Launched in September 2017, Akapnos is dedicated to promoting and rewarding all shops, cafes, restaurants, etc. that don't allow smoking inside. They are by no means anti-smoking - they just want to help those who want to have a smoke-free environment. Listed on their site, the venues they include have the following requirements:

Akapnos is a group of Greek citizens who wish to improve the self-image of its citizens, as well as the image of Greece from foreigners. They care immensely about the long-term interest in Greece and wish to preserve its legacy and heritage.

To explore the 244 verified smoke-free venues in Greece (so far), please visit: Akapnos

The Byzantine church of Hagia Kyriaki on the Greek island of Naxos recently won the 2018 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards for its unique frescoes that were reconstructed by a Greek and Swiss team.

This restoration meant Greece was one of the outstanding European heritage success stories in the awards’ Conservation category for 2018.

Hagia Kyriaki will be honored at a ceremony in Berlin in June 2018 during the first European Cultural Heritage Summit.

Below is a video showing the details and reconstruction of the church.



For more information about the Europa Nostra Awards and Hagia Kyriaki, please visit: European Heritage Awards

Article source: Greek Reporter

During an inspiring and emotional celebration by the Peace and Sport Organization on the island of Rhodes, ACS Athens was honored and recognized for organizing the “Color of Peace” event that took place on April 20, 2018. All JK-Grade 12 students participated in an event dedicated to promoting peace through sport and to highlighting the importance of education for ALL children while empathizing and actively supporting those young individuals who have lost their home because of war.

“Peace and Sport” is an independent and international organization that promotes Peace through the power of Sport and it is based in Monaco, functioning under the High Patronage of H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco.

Each year, the “Regional Peace through Sport” initiative rewards a company, a foundation, an institution or an event that has demonstrated its commitment to benefit society through sport and uses its assets and experience to promote sustainable peace and social awareness. ACS Athens was among a select group of organizations/institutions from all five continents that were considered for this prestigious award and was honored to receive it. The award was accepted by Dr. Stefanos Gialamas, ACS Athens President, Ms. Annie Constantinides, Director of Athletics and Ms. Manya Louvari, Member of the ACS Athens Board of Trustees.

ACS Athens participated in “Peace and Sport” initiative by creating and promoting the “White Card” campaign to promote the positive and constructive values of sport around the globe. During the “White Card” celebration on April 20, 2018, the entire ACS Athens community of more than 1000 students and faculty participated in a school-wide event sending a strong message in support of empathy and peace and against discrimination. The celebration included a soccer match with students and unattended refugee minors who live at the shelters of "The Home Project" Organization, an ACS Athens partner for the “Youth-to-Youth” Program. The ACS Athens student body consists of over 65 nationalities, and it is an example of respecting and celebrating different cultures, while it fosters an environment that respects and promotes universal values and principles for humanity. Leading to the "White Card" celebration, the school organized several activities in support of the Youth-to-Youth Program, as well as educational activities throughout the different grade levels, where all students addressed the significance of peace in a troubled world and the power of sport in uniting cultures across the globe.

For more information, please visit: ACS Athens

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Santorini will be found once again at the heart of the global sports map, in October, through the organization of “Santorini Experience”.

Amateur and professional athletes will discover the athletic side of the island for the 5th year, from October 4-6, 2019, through running races, admiring the Cycladic architecture overlooking the Caldera and through a swimming race in the deep blue sea with the necessary volcanic energy.

“Santorini Experience” ensures every year the best service for all participants, creating ideal conditions for all travelers. All those traveling to the island by ferry for the 5th “Santorini Experience”, will be able to enjoy once again this year the safety and comfort of Blue Star Ferries. The top Greek shipping company offers 50% discount on the ferry tickets, from/to Santorini and 30% discount on vehicles to all those visiting the event and the island from October 1 st to 10th 2019. Each person who has completed his/her registration is entitled to the same discount for 3 more people (if these are his/her escorts) or for 4 people (if these are family members).

Participants who wish to book their tickets must complete their registration and timely contact the following port offices, at least 3 workdays before departure: Piraeus: GELASAKIS SHIPPING & TRAVEL, tel. +30 210 4222440, Santorini: DAKOUTROS TRAVEL, tel. 22860 22201, Paros: ERKYNA TRAVEL, tel. +30 22840 23112, Syros: VASSILIKOS PREMIUM SERVICES, tel. +30 22810 844444, Naxos: ZAS TRAVEL, tel. +30 22850 23330. For bookings on the day of ferry’s departure, the discount offer will not be applicable.

At the same time, Avance gives the opportunity to participants in the 5th “Santorini Experience” to make their reservation, for any vehicle of their choice regarding their travel to the island during the period of the event (pick up service from the airport or port), with a 15% discount on the official price list. In terms of bookings, participants may send an email to sales@avance.gr.

On Friday, October 4, 2019, the awarded Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa as the official sponsor of “Santorini Experience” will give the opportunity to people to admire the enchanting view of the famous sunset in Oia, by hosting a Sunset Pilates Session with the exceptional instructor, Mandy Persaki. Limited seats will be available for the session. Interested parties can call: +30 28975 02151.

Hospitality sponsors are the keystone to the prominence and development of sports tourism in Santorini and one of the most important factors for the success of “Santorini Experience”. Until now, this year’s effort is supported with special offers and prices by: Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Athina Luxury Suites, Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa, Canaves Oia, West East Suites, Andronis Arcadia, Vedema a Luxury Collection Resort, Mystique a Luxury Collection Hotel, Santo Houses, Desiterra Luxury Suites & Villas, 270 Oia’s View, Fanouris Condo, Monolithia, Casa Iphigenia, Sienna Resort, Esperas Santorini, Loizos Stylish 2 Residencies, Iokasti Villa, Olive Cave Houses and Mesana Stone Houses, while participation continues.

Travel to Santorini, under the ideal weather conditions from October 4-6, and take advantage of the accommodation offers from hospitality sponsors and partners of the event like VitaNTravel which offers accommodation packages starting from 130€ per person for three days, including accommodation and ferry tickets.  For more information click HERE! 

Santorini is an island in which use of means of transportation is necessary and DNA Travel provides its services for this purpose. Participants will be able to take advantage of the special offer created by DNA Travel for the days of Santorini Experience and arrange a transfer from/to their hotels and from/to the airport or the port they arrive at a cost of €30.00 for up to 4 people and with €5.00 extra cost for every extra person. Reservations can be made at info@dnatravel.gr and info@dnatravelgreece.com , but also at the following telephone numbers: +306972245343, +306980027609, +302286021179.

2019 Santorini Experience offers
Take advantage of the offers available on ferry tickets, car rentals and accommodation for “Santorini Experience” HERE!

“Santorini Experience” as an event has many difficulties, but the pleasure and experience someone gains from his participation are even more.

Enjoy some backstage moments at the following video by clicking HERE!

Registrations for swimming and running continue
From 1/6/2019, participants may register in the event according to the final wave of registrations which lasts until the start of the event.

Attend Real Madrid’s camp in Santorini!
In the framework of “Santorini Experience”, and in cooperation with MGC Soccer Central, head coaches from the academies of Real Madrid will visit Santorini for the first time and specifically the facilities of the athletic center Playland, from October 3-6, 2019 and teach football to children aged between 6 and 16, using the coaching methodologies of Los Merengues! Register now. For more information visit: http://www.frmclinicsgreece.com

Samsung is the event’s official technology partner for one more year.
Official sponsors of the event include Ford Motor Hellas, Athina Luxury Suites, Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa, “Vikos” Natural Mineral Water, Blue Star Ferries and Alafouzos Sport. For another year, Luanvi is the event’s official sports supplier.
Official supporters of the event are: Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts and Boatmen Union Santorini.
Avance Rent A Car is the official rental partner.
National Geographic is the strategic partner of the event and 24 Media its premium media partner.
DNA Travel is the official transport partner.
“Santorini Experience” is assisted by West East Suites, Lifeguard Patrol, Voluntary Lifeguards of Santorini, Mediterranean Dive Club, Atlantis Dive Center and Santorini Nautical Club. 3 “Santorini Experience” has joined the Greek actions of the #BeactiveHellas 2019 program of the European Commission and is under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Sports. “Santorini Experience” is a co-organization of Municipality of Santorini, Municipal Sports Cultural Environmental Organization of Santorini (DAPPOS) and Active Media Group.
The event is held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization with the approval of the Hellenic Swimming Federation.
More info at: www.santorini-experience.com
Official Hashtag: #SantoriniExperience
Photo credit: Thanos Rivios

Greece has moved up 10 spots in the Climate Change Performance Index’s 2022 ranking released last week.

Greece went from the 24th to 34th place in the CCPI’s 2022 report. The authors note that Greece was able to rise the ranks of the index partially because of its plan to eliminate lignite, a form of coal that is less carbon-dense.

The improvement was also attributed to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ climate law presented at the COP26 summit, as well as the latest edition of the country’s National Plan for Energy and Climate, which aims to hit the European Union’s emissions goals for the end of the decade.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) analyzes the impact 64 countries and the European Union (counted as a whole) have made on the world in their response to the issue of climate change, ranking them based on their positive engagement with the environment.

Greece lands in the “yellow” zone of this year’s Climate Change Performance Index

The team behind the index stated that none of the countries evaluated met their standard for the top three spots in the index this year which qualify a country’s positive effect on climate change as “very high.”

Leading the group at number four, however, is Denmark, with an overall index rating of 76.92. The country was joined at the top by fellow Northern European countries Sweden and Norway — which ranked fifth and sixth, respectively – -all meeting the standards of “high” performance in working atop ameliorate the climate crisis.

Of the countries so evaluated, Greece landed somewhere in the middle, coming in at number 24 on the index, a yellow coded ranking that denotes a “medium” amount of engagement with climate change.

To read this article in full, please visit: greerkreporter.com

Veganism, the abstinence of the use of all animal products, is one of the fastest-growing lifestyle movements in the world. 

Here in Greece, long renowned for its love of meat, veganism is becoming increasingly popular, especially among the younger generations. While the concept is still relatively new in mainstream Greek society, more and more shops and restaurants are offering plant-based products. And while fasting is a long-established tenet of the Greek Orthodox faith – the current Lenten fasting period calls on the Faithful to follow a vegan diet until Easter – the traditional Greek diet has always been blessed with a plethora of vegan and vegetarian options.

If veganism is becoming an increasingly popular lifestyle choice now, then what were the attitudes to meat-eating and the exploitation of animals in the ancient Greek past?

Who were the first vegans? 

With the rise of agriculture in the Neolithic, first developed around 10,000 BC, the earliest farmers continued to rely on a largely plant-based diet, only turning to meat for special occasions and group feasting. It was during this time that dairy products were first consumed – milk and early forms of cheese and yogurt.

For the vast majority of human history, therefore, meat was seen as a rare treat, which largely debunks the claim that the so-called “Paleo-diet” should be heavily based on meat. But when did veganism and vegetarianism become a lifestyle based on social justice and ethics? For that, we need to turn to some of the world’s oldest religions and ancient philosophical schools that taught non-violence to all living forms, among them the ancient Greek Pythagoreans and the mysterious Orphics.

The Pythagorean Way Of Life

To the ancient Greeks, strict vegetarianism (abstaining from meat and sometimes eggs) was called “abstinence from beings with a soul.” While Greek literature and art are studded with images of people eating meat, famously in the Homeric epics, in general, meat consumption was certainly not as common as it is today. For many, meat would have been prohibitively expensive, reserved only for special occasions, but as a specific way of life, abstaining from animal foods was limited to a small number of religious and philosophical sects.

The earliest evidence for the theory and practice of abstaining from meat comes from the 6th century BC when the Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras voiced his moral objection to the mistreatment of animals. While no authentic writings of the philosopher have survived, it was argued by later authors, notably the Roman poet Ovid, that he likened the consumption of meat to cannibalism. 

Followers of Pythagoras also shunned the sacrifice of animals and the ritual offering of meat to the gods, believing that it was not necessary to inflict pain and suffering on another sentient being. This belief soon influenced other philosophers, including Empedocles, who was said to have refused to perform a blood sacrifice following victory in a horse race at Olympia.

Similarly the mysterious Orphics, an ascetic sect based on the mythical poet Orpheus whose views and practices mirrored elements of Pythagoreanism, adhered to a strict vegetarian diet that also excluded broad beans, believing that they contained the souls of the dead.

While it is clear that strict vegetarianism was a well-known practice in ancient Greece, we have no way of knowing if any of the adherents of these religious and philosophical schools of thought extended it to mean the total abstention from ALL animal products – i.e. meat, fish and seafood, eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, honey, and the use of leather hides and fur.

Nevertheless, arguments about the ethical treatment of animals abounded in Greek philosophical circles since at least the 6th century BC. As such, the recent surge in veganism and other diets that reduce the exploitation of animal products on moral grounds is certainly nothing new.

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