Athens ArtCore is a recently-formed association of artist-run spaces in Athens, with the goals of creating a network of support, advocacy, and collaboration, as well as raising the visibility of the value of these types of independent spaces. In recent years Athens has seen a proliferation of alternative art spaces, joining the global trend toward artist-run, non-commercial initiatives, which provide an arena for experimentation and innovation in the art scene that traditional galleries cannot. In its first event, Athens ArtCore invites the public to a 3-day festival, to take place 13-15 March 2020, in which each space/platform will independently host a project under the common aegis of Athens ArtCore.

The festival’s title, “Death in Athens”, refers to Thomas Mann’s classic Death in Venice, and its themes of inspiration, creation, and the distinct relationship of the creative process to city and location. The novel also addresses the Platonic theory of forms and how its legacy in Western traditions of art-making furnish disjunctures of idea and form, of signifier and signified. Death in Athens prods these themes for their specific resonance within the Greek capital today. Each participating platform will address these themes with its own curatorial project. 

Friday 13/3 (opening): 18:00-23:00
Saturday 14/3: 14:00-20:00
Sunday 15/3: 14:00-19:00, (closing party): 20:00-24:00

The following initiatives will participate:

 

Halva is a semolina pudding, sweetened with syrup and studded with nuts. Halva is an easy to make, delicious, lenten dessert that is widely served on Kathara Deftera and during the fasting period before Easter. Make sure you brown the semolina enough to get a lovely cinnamon brown colour and a delicious nutty flavor.

 

Serves: 8-10
Difficulty: Intermediate

Cooks in: 40 minutes
 

• 3/4 cups sunflower oil
• 1 cup coarse semolina
• 1 cup fine semolina
• 3 cups granulated brown sugar
• 4 cups water
• Zest of 3 oranges
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 150 g almond slivers

 

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C set to fan.
2. Toast the almond slivers in a shallow baking pan lined with parchment paper for 5-8 minutes.
3. In a non-stick pot saute the vegetable oil with the fine semolina and coarse semolina, over medium-low heat.
4. Stir the mixture continuously for about 4-5 minutes, until the semolina becomes golden brown. Do not rush this process since semolina burns easily. Sauteeing the semolina gives it a rich and nutty flavor.
5. When ready, add the sugar, water, orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves.
6. Stir for another 10 minutes until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble. You will know it is ready when it starts to pull away from the bottom of the pan.
7. Add the almonds and continue to stir.
8. Transfer the mixture into a 22 cm bundt cake pan, hit the cake pan on a hard surface to make sure the mixture settles and your halva is nice and compact.
9. Turn it over after 5 minutes.

Find this and other great recipes on: akispetretzikis.com

 

FokiaNou Art Space is pleased to present “Nude”, a solo photography exhibition by Maria Bourbou, opening Saturday 7 March at 7 pm. Bourbou’s work appears as dreamlike images where fiction is mixed with reality and where past, present and future are fused. In this series, she focuses her lens on the naked body using natural light. The interior environment is bare, so that the subject imposes itself. The work acts as a mirror of ourselves, and attempts to display emotions and strength. At the same time it is displayed as a symbol of beauty and harmony.

Born in Athens, Maria Bourbou studied Photography at the private photography school «E.M.E.F» of Dimitrios Xliveros in Athens, as well as German Language and Literature at the University of Kiel (Germany). In recent years, Maria Bourbou has been living and working in different countries in Europe. Her work has been exhibited and collected internationally including at the Instituto de Camões in Lisbon, the gallery Teambox, (LX- Factory, Lisbon) and at the Konrad Adenauer Building of the European Parliament in Luxemburg. She recently had a solo show at the Hellenic American Union in Athens, and has participated in many group exhibitions, most recently at the Salon du CAL 2018 in Luxembourg, at “Back to Athens 6” (International Art Festival in Athens), presenting the digital poem «Myopia» . Some of the works in this series were shown in the exhibition “Gender and Other Boundaries” at the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of Setúbal, Portugal.

FokiaNou Art Space is an artist-run project space in the intimacy of a small apartment in an old building in the center of Athens. The space encourages collaborative creative efforts between Greek and foreign artists, thereby promoting and supporting the local art community. The space hosts exhibitions, workshops and projects under the direction of two artists, Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris. 

Opening: Saturday 7 March 19.00
Duration: 7 – 28 March 2020
Hours: Thursday – Saturday 17.00-20.00

Greeks are famous for their hospitality toward guests, visitors, family, and friends. They are renowned for being philoxenoi, as if it is written in their DNA. Anthropologist Sofia Zinovieff, first lived in Nafplio, Greece in the late 80s as a postgraduate student researching modern Greek identity and tourism. Her article gives in-depth insight into the hidden aspects of Greek hospitality.

 

No matter how graceful Greek hospitality is, anthropologists argue there's more to the phenomenon than free-floating kindness. In essence, it's part of a system. In many pre-industrial societies, you automatically give a stranger a meal or a bed for the night, knowing that someone will do the same for you or your loved ones. Some degree of reciprocity is implied, even if it is not implemented. These habits become deeply rooted.

Another very significant factor is the way hospitality contributes to social standing. Many of us may have witnessed Greek "big men" paying for everyone on an evening out or offering large feast in their homes to recognize the processes described above. The Harvard anthropologist Professor Michael Herzfeld believes that, on the island of Crete, hospitality creates a symbolic reversal of power relations. As Herzfeld writes, "At the level of collective representations… [hospitality] signifies the moral and conceptual subordination of guest to host."

After finishing her PhD, Sofia Zinovieff, returned to Greece with her Greek husband and 2 daughters. She writes, "In Athens, I soon saw that aspects of traditional hospitality and generosity have survived, even if circumstances have changed. The reality of millions of tourists visiting each year makes it harder to find the random acts of kindness encountered by earlier travelers. And while many Greeks have been inspiringly hospitable and openhearted towards refugees and migrants (whose mass arrivals coincided with the country's own recent economic crisis), we have also witnessed philoxenia's ugly opposite – xenophobia. Nevertheless, the tendency to maintain social ties and rules of hospitality within the city is still reminiscent of earlier times in more rural communities." "When you treat someone to a coffee or a meal or invite them into your home, you bind them to you in a fluid, open-ended debt that may never be repaid but that may help you in some way in the future. This is the village within the city."

However, the potential for self-interest does not diminish the positive impact of hospitality which creates a "virtuous circle". Hospitality remains hardwired in Greece, if fact you rarely come into someone's home without being offered a glass of water, sweets, and much more. Despite anthropologists' arguments, the potential compensations of hospitality are unlikely to be a concious motive of the giver or the receiver.

Even though Greece society has changed drastically in the recent decades, the self-worth and honor of an individual, their philotimo as it is called in Greece, is still reflected on the way they treat a guest.


To read this article in full, please visit: Greece-is.com

The online tax declaration platform, for the incomes of 2019, is expected to open at the end of this month. Taxpayers and corporations will be able to submit their tax returns until June 30, and the first installment will be payable a month later.

Τhe higher ceiling for achieving the tax-free threshold through online payments will be applicable from the 2020 financial year. Consequently, the declarations submitted this spring will have the previous limits of 10% for all incomes up to 10,000 euros, 15% for incomes from 10,001 to 30,000 euros, and 20% for revenues of over 30,000 euros.

 

As of last year, couples receive separate tax clearance documents, concerning only their personal incomes and not the income of their spouses, regardless of whether they submitted a joint or separate tax declaration.

To read this article in full, please visit: ekathimerini

According to a global survey from WIN/Gallup International, the world’s leading association in market research and analysis in Europe, the Greeks are the cleanest people in Europe, with 85% agreeing that they wash their hands with soap and water automatically.

The results come in the right moment, given the recent outbreak of the coronavirus, where hand-washing is one of the essential measures to deter the spread of the virus. To date, Greece has only reported 7 cases of the coronavirus, while Italy has more than 1,000 cases.

The survey examined a total of 62,398 people worldwide and found there are significant differences by region. More specifically, people from China and Japan were much less likely to automatically use soap and water (23% and 30% respectively). In comparison, Saudi Arabians are among the cleanest nations in the world.

Surprisingly enough, one in three people across the world doesn’t always wash their hands properly after going to the toilet even though it is estimated that hand-washing with soap alone could save over 650,000 lives each year (Greenland et al. 2012).

The President of WIN/Gallup International Association, Jean-Marc Leger, said: “It is estimated that 35% of the global population has no access to safe bathroom facilities and that an alarmingly high number of people across the world are not washing their hands with soap and water, either because of a lack of facilities or bad habits. We are proud to release this study and to contribute to raising awareness worldwide about the benefits of hand-washing with soap.”


To read this article in full, please visit: Greek City Times

As part of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence, the National Archaeological Museum in Athens has curated a special exhibition.

The exhibition’s name “For these we fought: Antiquities and the Greek Revolution”, is a fitting choice, based on a quote attributed to General Yiannis Makrygiannis. A leading historical figure, he advised Greek fighters to fight for their much-deserved freedom and not to sell or give away any of Greece’s antiquities. 

There will be five sections featuring 26 artifacts from the Museum’s collections juxtaposed with 26 modern works by painters from across Europe. The exhibition attempts to showcase the relationship between Greeks and antiquities and their inspiring role during the war and the establishment of the Greek State. As a result of the frequent and barbaric thefts of their antiquities, Greeks rallied round ideologically to support a higher ideal and principle and a strong philhellenic movement was born. 

The exhibition reminds us of how important it is to preserve our cultural heritage and encourages us to continue fighting for the return of everything that was ever stolen.  

Whether you run to add days to your life or run to add life to your days, the Athens Half Marathon presents the perfect fitness challenge!

Kick-off the new decade by setting your sights on this annual springtime event that marks the first big milestone of the Athens sporting calendar. As usual, the 21km road race starts and finishes in Syntagma Square, in front of the Greek Parliament, after two laps around Athens’ historic centre. For those who want the adrenaline rush without the agony, there’s also 3km and 5km events, as well as a 1km special route for children and people with disabilities. 

Registrations close on 9 March. Heed our advice though and sign up pronto to dodge disappointment: this race gets bigger every year.

This May, NHS Psychologist, Tom Crossland is taking on an incredible 2,000-mile run, from Greece to London, to raise awareness of the needs of survivors of trafficking. The goal is to raise £50,000 for the TRIBE Freedom Foundation, a charity inspired by a 1,000-mile run to set up the first UK home for trafficked children.

Tom Crossland was born with cerebral palsy. He was not able to walk until he was over 3 years old and as he grew up, he found it difficult to maintain his balance and stay on his feet. Running never came naturally to him. It's only through hard work, determination, persistence, and meticulous planning that he can go to a place in his body and mind that gives him the strength and endurance to go on.

‘I fell over all the time… I had a permanent hole in the left knee of my trousers and a permanent graze on my left hip. This never stopped me from being active, however, and taught me that success is not measured by how many times you fall over but by how many times you get up.’ said Tom.

Setting off from Athens on 1 May 2020, Tom will run the equivalent of 90 marathons in 90 days, supported by a small number of friends, family, and members of the TRIBE community.

All funds raised by Tom will be going to TRIBE Freedom Foundation, a UK charity that works to fight modern slavery across the UK, by raising awareness, providing funding and support for frontline projects to fight modern slavery and working on projects to equip survivors with the long-term services to overcome their previous exploitation.

Talking about the reasons why Tom wants to support trafficking survivors, he said: ‘Through my work and adventuring, I have developed deep gratitude for the being born in the UK and the freedoms this allows. I am passionate about fighting for human rights. Over the past few years, there have been large numbers of people entering Europe in search of asylum, freedom, and safety. The reality is, that in their desperation, people will use their life savings to pay human traffickers to help them reach mainland Europe and the UK.’

His journey is one of overcoming obstacles, pushing your body and mind to its limits and then further, practicing self-care and being mindful, focused and being in the moment.

Talking about the challenge, Tom said, ‘These people, who have escaped war or persecution, are then sometimes forced into slavery or indentured servitude. This robs them of one of the most important and fundamental human rights; to be born free and to live with liberty and security of person. This is why I am going to run from Greece to London between May and August 2020. I hope by following the journey across Europe that refugees and trafficked people make, I can raise public awareness of these issues and help The TRIBE Freedom Foundation end modern slavery.’

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XpatAthens is proud to be a Media Sponsor of Run To Refuge 2020

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About TRIBE Freedom Foundation

Modern Slavery is a shocking crime that is sadly taking place all around us, hidden in plain sight. In 2018, almost 7,000 potential victims of modern slavery were identified in the UK alone, and that number is growing every year. In fact, the true number of victims in the UK is likely to be much, much higher. In 2018, the Global Slavery Index estimated that there could be as many as 136,000 modern slaves just in the UK. Globally, there are 40.3 million people living in modern slavery.

TRIBE Freedom Foundation is the charity inspired by a 1,000-mile run to set up the first home for trafficked children in the UK. Today, we work to fight modern slavery across the UK, by raising awareness, providing funding and support for frontline projects to fight modern slavery and working on projects to equip survivors with the long-term services to overcome their previous exploitation. We empower communities to create an impact.

Vulnerable victims are forced into sexual exploitation, forced labor or domestic servitude. Criminals today use violence, intimidation, and coercion to control their victims rather than keeping them locked up in chains. Some victims are trafficked from abroad, sold the dream of a better life – but in reality becoming subject to cruel abuse. Others are recruited from the streets of Britain, forced into criminal exploitation. Today, the largest cohort of modern slaves in the UK are British nationals. This needs to stop.

Learn more at tribefreedomfoundation.com and @tribefreedomfoundation on Instagram / Facebook