Aggeliki Pappa, founder of i love dyslexia, was nominated for the 2nd time as a finalist for the 2017 Global Teacher Prize!

The Varkey Foundation, which is in charge of the Global Teacher Prize for 2017, recently announced the list of the 50 distinguished teachers who were selected out of 20,000 candidates from 179 countries.

Pappa was listed for her accomplishments as the founder of ILD as well, as her experience as a researcher of special education.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter

The heart of Hellenism beats in the heart of culture. The 1st ‘Greek Panorama’ exhibition opens its doors on May 11-13 in Manhattan, New York, with the sole purpose of successfully promoting and advertising Greece abroad.

Incorporating the elements of Tourism, Culture and Gastronomy into one successful recipe will bring out the aroma of Greece inside one of the most impressive and historical railway stations in the world, the Grand Central Terminal in New York, reaching out to over 750,000 daily passersbys.

A firm supporter for promoting Greece’s most important business sectors in tourism and exporting of food products, the Greek Embassy in Washington has invited Hellas North American Events Inc., organizer of the Greek Panorama, to supply the embassy with tourism-related brochure material and Greek products on the annual EU Open House event on Saturday, May 13th (10.00-16.00), along with the Manhattan exhibition. Further enhancing and strengthening Greece’s tourism destination identity and market positioning of Greek products in the U.S. capital is the basis of the above-mentioned agreement as both parties share common goals.

The 1st Greek Panorama exhibition will be held under the auspices of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Travel & Tourist Agencies (FedHATTA) and the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH).

We should not forget that Athens and New York are directly connected with three airlines, among which the recent daily flight of Emirates is included. The exhibition takes a further step to bring Greece closer to the American public.

Not only the Greek expatriates but the entire Greek American community stands side-by-side on this important initiative. Among them the ultramarathon Konstantinos (Dean) Karnazes who will attend the exhibition and sign copies of his latest book “The Road To Sparta” while many more surprises will await the visitors. Mr. Karnazes is internationally recognized as an endurance athlete and bestselling author, he has run 350 continuous miles, foregoing sleep for three nights and has participated in 50 marathons, in 50 US states, in 50 consecutive days.

It should be noted that the exhibition will be free and open to the public on May 12-13.

The interest of many professionals in the US travel market is intrigued by the b2b event being held on Thursday, May 11th on the occasion of the exhibition, as it offers a unique opportunity to carry out individual business meetings with Greek tourist companies and destinations.

Greek Panorama exhibition and its parallel events are the basis of Hellas North American Events’ marketing strategy for the Northern American market, including a number of targeted campaigns and events taking place throughout the year.

North Events – a strategic partner of Hellas North American Events in Europe, has been organizing tourism exhibitions for Greece with great success in major markets including Grecka Panorama in Poland and Grekland Panorama & Mediterranean Panorama in Sweden, since 2014.

For more information, please visit: Greek Panorama

Photo Credit: Grand Central Terminal 

The Telegraph’s guide to the best places to eat in Athens, including where to find delicious seafood, Michelin starred dining and views of the Acropolis.

Widely acknowledged as the finest seafood restaurant in Athens, Lefteris Lazarou’s Michelin-starred Varoulko has long been a magnet for foodies. In summer 2014 it relocated to Piraeus, Mr Lazarou’s home ground, and is now named Varoulko Seaside. The emphasis remains on seafood, so you can look forward to delights such as Grilled squid with black eyed beans and marjoram, flavoured with cumin, followed by Red mullet fillets with a light lemon sauce.

In up-and-coming Metaxourgio, Aleria occupies a neoclassical building with an old tile floor and a romantic leafy courtyard out back. The menu includes delights such as crayfish with sorrel and pink grapefruit, or duck with wild berries, celeriac puree, caramelized shallots and roast turnip.

Address: Megalou Alexandrou 57, Metaxourgio

Telephone: 30 210 522 2633
Website

To read this article in full, please visit: The Telegraph

Once again, the Hotel Grande Bretagne is included in the 2018 Gold List of Condé Nast Traveller Magazine titled 'Our Favorite Hotels in the World.'

Our Favorite Hotels in the world: Gold List is a list of the best hotels in the world as voted by the travel editors of the most discerning travel publication featuring top hotels from 54 countries and 6 continents. This year, the Hotel Grande Bretagne has the distinguished honor of being the only hotel in Greece as part of the list.

This is one more great recognition of excellence for the landmark Hotel Grande Bretagne which is committed to creating exceptional, indigenous experiences for its guests.

To view the full 2018 Gold List, please visit: Condé Nast Traveller Magazine

 

Photo Courtesy of Hotel Grande Bretagne

To safeguard goods produced in the Region of Macedonia, Greece presented a new official trademark and is preparing to submit it to EUIPO, the European Union’s Intellectual Property Office, in Alicante, Spain. The new trademark logo depicts a capital ‘M,’ and the motto “The GReat Land” in blue and white and aims to address potential trade name rights infringement.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis attended the presentation of the trademark in Thessaloniki and expressed his confidence that local producers will embrace it. “The new logo that will accompany Macedonian products across the globe offers a unique identity to the products produced on Macedonian land. An identity that points to the glorious past and paves the way for an optimistic future,” he stated through his twitter account.

Over 2,000 Greek businesses have already expressed interest in obtaining the EU trademark.

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

 

The coronavirus (CO-VID19), which originated in 2019 in Wuhan, China, has been spreading globally.

It is a serious threat, less because of the raw numbers involved (as of March 24, 2020, there are more than 423,600 known infected cases with a global population of over 7 billion people) but more because the trajectory is dangerous, the spread is exponential and the growth occurs very quickly.

The virus contained would not have been that big of a deal. The virus spreading is a big deal. It is now clear the virus is spreading far and wide quickly. The main issue is that the hospitals in affected areas don’t have the capacity to treat the huge spike in coronavirus cases. We have already seen this in Italy: people are dying because there are not enough ventilators and other medical resources to keep them alive. This is essentially a timing issue.
 

Yogically, we are trained to make decisions from a place called “neutral mind.” There are three yogic mind centers: positive mind, negative mind, and neutral mind. Ideally, we activate and use all three minds, but the best decisions come from a place of neutrality. This neutrality helps maintain balance.

Below is an overview of these three mind states and how they might influence your decisions relating to the coronavirus.

The negative mind might say:

It is easy to see how our negative mind can spin out of control. The worldwide spread of the coronavirus is extremely serious. Panic and over-reactivity are not just counterproductive, they are potentially dangerous. Hoarding resources when others are in dire need may cost lives. Undermining government efforts for containment is dangerous and may cost lives. If free movement hasn’t been taken away in your area, it means you need to be even more diligent and responsible for your actions. Your poor judgment may cost lives.

This mind might say:

In the environment of the coronavirus, the Positive Mind can be dangerous. It is important to understand the big picture and how your positive mind might actually endanger other people during this period. We are in the middle of a serious worldwide crisis battling the infectious disease. It is everyone’s job to get educated, accept the reality of the situation and exercise personal responsibility. Lives are at stake.

In order to maintain balance, this is the mind we need to use when making decisions. The neutral mind might suggest:

There seems to be a worldwide mix of the negative mind in overdrive and the positive mind in denial.  The coronavirus also gives us a great opportunity to exercise more balanced thinking. Scientists predict more situations like this over the next decades from extreme weather and natural disasters, to widespread disease and epidemics.  If we are going to survive and thrive in this new world we’ve created, we are going to need to learn to access, cultivate and exercise our neutral mind.

This content was originally published at LynnRoulo.com.

Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.

 

Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start-up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons.  She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece. And so she did.

 

We're thrilled to collaborate with Lynn as an official XpatAthens Content Contributor! To learn more about her and all the great things she does in Athens please click here.

The new school year is a fact. Along with that come various extracurricular activities. Swimming pool, ballet, football, painting, foreign languages, martial arts, dance. The list can be huge. We want to give our children opportunities, to broaden their horizons so that they have alternatives.

But how many extracurricular activities will they have? How much will they – and you with them – be running around? The COVID-19 quarantines we’ve had have made me reconsider a few things. I’m not saying it was better that we all stayed and worked from home. However, the rhythms of our daily lives have become softer, more humane. We have had more opportunities to get closer to our children and to get to know them better; to recognize their real needs and wants; to give and receive those hugs that we “used to forget” because of all the running around.

So how about thinking a bit differently now that we are back in the “school mode”? Because there is also studying for school. And while some days studying and activities may go well together, most kids rush – and so do you – from activity to activity, and by the time they get home they are extremely tired and sleepy. Then there’s no time to study let alone time for conversation, play, and hugs.

How about rethinking the phrases we, parents, tell them? Phrases like “rush, you don’t have any time left, grab a fruit and go to bed…you have school tomorrow and an early morning wake up”? We certainly don’t want to have them so stressed to do everything (because they do not want to stop any of the activities they’ve chosen), without a single break. We don’t want robots, we want children. And of course, we don’t want to be so worried about them catching up on everything and making it to bed on time.

It’s better to think about how we may help our children and ourselves in a different way. So that we do not become their “alarm clock” and they learn how to be responsible.

One way is to discuss with your child and create together a weekly schedule that includes studying, extracurricular activities and some free time. Put it up in their room or in a visible spot somewhere in the house. Talk about possible ways to carry out the program and give your child the opportunity to implement it. Observe how things are going for a couple of weeks and ask your child’s opinion as well. You are always there to help if something needs to be changed. And one last thing that we often forget: Remember that studying is not your responsibility.

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!

Nestled within the picturesque landscapes of Messinia, Greece, lies the unsuspecting village of Kremmydia—its charm extending beyond the scenic beauty that surrounds it. Positioned less than 20 kilometers from Pylos, specifically in Pylia, this gem unveils a unique distinction that has etched its name into the prestigious Guinness Book of Records.

For those exploring the region from the vibrant city of Kalamata, Kremmydia is a captivating stopover, known by alternate names like Fourtzokermyda, Velanidia, or Fourtzi. Contrary to any assumptions related to its name, the village's claim to fame in the Guinness Book of Records is not linked to onions or agricultural feats.

In 1999, Kremmydia earned its place in history by boasting the largest percentage of graduate scientists among its residents, a remarkable 30% of the population. The accolade reflects the village's commitment to education and intellectual pursuits, a legacy dating back to 1893, when the village's school first commenced its operations. The remarkable journey from its educational roots to the record-breaking feat saw a total of 810 graduates emerge as scholars and scientists.

Steeped in ancient history, Kremmydia's roots trace back to Nestor's kingdom in ancient Pylos. The current settlement, a fusion of three older settlements—Fourtzi or Frutzi (later Velanidies or Velanidia since 1927), Ano Kremmydia, and Kato Kremmydia—holds historical significance. Kremmydi, the oldest of the settlements, has been documented since the Venetian occupation, while the others date back to at least the foundation of the Greek State.

Beyond its intellectual prowess, Kremmydia echoes the battles fought on its soil. On April 7, 1825, the village witnessed a historic clash between Ibrahim's troops, fresh invaders of the Peloponnese, and Greek rebels led by Kyriakos Skourtis from Hydra. The fierce engagement involved around 3,400 Egyptians and 3,250 Greeks, culminating in a challenging retreat for the Greeks after losing approximately 600 men.

Kremmydia, a village that combines intellect, history, and natural beauty, invites travelers to explore its layers of significance—a journey through time and achievement in the heart of Messinia.

Originally published in Greek on: mixanitouxronou.gr
Translated by: Codico Lab

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, especially in a vibrant metropolis like Athens, it can be easy to lose sight of the beauty and significance of appreciating life. Whether it’s the towering ancient monuments or the lively streets filled with people, Athens offers countless opportunities for reflection and gratitude. But why is it so important to take a step back and appreciate life, especially in such a busy environment, and how can we practice this in our daily lives?

Taking time to appreciate life contributes to mental health and overall happiness. When we stop to recognize the beauty around us—whether it’s a sunset, a kind gesture, or a quiet moment of peace—we foster a mindset of gratitude. This, in turn, reduces stress and anxiety, promotes positivity, and encourages a more balanced outlook on life.

2. Builds Stronger Connections

When we appreciate life, we’re more present in our interactions with others. In a big city like Athens, where people come from all walks of life, taking time to connect with others—whether it's a friendly conversation at a café or a smile shared with a stranger—strengthens the sense of community. It reminds us that we’re all part of a greater whole, sharing the same space and experiences

3. Encourages Mindfulness

In the fast-paced rhythm of city life, it’s easy to get caught up in to-do lists and daily tasks. Appreciating life helps us slow down and be mindful of the present moment. Mindfulness allows us to be fully aware of our surroundings and experiences, which leads to greater fulfillment and contentment.

4. Inspires Personal Growth

When we take the time to appreciate life, we often gain new perspectives. Gratitude for life’s simple pleasures—like the beauty of the Acropolis at sunset or the sound of the sea at Piraeus—helps us stay grounded, humble, and more open to personal growth. In this way, appreciation isn’t just about living in the moment, but also about reflecting on how we can continuously improve ourselves and our relationships.