Search
Home Blog Page 1441

Greek diaspora encouraged to return to Greece for university during online conference

The Greek Herald
-
0

Με μεγάλη επιτυχία πραγματοποιήθηκε η διαδικτυακή ημερίδα που διοργάνωσαν η Γενική Γραμματεία Ανώτατης Εκπαίδευσης του Υπουργείου Παιδείας και Θρησκευμάτων και η Γενική Γραμματεία Δημόσιας Διπλωματίας και Απόδημου Ελληνισμού του Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών με τίτλο  «Ενδυναμώνοντας τις γέφυρες ανάμεσα στα ελληνικά πανεπιστήμια και τον Ελληνισμό της Διασποράς» και την οποία παρακολούθησαν χιλιάδες Έλληνες από 69 χώρες του κόσμου. Κατά τη διάρκεια της ημερίδας, η οποία διοργανώθηκε με αφορμή τον εορτασμό της Παγκόσμιας Ημέρας Εκπαίδευσης και τη συμπλήρωση διακοσίων χρόνων από την έναρξη της Επανάστασης του 1821, επιφανείς Έλληνες του εξωτερικού και αξιωματούχοι της κυβέρνησης υπογράμμισαν το υψηλό επίπεδο της ελληνικής τριτοβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης αλλά και την πληθώρα επιλογών στην ελληνική και την αγγλική γλώσσα που προσφέρουν τα ελληνικά πανεπιστήμια σε ομογενείς αλλά και ξένους πολίτες.

Κατά την έναρξη της ημερίδας η Υπουργός Παιδείας και Θρησκευμάτων, Νίκη Κεραμέως, τόνισε ότι «…τα ελληνικά πανεπιστήμια έχουν πολλά να προσφέρουν στην παγκόσμια ακαδημαϊκή κοινότητα μέσα από συνεργασίες, ανταλλαγή φοιτητών, εκπαιδευτικών, ερευνητών, διπλά και κοινά προγράμματα σπουδών. Καλούμε όσους ζουν στο εξωτερικό, ημεδαπούς ή αλλοδαπούς, να επιλέξουν την Ελλάδα για τις σπουδές τους. Απευθύνω ιδιαίτερο κάλεσμα στους Έλληνες της Διασποράς, για έναν ακόμη λόγο. Γιατί για εσάς, η Ελλάδα δεν είναι μία ξένη χώρα, είναι πατρίδα σας, και θα είναι μεγάλη μας χαρά να μπορέσουμε να σας προσφέρουμε υψηλού επιπέδου τριτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση».

Ο Υφυπουργός Εξωτερικών, αρμόδιος για τον Απόδημο Ελληνισμό, Κωνσταντίνος Βλάσης, ανέφερε ότι η Ελλάδα, η χώρα που γέννησε την Φιλοσοφία, τις Επιστήμες και τον Πολιτισμό φιλοδοξεί να καταλάβει κομβική θέση στον παγκόσμιο εκπαιδευτικό χάρτη. Σε αυτήν την προσπάθεια ισχυρό σύμμαχο αποτελούν οι απανταχού Έλληνες, οι οποίοι διψούν για Ελλάδα. Ειδικότερα σήμερα, προσφέρεται στη νέα γενιά ομογενών η δυνατότητα να παρακολουθήσουν ξενόγλωσσα προγράμματα σπουδών υψηλού ακαδημαϊκού επιπέδου, αλλά και να γνωρίσουν από κοντά την ελληνική γλώσσα και κουλτούρα. Αυτή η διαδικασία θα έχει πολλαπλά οφέλη για την χώρα μας, αλλά και για τους ίδιους τους ομογενείς, οι οποίοι θα αποκτήσουν τα απαραίτητα εφόδια για την μετέπειτα πορεία τους, έχοντας, παράλληλα, ανακαλύψει και τις ρίζες τους. Το Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών θα βρίσκεται πάντα στην πρώτη γραμμή και θα συνδράμει με όλα τα διαθέσιμα εργαλεία το Υπουργείο Παιδείας, στην μεγάλη προσπάθεια για ανάδειξη των ελληνικών Α.Ε.Ι. στο εξωτερικό και στην προσέλκυση ενδιαφέροντος των μελών της Διασποράς στην παρακολούθηση των ξενόγλωσσων προγραμμάτων τους.

Ο Υφυπουργός Παιδείας και Θρησκευμάτων, αρμόδιος για την Ανώτατη Εκπαίδευση, Άγγελος Συρίγος, υπογράμμισε ότι φέτος το σύγχρονο ελληνικό κράτος συμπληρώνει 200 χρόνια ζωής. Η ελληνική διασπορά συνέβαλε αποφασιστικά στην προετοιμασία του απελευθερωτικού αγώνα των Ελλήνων. Αλλά και μετά τη δημιουργία του σύγχρονου ελληνικού κράτους, οι ελληνικές Kοινότητες του Εξωτερικού διατήρησαν έναν αναβαθμισμένο πολιτικό ρόλο κατά τις περιόδους των εθνικών κρίσεων του Ελληνισμού. Οι ακατάλυτοι δεσμοί των Ελλήνων της διασποράς με την πατρίδα υπογραμμίστηκαν με τον ευεργετισμό και τις πρωτοβουλίες τους στο χώρο της παιδείας. Οι κοινότητες της ελληνικής διασποράς ήταν και θα είναι πάντα, ένα από τα σημαντικότερα πλεονεκτήματα της Ελλάδας. Η εξωστρέφεια, η διεθνοποίηση των ελληνικών πανεπιστημιακών ιδρυμάτων πρέπει να ενισχύσει και την καλύτερη διασύνδεση της Ελλάδας με την ακαδημαϊκή, ερευνητική και επιχειρηματική κοινότητα της διασποράς.

Ο Πρόεδρος της Ειδικής Μόνιμης Επιτροπής Ελληνισμού της Διασποράς και βουλευτής της ΝΔ, Σάββας Αναστασιάδης, επισήμανε ότι τα Ελληνικά Πανεπιστήμια μαζί με τις πρωτοβουλίες της Κυβέρνησης, των αρμοδίων φορέων και θεσμών και η επέτειος των  200 χρόνων από την Επανάσταση, μπορεί να προκαλέσουν «συναγερμό» του Ελληνισμού, στην προσπάθεια ανάτασης και αναγέννησης του Έθνους και της Πατρίδας μας.

Ο Γενικός Γραμματέας Δημόσιας Διπλωματίας και Απόδημου Ελληνισμού του Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών, Ιωάννης Χρυσουλάκης, τόνισε το ολοένα και αυξανόμενο ενδιαφέρον των Ελλήνων ομογενών, αλλά και αλλοδαπών υπηκόων, να εγγραφούν στα εκπαιδευτικά ιδρύματα της χώρας μας, ενώ χαρακτήρισε του Έλληνες επιστήμονες που έχουν σπουδάσει στη χώρα μας και τώρα διαπρέπουν στο εξωτερικό ως πρεσβευτές της ελληνικής κουλτούρας και του πολιτισμού μας.

Ο Γενικός Γραμματέας Ανώτατης Εκπαίδευσης του Υπουργείου Παιδείας και Θρησκευμάτων, Αποστόλης Δημητρόπουλος, αναγνώρισε το ισχυρό ενδιαφέρον της Διασποράς για συνεργασία στον τομέα της εκπαίδευσης,  «Οι γέφυρες που ενώνουν την Ελλάδα και τα ελληνικά πανεπιστήμια με τον ελληνισμό της Διασποράς είναι υπαρκτές, έχουν ισχυρά θεμέλια και σε εμάς αναλογεί πλέον η ευθύνη να τις ενισχύσουμε με σύγχρονα υλικά». Συμπλήρωσε επίσης πως «πρέπει να εργαστούμε για να δημιουργήσουμε συνθήκες επιστροφής των νέων μας και αντιστροφής του brain drain, ενισχύοντας την εξωστρέφεια των ελληνικών πανεπιστημίων ώστε να αναδειχθούν σε πόλους έλξεις για τους νέους της ομογένειας μαζί με εκείνους άλλων χωρών».

Οι Έλληνες που διαπρέπουν στο εξωτερικό αποδεικνύουν το υψηλό επίπεδο  των ελληνικών πανεπιστημίων, ενώ η διεθνοποίηση της εκπαίδευσης της χώρας που επιχειρείται σήμερα αποτελεί θετική πρωτοβουλία την οποία μπορεί να στηρίξει και να διαδώσει η ομογένεια, ανέφεραν οι καθηγητές Νικόλαος Παπαιωάννου, πρώην Πρόεδρος της Συνόδου των Πρυτάνεων Α.Ε.Ι., Ζήσης Μαμούρης, Πρόεδρος της Συνόδου των Πρυτάνεων Α.Ε.Ι., Μάρα Νικολαϊδου, Πρύτανης του  Χαροκοπείου Πανεπιστημίου και Περικλής Μήτκας, Πρόεδρος της Εθνικής Αρχής Ανώτατης Εκπαίδευσης.  

«Μία από τις πιο ισχυρές σχέσεις που αντέχουν στο χρόνο, είναι η σχέση που διαμορφώνει ένας φοιτητής, ένας επιστήμονας, ένας επαγγελματίας με τη χώρα που τον βοήθησε να αποκτήσει γνώσεις … Οι πλούσιες εμπειρίες που αποκτά κάνεις σε μία χώρα, είναι αυτές που μετασχηματίζονται αβίαστα σε πολιτική υποστήριξη αυτής της χώρας και σε οικονομική δραστηριότητα με τους ανθρώπους αυτής της χώρας», τόνισε ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αμερικής Ελπιδοφόρος, ενώ ο Μητροπολίτης Γουινέας Γεώργιος, ως εκπρόσωπος του Πατριάρχου Αλεξανδρείας και πάσης Αφρικής Θεόδωρου αναφέρθηκε στις πρωτοβουλίες του Πατριαρχείου στον τομέα της εκπαίδευσης στην Αφρική και χαιρέτισε τις προσπάθειες ενίσχυσης της εξωστρέφειας της ελληνικής εκπαίδευσης.

Για τις υποτροφίες που παρέχει το ελληνικό κράτος μίλησε ο Πρόεδρος του Ιδρύματος Κρατικών Υποτροφιών, καθηγητής Μιχάλης Κουτσιλιέρης, ενώ τα ελληνόφωνα και αγγλόφωνα προγράμματα σπουδών των ελληνικών πανεπιστημίων παρουσίασε ο επιστημονικός υπεύθυνος του «Study in Greece», καθηγητής Χρήστος Μιχαλακέλης.

Την εμπειρία τους από τη φοίτησή τους στα ελληνικά πανεπιστήμια, το υψηλό επίπεδο των σπουδών που αυτά προσφέρουν δωρεάν και την ανάγκη διασύνδεσης των πανεπιστημίων με την αγορά εργασίας, τόνισαν επιφανείς Έλληνες που διαπρέπουν στο εξωτερικό, όπως ο Αλβέρτος Μπουρλά, Πρόεδρος και Διευθύνων Σύμβουλος της PFIZER, ο Γιώργος Βέλμαχος, καθηγητής Χειρουργικής της Ιατρικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Harvard και αποδέκτης του Βραβείου Argo (2020), η Μαρία Θέμελη¸ επίκουρη καθηγήτρια στο Τμήμα Αιματολογίας της Ιατρικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Άμστερνταμ και αποδέκτης του Βραβείου VIVA400 (2017), ο Κωνσταντίνος Δασκαλάκης, καθηγητής στο Τμήμα Ηλεκτρολόγων Μηχανικών και Επιστήμης Υπολογιστών του Πανεπιστημίου MIT και αποδέκτης του Βραβείου Rolf Nevanlinna (2018), ο Γιώργος Αναγνώστου,καθηγητής Νεοελληνικής Γλώσσας και Πολιτισμού του Πανεπιστημίου Οχάιο (Έδρα  «Μιλιτιάδης Μαρινάκης» για τη νεοελληνική γλώσσα και τον πολιτισμό)  και ο Θάνος Τσιρίκος, επικεφαλής του Κέντρου Σπονδυλικής Μονάδας και Σπονδυλικών Παραμορφώσεων Σκωτίας και Γιατρός της Χρονιάς 2011 στη Σκωτία.

Ιδιαίτερο ενδιαφέρον είχαν οι τοποθετήσεις εκπροσώπων ελληνικών συλλόγων της διασποράς, όπως ο Σπύρος Μεζίτης, Πρόεδρος της Ομοσπονδίας Ελληνικών Ιατρικών Συλλόγων ΗΠΑ και Καναδά, ο Παναγιώτης Μανώλας, Πρόεδρος του Ελληνικού Ιατρικού Συλλόγου Νέας Υόρκης, ο Βασίλης (Bill) Παπαστεργιάδης, Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Ορθόδοξης Κοινότητας Μελβούρνης και Βικτώριας, ο Βασίλης Μωσαϊδης, Εκτελεστικός Διευθυντής της AHEPA, ο Χρήστος Καβαλής, Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Κοινότητας Καΐρου, η Ιωάννα Ζαχαράκη, Πρόεδρος του Δικτύου Ελλήνων Αιρετών Αυτοδιοίκησης της Ευρώπης, ο Λούης Λοΐζου, Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Ένωσης Τραπεζών Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου και ο Φώτης Καραντώνης, Πρόεδρος της National Hellenic Student Association, οι οποίοι τόνισαν την ανάγκη θεσμοθέτησης της συνεργασίας μεταξύ των ελληνικών και των ξένων πανεπιστημίων, καθώς και της συστηματικής ενημέρωσης της ομογένειας για τις εκπαιδευτικές ευκαιρίες που προσφέρει πλέον η χώρα μας.

Ο Δημήτρης Κράλλης, Διευθυντής του Κέντρου Ελληνικών Σπουδών του Ιδρύματος Σταύρος Νιάρχος στο Πανεπιστήμιο Simon Fraser (SFU) παρουσίασε την επίσημη πλατφόρμα εκμάθηση της ελληνικής γλώσσας για τους Έλληνες της Ομογένειας www.staellinika.com, ενώ την ημερίδα έκλεισαν παρουσιάζοντας βέλτιστες πρακτικές από τις χώρες όπου υπηρετούν, ο Βίκτωρ Μαλιγκούδης, Γενικός Πρόξενος της Ελλάδας στο Τορόντο και ο Στράτος Ευθυμίου, Γενικός Πρόξενος της Ελλάδας στη Βοστώνη.

Sydney father, Theo Theodosi, makes miracle recovery from advanced lung cancer

Andriana Simos
-
0
Sydney father, Theo Theodosi, makes miracle recovery from advanced lung cancer

Sydney dad and physiotherapist, Theo Theodosi, was told to get his affairs in order when he was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer in 2017.

“CT scans, MRIs, lung biopsies… I came out with stage three lung cancer. They couldn’t do surgery, they couldn’t do radiation, they couldn’t do chemo,” the 62-year-old told Nine News.

Then he met Dr Venessa Chin, who suggested a new immunotherapy drug called Keytruda, which helps the body’s own immune system target and kill cancer cells.

Mr Theodosi quickly began to see results in what he calls a “Benjamin Button” recovery from lung cancer.

Mr Theodosi was given a new drug treatment which is now on the PBS. Photo: 9News.

“I look younger and healthier, and my face looks totally different, so yes, Benjamin Button,” Mr Theodosi said — referencing the famed F. Scott Fitzgerald story (and later film adaptation) about a man who ages backwards.

Mr Theodosi said he paid close to $6,500 apiece for the first four rounds of new treatment. After two years of treatment and surgery to remove a lump, Mr Theodosi got the all-clear.

“The lymph nodes within the lungs, which had previously had cancer in them on the scans, looked like they’d been cleared of cancer,” Dr Chin said.

“Theo’s been able to continue to work during this time. He’s been relatively well, doing overseas trips and sort of getting on with his life.”

Mr Theodosi’s case has helped put the potentially life-saving drug on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Dr Chin is now conducting research to see if there is a way to predict which advanced lung cancer patients will respond to immunotherapy. Mr Theodosi has donated $10,000 to the study, in the hope it helps others achieve results like his.

“I hope it gets out there and really, really helps the masses,” he said.

Johnny Otis: Renowned Greek American musician

The Greek Herald
-
0
Johnny Otis: Renowned Greek American musician

By Georgene Dilernia.

Johnny Otis, born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes, was a Greek American musician known for his contribution to American R&B and rock and roll.

As well as being a musician, Otis was also a singer, songwriter, disc jockey, bandleader, record producer and talent scout. Otis had been nicknamed the “Godfather of Rhythm and Blues,” illustrating his influence on the genre.

Let’s take a look into the music legend’s life and the accomplishments he made.

Johnny Otis was a Greek American musician known for his contribution to American R&B and rock and roll. Source: Ekathimerini.

Early Life:

Otis was born in Vallejo, California to Greek immigrant parents. His father, Alexander J. Veliotes, was a Mare Island longshoreman and grocery store owner, and his mother, Irene Kiskakes, was a painter.

Otis was the eldest of three children. He had a younger sister, Dorothy, and a younger brother, Nicholas, who grew up to be the US ambassador to Jordan and Egypt.

Otis grew up in a predominantly black neighbourhood in Berkeley, California, where his father’s grocery store was located. Being surrounded by this culture growing up, later influenced his involvement in the rise of R&B.

Otis grew up in a predominantly black neighbourhood in Berkeley, California. Source: SFGate

Music Career:

Otis began performing as a teenager for local functions after dropping out of high school and joined local band, the West Oakland House Rockers.

In the early 1940s, Otis played in swing orchestra, including Lloyd Hunter’s Serenaders and Harlan Leonard’s Rockets. He founded his own band in 1945 and they had one of the biggest hits of the big-band era, “Harlem Nocturne.”

During this time, Otis also became a talent scout and discovered numerous artists early in their careers who became big hits, including Little Esther, Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, Jackie Wilson, Johnny Ace and Hank Ballard.

In the early 1940s, Otis played in swing orchestra. Source: NPR.

Otis had seminal influence on R&B and rock and roll, establishing much of the foundation work for both genres.

Personal Life and Death:

On May 2, 1941, Otis married Phyllis Walker at the age of 19, whom he had known since childhood. They had four children together, two sons who later became musicians, Shuggie and Nicholas, and two daughters, Janice and Laura.

Otis died of natural causes on January 2012 in the Altadena area of Los Angeles.

Behind the scenes of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s film, ‘Greek Freak’

Andriana Simos
-
0
Behind the scenes of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s film, ‘Greek Freak’

Akin Omotoso, the director of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s film, ‘Greek Freak,’ has given a little sneak peak into how the project is progressing on the latest episode of Michael Scotto’s HoopsHype podcast.

In the podcast, Omotoso describes how Giannis will balance playing in the NBA and working as an executive producer on the film, saying it will be “a challenge.”

“It is a challenge, but we’re all confident that we’ll make it work. It’s a priority in terms of telling the story, but it’s also a priority for all of us that he’s successful on the court,” Omotoso can be heard saying on the podcast.

READ MORE: Greek stars to feature in newly announced Disney films and TV shows.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will be an executive director on the newly announced film, ‘Greek Freak.’

“I think, like everything, you find the balance. We’re looking forward to being part of that journey and being as available as we all can be… and still make it work. It’s exciting.”

Omotoso then goes on to say that viewers can expect to see a “very inspirational story,” one which actually made the director cry when he first read the script.

“His story is so inspirational. It’s a family story. Viewers can look forward to a very inspirational story. You get a chance to get behind the scenes. I was really moved. When I first read the script, I cried,” the director says.

“This is a really important story to their family, to their legacy… and so I want to be able to make sure I capture that and honour them and also give the audience a real taste of what it was like for them coming up.”

As for who will be playing the role of Giannis? The director isn’t giving anything away just yet.

“Giannis sent out a Tweet a few weeks ago and told everyone it is an open casting, saying ‘we’re looking for people to play me and my brothers. Send your tapes and let’s have a look’,” Omotoso explains.

“And it’s been really moving and touching seeing all these auditions come through… So I have to say, it is a hard task but one which I find really exciting and I know that as we go through this process, we’ll find the right person.”

Greek-Australian business enters administration after amassing over $5 million debt

The Greek Herald
-
0
Greek-Australian business enters administration after amassing over $5 million debt

White Marquee Event Hire’s parent company has been placed in voluntary administration, with debts estimated at $5.7 million, but there are hopes the Greek-Australian owned company can trade through.

The company in question, Adelaide Event Group, also trades as Budget Party Hire and Renniks Events.

Administrators SV Partners, who were appointed on December 21, said the early indications were that the company had unsecured debts in the order of $3 million, “owing principally in respect of Commonwealth and State taxes and unrelated trade creditors.”

A secured financier is understood to be owed about $2.7 million, administrator Stuart Otway said.

The three brands under the AEG umbrella were “continuing to trade as normal during the administration period,’’ SV Partners told The Advertiser.

Greg Evangelou is the chief executive of White Marquee. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

The Marleston company, established in 2014, bills itself as “South Australia’s premier event hire company’’ and has supplied events such as the Tour Down Under, the Adelaide Motorsport Festival and the Royal Adelaide Show.

SV Partners said the company “remains optimistic that a formal restructure will allow the company to successfully trade into the future.”

“We understand that a Deed of Company Arrangement will be proposed, which would see control of the company returned to the director and some 35 jobs retained,’’ Mr Otway said.

This is not the first time the White Marquee brand has been in administration.

Budget Party Hire Pty Ltd, which previously operated White Marquee and was operated by Greg Evangelou, was placed in liquidation in 2015, with $1.4 million in debt including $575,000 owed to the ANZ bank and $224,442 owed to the Australian Taxation Office.

Budget Party Hire Pty Ltd was liquidated and then deregistered in 2017.

The White Marquee brand was reborn into Adelaide Event Group, which Greg’s father, Nicholas Evangelou, is the sole director of.

Greg Evangelou, now chief executive of White Marquee, on Wednesday called for calm, saying clients won’t lose deposits and bookings will be honoured.

“No small businesses will be affected,’’ he said.

“No clients will lose their deposits, all bookings will be honoured. We are very confident that we will get out of this bind.’’

Mr Evangelou was previously a director of the Asiafest festival, which was placed in liquidation in 2016 with debts of more than $400,000. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

There were “a lot of bookings early in the New Year” he said, and the last thing he wanted was brides in tears on Christmas Day thinking their wedding would be cancelled.

Mr Evangelou said the company had experienced an almost 100 percent fall in revenues at some stages of the COVID lockdowns, and the first major event the company had to look forward to was the next Royal Adelaide Show in September which was too far away to make a difference.

“We’re very confident we’ll be able to negotiate with investors and come out of it successfully,’’ he said.

White Marquee employed about 80 staff pre-COVID, which has fallen to about 35.

Mr Evangelou said no staff entitlements were at risk.

Mr Evangelou was previously a director of the Asiafest festival, which was placed in liquidation in 2016 with debts of more than $400,000.

Source: The Advertiser.

Greek PM and nurse among first people to receive COVID-19 vaccine in Greece

The Greek Herald
-
0
Greek PM and nurse among first people to receive COVID-19 vaccine in Greece

Vaccination against the coronavirus began in Greece, as well as most EU countries, on Sunday.

The first Greek to be vaccinated was Efstathia Kambissiouli, head nurse of the intensive care units at Athens’ Evangelismos hospital.

“In my person, all health professionals are being honored and [it] is a recognition of our work and our contribution. I hope a new page is turned on today, but we got a lot of way to go, we must adhere to measures and hold fast to our goal and when we are all vaccinated we can take our lives back,” Kambissiouli said after her vaccination.

The first Greek to be vaccinated was Efstathia Kambissioul.

“I felt great, I have no fear and no doubt. I have been vaccinated many times in my life,” she added.

Greek President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, was also vaccinated against the coronavirus on Sunday afternoon, followed by Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at 2.30 pm at Attikon hospital, in western Athens.

Greek President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, was also vaccinated against the coronavirus.

“This is a great day for science and the European Union, which distributed the vaccines simultaneously to all members…We [officials] are being vaccinated first to show the vaccine is safe and effective…We hope that, with time, even those of our fellow citizens who are suspicious of vaccination will be convinced it is the right thing to do,” Mitsotakis said.

Mitsotakis and Sakellaropoulou are the first of 45 state officials whose vaccination was given priority to keep the machinery of state operating smoothly.

No cafes, no tourists: Virus empties streets of old Athens

The Greek Herald
-
0
No cafes, no tourists: Virus empties streets of old Athens

It’s been a while since visitors to Greece sought out souvenirs in Athens’ oldest neighbourhood.

The winding streets of Plaka, laid out long before the city imported a grid system, are lined with closed stores behind aluminium shutters. The coronavirus pandemic has kept tourists away from the historic city centre that forms a semi-circle around the Acropolis, and the area remained unusually devoid of pedestrians and motorists before Christmas.

In their absence, ancient monuments are a little easier to make out from a distance, fewer horns are sounding in traffic and homeless cats parked in front of cafes are a little less aloof.

A man with an umbrella walks in the rain on Pnyx hill in front the ancient Acropolis hill, with the ruins of the fifth century BC Parthenon temple, in Athens, on Monday, Nov. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece so far has imposed two nationwide lockdowns since the start of the pandemic. The first, in the spring, kept the country’s infection rates low. Authorities ordered the second in response to a rapid post-summer rise in reported cases and as of Christmas Eve has seen 4,4,57 confirmed virus-related deaths.

The restrictions have closed bars, restaurants, coffee shops and many other businesses considered non-essential but which make up a large slice of Greece’s tourism-dependent economy.

The number of visitors traveling to the country plummeted 76.1% during the first 10 months of 2020 compared to a year earlier. Spending sank 77%, according to central bank data released this week.

Greece is expected to see a 10.5% contraction of its gross domestic product this year compared to the forecasted EU average of 7.4%, while its debt-to-GDP ratio is set to surge to a staggering 208.9%.

Sourced By: Associated Press

‘House’ museum dedicated to Nobel Prize-winning poet Odysseas Elytis

The Greek Herald
-
0
‘House’ museum dedicated to Nobel Prize-winning poet Odysseas Elytis

The creation of a ‘house’ to carry on the great legacy left by the Nobel Prize-winning poet Odysseas Elytis, puts the Ministry of Culture and Sports in the final stretch.

The listed building and the two auxiliary buildings in Plaka, owned by the Ministry of Culture, located at the junction of Dioskouron and Polygnotou streets, are being restored by the competent service of the ministry. The budget of the project amounts to 657,200 euros and its auction is scheduled for the first quarter of 2021.

The building creates spaces for the exhibition and the storage of the Elytis Archive, as well as for the great visual material, which displays his varied work. At the same time, the life of the poet is presented through photographs, texts, audio and visual material, while his office is restored with his personal objects.

As the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni stated, “The creation of a space for the study and promotion of his work is the minimum tribute to the great Greek poet.”

“Researchers, but also citizens, will be able to know the power of Elytis’ work, to study the value of his poetry in a space dedicated to personality, life, the valuable national heritage, with which he enriched the country”.

Sourced By: ERT International

‘Our blessings outweigh our struggles’: Scott Morrison sends Christmas message to Australians

The Greek Herald
-
0
‘Our blessings outweigh our struggles’: Scott Morrison sends Christmas message to Australians

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has sent a message to Australians in the lead-up to Christmas day, thanking people for their “amazing spirit”.

In a year that was filled with sadness and worry, the Prime Minister says this year we give thanks for our Christmas, because “our blessings outweigh our struggles”.

Read the Prime Minister’s full message below:

If there’s one overwhelming feeling we have this Christmas, it’s one of thankfulness.

This year has not been easy for any of us.

Some of us have faced the loss of loved ones. Others, the loss of jobs and their livelihoods. Separation from family. Isolation during lockdowns and lost gatherings with those we love.

For all of us this year has been a time of stress and a lot of uncertainty.

Yet through it all, once again, we have rallied to each other, together.

Australians are an amazing people with an amazing spirit. This year the Australian spirit has shone brightly again.

Though we had to be distant socially, emotionally we connected and turned to each other.

With everyone playing their part.

Even now in Sydney, on the Northern Beaches, everyone is still there doing their bit to keep all of us safe right across the country.

No matter where you are in Australia, this Christmas is one where, as Australians, we can once again count our blessings as a country.

And in our very Australian way, resolve once again to share those blessings with others wherever we can.

We give thanks this year for our Christmas because our blessings outweigh our struggles.

For all of us, those who are Christian and those who are not, this Christmas is again a time of great hope.

My prayer for Australia this Christmas comes from the great verse: “Let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due season we shall reap a harvest, if we do not give up.”

So stay safe. Stay COVIDSafe.

May God bless you and your family at this Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Australia.

The Hon Scott Morrison MP
Prime Minister of Australia

Multiculturalism Minister Geoff Lee sends special Christmas message to Greek community

The Greek Herald
-
0
Multiculturalism Minister Geoff Lee sends special Christmas message to Greek community

Minister for Multiculturalism Dr Geoff Lee has sent a special Christmas message to Australia’s Greek community, expressing thanks for their collaboration and support throughout 2020.

See the full Christmas message by Dr Geoff Lee below:

As the Acting Minister for Multiculturalism, I extend my best wishes to the Greek Orthodox community in New South Wales and wish you a happy and peaceful Christmas.

After a challenging year, the central Christmas message of the birth of Jesus Christ offers us hope and comfort. I hope you get the chance to share this special time of year with your loved ones in a COVID-safe way.

I would like to thank His Eminence Archbishop Makarios and the Greek Orthodox community, especially the clergy, for your collaboration and support throughout 2020. Your efforts and sacrifices have assisted the NSW Government enormously. Thank you for playing your part to help save lives. 

I wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

1...1,4401,4411,442...1,732Page 1,441 of 1,732

Stay connected:

Other

© 2024 The Greek Herald. All rights reserved.