From 20 to 22 November, Zappeion becomes the ultimate meeting point for businesses, startups, universities, private and public institutions.

Three days devoted to innovation and technological developments and opportunities to learn everything you need to know regarding education, networking and dynamic synergies.

Representatives from emerging and acclaimed businesses, investors, researchers, academics and government agencies will be present through interactive discussions, workshops, parallel presentations, and interviews.

Exhibitors from the most emerging industries, from agri-food and health, to fitech and e-commerce, come to showcase next-big-things and bring with them all the experience and know-how.

Top companies that generate value, create jobs and have a significant footprint inside and outside of Greece, come to meet promising startups that bloom within the ecosystem.

At the same time, with the presence of institutions from the central administration and the government, the participation of universities and investors from different institutions is composed of an innovative mosaic of innovation and entrepreneurship, helped by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Incubator of Young Enterprises in Greece, in cooperation with the Attica Region, the Regional Development Fund of Attica and Industry Disruptors - Game Changers under the aegis of SA. of the President of the Republic Mr Prokopios Pailopoulou.

The detailed program of the Athens Innovation Festival on speeches, panels, exhibitors, operators, workshops and workshops will be announced soon.

Click HERE to learn more about this event or the Athens Innovation Festival's Facebook page.

For the first time in Greece, students at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens will be able to receive a four-year honors degree in Archaeology, History, and Literature of Ancient Greece that is taught entirely in English. This is the first undergraduate degree in Greece that is offered in English. 

The degree is being offered in association with the International Hellenic University in Thessaloniki, northern Greece. The course, which is targeted at international students, will cost €8,000 a year.

Eleni Karamalengou, the Dean of Athens’ School of Philosophy, described the new program as a “very important and innovative educational, scientific and cultural initiative for this country."

Source: Times Higher Education

Have you got an idea that can change people's lifes? Well the Athens Digital Lab is calling for you! Submit your proposal and get all the support and guidance you need, in order to make Athens an even better place to live.

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62% of UK adults have found relief from COVID-19 related stress by walking in nature. This information has been revealed by research carried out by the Mental Health Foundation.

Nearly half mentioned that spending time in green spaces helped them cope with the growing stress of the pandemic. Even if the distance traveled was not very long and the walk was only a short one, going outdoors had a positive impact on people's mental well-being.

Although science has not yet determined why nature is so healing, this research supports the findings of many previous studies that indicate a connection between access to green space and a reduced risk of mental health problems. In light of the study, the Mental Health Foundation partnered with WWF to publish a mental health book.

The 'Thriving With Nature' guide explores this relationship between the natural world and our mental well-being. The guide examines how nature can support positive mental well-being, but also how we can help nature in return.

"The benefits are often related to how our senses connect us to the environment," he says. From the natural forms and shapes that we see, the smells of the trees, and the charm that nature can stimulate by helping our mind to rest." Both organizations encourage people to find rest and relief in the green spaces that surround them.

For those of you who think 'I do not have time to get to the mountains or the great rugged landscape', a walk in a city park next to a canal can be just as refreshing, writes UK TV presenter Julia Bradbury in the guidebook's foreword. And if you work in an urban jungle, it is still worth going out into the light. A single tree can inspire as much joy as a "Great View". 'Thriving With Nature' offers seasonal suggestions for activities such as growing your own food and "green exercise" by cycling or walking in a green area.

Along with practical recommendations, the guide also offers techniques that help fight stress and encourage you to become aware of what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell.
 
Originally published in Greek on ecozen.gr
Translated by Codico Lab

These days I’m contemplating with the meaning of two small words that when put together they have the power to create miracles: “accept yourself.” I’m sure you hear and read about it all the time. But what does it really mean for you though?

One of my clients just got a new job. She’s a young woman, climbing the corporate ladder. She’s also the person that will wholeheartedly give a hand when needed. Another is a supermom of two who tries to keep the family balance while at the same time teaching part-time and volunteering in a children’s center. Both are kind and sweet and smart and good-looking. Both are amazing women. But when you ask them “what does accepting yourself mean?” and “do you really accept yourself?” you won’t get quite the positive response you’d expect.

And they’re not the only ones dealing with issues of self-acceptance. “Why?” you may ask.

Because one may have dark spots on her skin and believe no one wants to be with her; or because she cannot accept her curly hair and is constantly trying to make them straight; or because she doesn’t have the super career her sister does; or because she doesn’t have a university degree; or because her boyfriend/husband left her; or because her mother doesn’t approve of her way of raising her children; or because she’s not as slim as that model on TV. Any reason will do.

Does this sound familiar to you? Have you or any of your close friends been in this position? I know I have and it’s taken me a while to get out of there and into greener fields. I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned and am still learning.

Accept yourself as you are. Accept yourself with pride, not self-pity. Accept yourself when you’re happy and when you’re moody. Accept yourself when you have a fabulous day and when your day is ruined. Accept yourself without any criticism or self-judgment only with the will to become better, do better. Because when you accept yourself as you are a brand new world of opportunities opens up. Your horizons broaden and new choices make themselves visible. And that, my dear friend, is the first step of a new chapter in your new life.

Originally published on: itsmylife.gr

The Ancient Greeks loved their sports, and for this obvious reason staged the first formal Olympic Games in 776 B.C., giving the world the idea of organized sports events as entertainment for arenas full of spectators and adoration for new heroes. 

The Ancient Greeks were the first culture in which people idolized their favorite athletic superstars, to a level that even today’s most fanatical sports fans might find extreme.

1. Horse Races

Kele, or riders competing on horseback, was added to the Olympics in 648 B.C., according to Miller’s book. The race was about 1.2 kilometers (approximately three-quarters of a mile) in length. The jockeys—who were young boys and probably slaves—rode bareback, without stirrups, though they did have reins and a whip to guide the horses.

2. Running

The Greeks loved footraces, particularly the stadion, which was named after an ancient unit of measurement and corresponded to the 200-meter sprint in modern track, according to Stephen Gaylord Miller’s Ancient Greek Athletics. From 776 to 726 B.C., it was the only event at the Olympic Games. The Greeks later added the diaulos, the equivalent of today’s 400 meters event, as well as a distance event, the dolichos, which was between 7.5 and 9 kilometers—roughly similar to the 10K event that countless recreational runners now participate in each weekend. But the Greeks had one event that has no modern counterpart—the hoplitodromos, in which competitors emulated Greek infantry, and ran wearing helmets and bronze shin guards and carried shields.

3. Wrestling

In ancient Greek-style wrestling, grapplers fought in a standing position, with the object of throwing the opponent to the ground, according to Miller. The concept of pinning an adversary’s shoulders to the ground didn’t yet exist. Instead, wrestlers won a match by throwing an opponent three times. Another unique feature of the ancient event was that there were no weight classes, according to Lunt. The most fearsome wrestler of ancient times was Milos of Kroton, who in legend developed his great strength by lifting and carrying a newborn calf until it grew into a full-sized ox.

4. Pentathlon

The discus and javelin, to modern field events, date back to the ancient Greeks, but back then, they weren’t separate events. Instead, they were part of the pentathlon, a five-event combination that also included the long jump, running, and wrestling. The Greeks had lead or stone weights, called halteres, that some believe jumpers used in an effort to propel themselves further during the competition, though Lunt believes that the weights were only used in training.

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

The biggest FIBA 3X3 basketball event in Greece, Stoiximan AegeanBall Festival, returns for the 7th year, transforming Syros into a global basketball hub from June 27 to 29, 2025.

The prestigious event, which continues to support the vision of two-time champion and EuroLeague record-holder, Georgios Printezis, hosted thousands of visitors in 2024, turning the historic Miaouli Square into the ultimate basketball destination. In another record-breaking year, Stoiximan AegeanBall Festival attracted over 2,500 visitors on average every day, continuing to break new attendance records for the tournament and Greek 3X3 basketball. The event achieved one more success with the massive participation in the official FIBA 3X3, where 156 teams and 540 athletes aged from 8 to 57 years old competed on the 4 fully packed open basketball courts.

This year, the event takes things to the next level with surprise guests, exciting side activities, and fresh experiences for both participants and spectators. Basketball will take center stage across every corner of Syros, creating unique opportunities for sports tourism, all while showcasing the stunning Cycladic architecture and the endless blue of the Aegean.

Get ready for a three-day event filled with basketball, fun, and unforgettable moments in the enchanting Ermoupoli, from June 27 to 29, 2025!

Stoiximan is the title sponsor of the event for the fourth consecutive year, actively supporting both the event and the island through its social initiatives. Their contribution plays a key role in promoting amateur sports and tourism in Greece, while also advocating for healthy values in sports.

Progame, the Municipality of Syros-Ermoupolis, and the South Aegean Region are Stoiximan AegeanBall Festival’s Organizers.

More information about the opening of registrations and this year’s activities will be announced in the coming weeks.

#StoiximanAegeanBallFestival #ΓιαΤηΣύρο #WeAreSyros

www.aegeanball.gr | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok

Greece is one of the 28 award winners of the 2016 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards. The country scored two awards in the category of “Conservation” for the Byzantine Church of St. Peter in Kastania, Mani, and the Traditional Watermill in Agios Germanos, Prespes.

The winners of the award, considered Europe’s highest honour in the heritage field, were revealed by the European Commission and Europa Nostra. Independent expert juries assessed a total of 187 applications, submitted by organisations and individuals from 36 countries across Europe, and selected the winners.

The winners of the European Heritage Awards 2016 will be celebrated during a high-profile event co-hosted by EU Commissioner Navracsics and Maestro Plácido Domingo in Madrid at the end of May.

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