is simply a legal formality, to comply with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. It means you are consenting to FoC processing your data for the sole purpose of FoC communications. You may withdraw this consent at any time by emailing FoC with a request to 'unsubscribe' - your contact information will then be deleted from our database.

Facebook

Besides registering, do also ‘like’ us at https://www.facebook.com/athens.thessaloniki. Our FoC Facebook page, with thousands of global (including local) followers, gives FoC a forum in which to make announcements about the great personal projects of FoC members. If we are emailed a concise notice (and/or a visual in .jpg format), we can then copy/paste and post this announcement on our facebook page.

Founding & Current Coordinator

Kathryn Lukey-Coutsocostas

CONTACT INFO

Email: friendsofcanada.greece@gmail.com
Website: https://friendsofcanada.gr/