Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis and Lesvos Mayor Spiros Galinos are among the 10 most outstanding mayors in the world, according to the results of the biennial World Mayor competition announced recently by the organizer of the City Mayors Foundation.

Mayors Kaminis and Galinos stood out for welcoming refugees and offering them safety, shelter and support in their cities.

According to the World Mayor website, Athens, Lesvos and Lampedusa (Italy) are the three Mediterranean communities in the World Mayor Honours List that must receive special recognition for the welcome they offered to tens of thousands of men, women and children who were fleeing the fighting in the Middle East or poverty in Africa.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

Green roofs, harvested rainwater, floating stairs, photovoltaics, recycled water, soundproof doors and insulated floors are but some of the cutting-edge bioclimatic architecture technologies that have been introduced at 24 school buildings in Attica thanks to a public-private partnership (PPP) initiative.

“In Thiseio, we redeveloped neoclassical buildings that were being used as squats, while in Keratsini we transformed the old Armenian steam bath into an arts high school,” says Nikos Mantzoufas, the Finance Ministry’s special secretary for PPPs. “We gave students a modern teaching environment, whereas before they had classes in prefabricated structures.”

The projects are also expected to boost property values in the schools’ broader vicinities, while a number of parents have expressed an interest in transferring their children from private schools to these public institutions.

To read this article in full, please visit: Ekathimerini

The Athens & Epidaurus Festival recently premiered on June 1st with three brilliant performances at Peiraios 260 and the Athens Concert Hall. Performances included Ivo van Hove's masterpiece 'After the Rehearsal-Persona,' a stage adaptation of two Ingmar Bergman classics.

The festival will run through August 2018. Below is this year’s Festival trailer, which was directed by the distinguished Pericles Hoursoglou. It is visually conceived as a series of thousands of footsteps, which is meant to portray the thousands of spectators rushing to the ancient and contemporary theatre venues from 1955 to our times.

 

This year at the Athens & Epidaurus Festival, all performances will have English and Greek subtitles for the first time, accommodating Greek and foreign audiences alike, as well as for the hearing impaired.

It is Greece’s foremost cultural festival and one of the oldest performing arts festivals in Europe (1955). Each year, the Athens & Epidaurus Festival presents performances from acclaimed artists in theatre, dance, and music and attracts large audiences from around the world.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus - The Festival’s main performance venue, located at the foot of the Acropolis.

Peiraios 260 - A former industrial area of several buildings just off Athens’ centre, at Peiraios 260 str.

Opening to the City - Launched in 2017, this section is more of a concept than an actual venue. Site-specific performances are presented in various neighbourhoods of Athens and Piraeus, including outdoor spaces and archaeological sites, thus expanding the Festival’s scope and audience and encouraging spectators’ active engagement.

Other venues include EMST, Megaron, Epidaurus Theater, Little Theater of Ancient Epidaurus, Ancient Stadium of Epidaurus, Odeon of Herodes, Benaki Museum, National Acheological Museum, Benizelos Mansion, the Athens Conservatory and more.

For more information, please visit: Greek Festival

Photo Credit: Athens Festival

Who would have thought that the most travelled person in the world is Greek? Well read all about the man who has travelled to both the freezing North and South Pole. And since we're talking about cold, let us guide you to the best Skiing destinations in Greece!

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

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall confirmed on Friday that they will visit Athens on March 24-25 to participate in the events marking the bicentenary of the Greek War of Independence.

The visit comes at the request of the British Government and follows an invitation from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Clarence House said in a press release.

The bicentenary event’s Independence Day celebrations will take place from the evening of March 24 and will conclude on March 25. 

Prince Charles will be awarded a 'Gold City Value Medal' in a special ceremony that will take place at the City Hall and will be awarded by the Mayor of Athens Costas Bakoyannis.

The award is in recognition of the contribution of the people of the United Kingdom to the liberation of Greece, but also to the devotion and contribution of the Prince of Wales to the protection of the environment, the protection of cultural heritage and the promotion of letters and fine arts.

The two royals will also attend a reception at the newly re-opened National Gallery of Greece on the evening of March 24 hosted by President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square and a traditional military parade on March 25. 

This article was originally posted on ekathimerini.com
Photo credit: Samir Hussein

Now that schools are closed many parents see their “tail” growing longer by the day. This is especially true for full-time moms with younger children who follow them around from the time they wake up in the morning until they go to bed in the evening.

From one room to another, you turn right, they turn right too; you run to the kitchen to check there’s enough water in the cooking pot, they run after you so much so that if you take a step back you’re afraid you’ll accidentally step on them. You play with them, you plan their activities, you do the needed chores – as much as possible. And, in some traditional households, when dad comes home, mom just continues the race.

Here comes the crucial question - Do you find time to rest during such a busy day with kids, especially young ones, at home? If your answer is “yes,” congratulations, you’re a step ahead! If however, your answer is “no” then it's time to change your perspective and start seeing things a bit differently.

You need to make some changes in your daily routine and create, better yet set aside, time for yourself. You can start with 15 minutes per day, every day. Mark it in your calendar as a “meeting with me” time like you would with any other activity or chore. You may choose what pleases and relaxes you the most. Like talking to your best friend, reading your book, gazing from your balcony, relaxing on your couch. 

Once you allocate these 15 minutes to yourself successfully, you may slowly increase the time to suit your needs. Don’t tell me you have no time at all. Be creative, take time from something else and offer it to yourself. It’s a gift you deserve! Because you also need to take a break and recharge your batteries. Only then will you be able to cope well with the daily challenges. And, as you very well know, they are plenty! Enjoy your daily breaks!

Originally published on: itsmylife.gr

If there’s a topic you’re interested in and would like to learn more about you may contact me via email. For more information about me and my work check the XpatAthens Directory or visit my website. Because this is your life!

In ancient Greece, temples were an important part of daily life and served as monuments dedicated to the beloved gods and goddesses. Many important ancient temples are located in Greece and other countries, such as Italy, which were then part of the ancient Greek world.

Let’s take a look at the ten Greek temples that you cannot miss!

Parthenon, Acropolis


Credit: @ankur.sinh_

The Parthenon, located on the top of the Acropolis, is dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom and the patron goddess of Athens. The Parthenon was built in the mid 5th century BC and was originally constructed to replace an older temple that was destroyed by the Persians. The statue of Athena which originally stood in the temple was made from ivory, silver and gold but was later stolen and destroyed.

Valley of the Temples


Credit: @hellenistichistory

The Valley of the Temples, which is located in Sicily, Italy, has some of the most outstanding examples of Greek architecture. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and includes temples dedicated to Concordia, Juno, and Heracles.

Temple of Hephaestus


Credit: @photoohistory

The Temple of Hephaestus, dedicated to the god of metal-working and craftsmanship, is located in Athens, Greece. The temple was designed by Ictinus, one of the Parthenon’s architects. The Temple of Hephaestus is the best-preserved ancient Greek temple in the world.

Paestum


Credit: @photoohistory

Paestum, an ancient Greek city located in Southern Italy, contains three well-preserved Greek temples. Two of the three were dedicated to Hera, goddess of marriage and childbirth, while the third one, located apart from the temples of Hera, was dedicated to Athena.

Temple of Zeus in Cyrene


Credit: MM / WikipediaCommons

The Temple of Zeus in Cyrene is located in Libya and was built in the 5th century BC. The temple has been destroyed and re-built multiple times. I was destroyed in 115 AD during a Jewish rebellion and restored five years later under Roman order. The temple was again destroyed by an earthquake in 365 AD and restored in the contemporary era by British and Italian archaeologists.

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

The Ministry of Tourism and the Athens municipal authority have joined forces with Google in a new online initiative that shines the spotlight on lesser-known attractions in the Greek capital.

“Athens: The City is the Museum” is available at athens.withgoogle.com and presents users with a map indicating a series of walks and stops showcasing the city’s street art, music, food, and architecture, as well as enticing them to explore neighborhoods off the beaten path. The campaign also seeks to underscore Athens’ attractiveness as an all-year destination.

Speaking at the initiative’s launch, Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias explained that it stems from an effort that began in April 2000 to promote the notion of sustainable tourism. Describing it as a “travel experience,” Kikilias said the app “opens up Athens to visitors who want to experience the city’s pulse.”

“Athens is not just its impressive antiquities and wonderful museums. The entire city is a unique, vibrant, open, interactive, huge museum that gives visitors hundreds of ‘stages,’ ‘exhibits’ and experiences, all year round,” said Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis.

“Visitors to the city, but also its residents, will be able to discover a different part of Athens every day, thanks to technology,” added Peggy Antonakou, Google’s general manager for Southeast Europe.

Steve Vranakis, the executive director of Google Creative Lab for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, described “Athens. The city is the museum” as a means of seeing the Greek capital from a different perspective, through the “image of a modern and constantly evolving city.”

Originally published on: ekathimerini.com