Discover the largest mythological theme park ever made in Greece!

Mount Olympus opens its doors and invites visitors of any age to admire the grandeur of Greek mythology, in a spectacular themed show of 1800sqm.

Greece’s most important cultural heritage, the «beginning of everything», THE GODS OF OLYMPUS… as you have never seen them before.

For the first time in Greece, technology meets myth and together they create the most interesting and entertaining theme park.

Through imposing god figures, 3D projections, guided tours, interactive acts, and many surprises, everyone will be able to learn about every god’s life and deeds, as presented in greek ancient writings.

If you think you know about mythology through Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, you will be amazed by how much there is still to learn about the twelve Olympians – the most popular narrative in Greek history.

The European Commission has launched an online public consultation on the upcoming legislative proposal for a new EU framework for forest monitoring and strategic plans. The aim is to develop an EU-wide forest observation framework to provide open access to detailed, accurate, regular, and timely information on the condition and management of EU forests. All stakeholders are invited to share their views on this initiative via an online consultation that runs until 17 November 2022.

The European Green Deal calls for action to improve the quantity and quality of forests in the European Union, so the EU can reach its goal of climate neutrality and creating a healthy environment. The new EU Forest Strategy for 2030 sets the vision for effective afforestation, forest preservation, and restoration in Europe. The Strategy also announces a legislative proposal for a forest observation, reporting and data collection framework and requires the Member States to prepare strategic plans for forests.

In addition to improving forest monitoring, this information will lead to more data-driven decision-making on forests. It is expected to increase public trust in forest management, reduce illegal logging, incentivize and reward more sustainable forest management, and support the adaptation of forests to climate change. This initiative will also help deliver a Europe fit for the digital age as it will empower people, businesses, and administrations by providing access to harmonized forest-related data and making better use of digital technologies.

To read this article in full, please visit the European Commission's official website. 

The European Commission has launched an online public consultation on the development of a possible EU Soil Health Law.

Soils are the foundation of our food security, providing 95% of the food we eat. Healthy soils are vital for life on Earth. They deliver many essential services and are crucial to achieving key objectives of the European Green Deal such as climate neutrality, biodiversity restoration, zero pollution, healthy and sustainable food systems, and a resilient environment.

The EU Soil Strategy for 2030, adopted on 17 November 2021, sets the vision to have all soils in healthy condition by 2050 and to make the protection, sustainable use, and restoration of soils the norm. It also announces that the Commission will table a new legislative proposal on soil health providing a comprehensive legal framework for soil protection granting it the same level of protection that exists for water, the marine environment, and air in the EU. This proposal will complement the Nature Restoration Law and, ensure synergies with climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.

Sustainable soil management and restoration require the involvement of a wide range of economic and societal actors. Therefore, from farmers to foresters, from land planners to industry, from national governments to local authorities, from NGOs to citizens, all stakeholders are invited to share their views on this initiative on soil health via an online consultation that runs until 24 October 2022.

Soils host more than 25% of the world’s biodiversity, are the largest terrestrial carbon pool on the planet, and play a key role in the circular economy and adaptation to climate change. Yet, some 60-70% of EU soil ecosystems are unhealthy and suffering from degradation. Soil degradation is thought to cost the EU around 50 billion euros per year. Halting and reversing current trends of soil degradation could generate up to EUR 1.2 trillion per year in economic benefits globally.

To read this article in full, please visit the European Commission's official website. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greece has not stopped breaking one record after another in recent years - from tourism to important economic indicators that testify to the enormous dynamics that the country has developed in recent years, and this time, Athens has been listed as a Top 10 most beautiful city.

"World of Statistics" ranked the Greek capital as among the ten most beautiful cities in the world.

More specifically, Athens is in sixth place, with a rate of 77.5%, and right behind the Italian cities of Venice and Rome, as well as Barcelona, ​​Prague, and New York. The top ten is completed with Budapest, Vienna, Bordeaux, and Milan.

And while this victory of Athens may seem quite insignificant when compared to economic and social indicators, it can have a decisive effect on important sectors, such as tourism, and therefore the economy, work, and innovation.

The records in tourist arrivals this summer from every corner of the planet confirm that the ancient city is in the eyes of many the most beautiful city, hence their decision to spend the most carefree period of the year in this unique city.

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

The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) presented a new cartoon spot that introduces Greece as a destination that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Screened for the first time on Thursday during the 15th Animasyros International Animation Festival on the island of Syros, the spot, titled “Greece. More than the eye can see”, presents the country as an ever-evolving sustainable destination, accessible 365 days a year.

Created in collaboration with Animasyros Productions (Zedem Media), the cartoon aims to inform travelers of all ages, from all over the world, about the multitude of alternative and thematic tourism options Greece offers.

The one-minute “Greece. More than the eye can see” cartoon showcases a significant variety of Greek landscapes and tourism activities, available to any traveler, inspired by well-known and unknown locations around the country.

The cartoon has been released in two languages – English and German – and was created with 2D animation techniques.

To read this article in full, please visit: news.gtp.gr

This year's theme will be: 1922, Foundation for today.

100 years after the destruction of Smyrna we have come to realize its great heritage.

Petit Paris d’Athènes gives tribute in recognition of the cultural impact of the Ionian peoples in Greece.

The cultural mosaic of Smyrna, In music and various arts, became a focal point for the east and the Mediterranean. One can still find its echoes from the middle east to the depths of Europe.

All of these cultural vectors will be the inspiration for this year’s festival.

Ranging from rebetiko to franco-Levantine music and to café chantant, various theatrical, dance and musical performances will be held along with street shows, painting and photo galleries,  lectures and discussions, murals, and education programs for children. Alongside these, the now-established “Jazz n World music festival” will also be held as a part of the overall organization.All this will aid in emulating the cosmopolitan character of Smyrna of 1922

10 years after its first showing, another 10-day celebration of art will take place in the centre of Athens. There will be more than 500 artists, scholars, and creatives In many chosen venues as well as on public stages.(theatres, music stages, galleries, public squares, pedestrian areas, conservatories, schools, neoclassical historical monuments, hotels). From Omonia square to Larissa and Metaxourgio station, many roads are named after french scholars and have been meeting points for the Athenian cultural scene, the folk scene, large immigrant waves, travelers, and tourists. 

In all these years the festival has found ways to showcase and utilize public as well as private venues such as the National Conservatoire, Aggelon Vima theatre, the musical stage of Lux(former Acrovatis), bar-restaurants like Beeraki and Typografos, Matchpoint gallery, the central library of Athens Municipality, park petanque, Karaiskaki sq, Agios Pavlos sq, Peloponnese station, 51 Public schools of Athens, etc. The festival's contribution to the commercial and tourist potential has been recognized by every relevant public and private party. 

- Open gigs and various street performances in public venues for kids and adults

- Gigs in closed venues

- Theatre

- Photography and painting galleries

- Lectures
- Open discussion sessions

- Freestyle football tournament for the youth

- Petanque tournament

- Instructional program for children about Smyrna and its history.

- Street painting-murals with an ever-expanding mosaic in the city center expanding every year

- Cultural management academy consists of seminars and practical lessons. The lectures and training will be done by the experienced managerial staff of the Athens Art Network.
- The established ten-day celebration happening just under omonoia square will once again arrive to signal a restart of cultural events for the Athenian downtown as it has for the past 10 years.

 

 

 

 

William Barnhart presents us with a new body of work that was created during his residency and first visit to Athens in August and September 2022. The work has been crafted from William’s detailed observations and sketches of Athens and is further informed by a desire to connect vitally with the city of Athens and its citizens. 

A lifelong career artist, Barnhart’s paintings are marked by a heightened sensitivity and reverence to human gesture and expression; however, one can’t help but sense that the figures in his paintings are both trapped by and affecting the space they inhabit. This gives us a hint into Barnhart’s philosophy about painting as a form and a practice that is inextricably connected to understanding others and one’s environment. A close look at both the imagic scope and sheer volume of works displayed in MOSAIKO, reveals that narrative is just as important in each painting as it is in the overall arc of this collection. From scenes of the fish market on Athinas Street to the star-crossed  lovers and misanthropes at the cafés and bistros of Exarchia, we are taken on a journey through  William’s impressions of Athens and his growing love for this diverse and exciting city. 

For Barnhart who has also been classically trained in painting, color is an important focal point. The cool violet and azure shadows of the Southwest and the glorious glow of gold and orange light one finds in Arizona and California are repeated in these paintings. As an artist that was born and raised in Indiana, he also knows the works of the Ashcan school and understands how light is used sparingly to describe the urban environment. He has carefully analyzed colour, figuration and composition as  it was used by the [San Francisco] Bay Area Figurative School (Wayne Thibeaud and Richard  Diebenkorn).  

William Barnhart (b. 1959) is an American painter from Mesa Arizona who completed a BFA in  Painting from Brigham Young University, followed by post-graduate studies in painting at Arizona  State University. He has created public sculptures throughout the region of Phoenix, Arizona and has  created a 400 m2 studio where he is also currently developing a residency space for international  artists. 

Opening: Sept. 23rd, 7-11 pm 
Dates: Sept. 23rd - Oct. 11th  
Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday 12-6 PM. Saturdays by appointment 

Have you ever thought about how much power you have in your hands? Every day you can make a difference by choosing to consume products that contribute to a more ethical, fairer, more sustainable world. This is the driving force behind Ten Μillion Ηands project, created by Impact Hub Athens with the support of Helidoni Foundation. The first organization in Greece, which through continuous research and interaction with the public, intends to highlight the power of collective effort with small changes in our daily habits, towards a more sustainable future.

 

The project is launched through a – not ordinary – Pop up Market! On the last weekend of September, on the 24th & 25th, the Municipal Market of Kypseli opens its doors to the public and welcomes sustainable brands from every part of Greece.

 

Visitors will have the opportunity to choose between a wide range of home items, such as The Nook Project’s furniture, Margarita Gallery’s artworks, but also daily living and decorative objects as the second hand plants of Papigion Project, the rich vintage toys collection of Replay Toys, or the trendy eco-friendly and/or biodegradable plastic-free items of Plastikourgeio and Boobam. They will also be able to find selected nutrition products, such as organic foods from Synallois organization, agricultural products, pulses, flour and wine directly from Sandalis producer or fresh fruits and vegetables from Mpostani, certified organic, sweet but sugarless, alcoholic drinks from Aithra Spirits, and of course all the products of Wise Greece, which by supporting and selling products of small Greek producers, buys and donates food to children, homeless families and elderly people who are on the verge of poverty.

Of course, fashion could not be missing from the Ten Million Hands Market, with the vintage clothing collections of The Hazel Ray Vintage, and Anthologie Vintage, the size-inclusive bodysuits of Femad, the ecological streetwear of Blank Studio, but also the Swaplanet’s kids clothing. Ankaa Project and Life With You, will be there with their amazing accessories, and the girls of Apiliotis with their handmade jewellery. Cosmetics and personal care items will be provided by the local Kypseli’s BeautyBar, while at the same time the public will be able to be informed about the electric mobility services offered by Kineo, but also to recycle for a good cause their old laptops, peripherals and computer components at Epanekkinisis.

Interactive and educational workshops for the whole family will be running concurrently on both days of the event. 

The detailed schedule of the workshops:

 

12.00 – 13.00 Swaplanet - Creative game for children on the concept of sustainability

14.00 – 17.00 Epanekkinisis - Repair Cafe

17.00 – 19.00 A Shiny Day - FASHION UPCYCLING WORKSHOP (iron pattern & embroidery, painting, processing with sewing machine) 

 

17.00 – 18.00 Restia project – Filter presentation

17.00 – 19.00 A Shiny Day - FASHION UPCYCLING WORKSHOP (iron pattern & embroidery, painting, processing with sewing machine) 

At the presentation of the event, Alex Kavdas!

 

Let's discover together how much power ten million pairs of hands have!

 

Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 of September 12:00 - 20:00, Kypseli Municipal Market, Fokionos Negri 42, Entrance Free

 

Ten Million Hands acts as a platform that brings together all companies that produce sustainable and ethical products and services, offering consumers immediate, quick and easy information, ideas and advice for a more ethical and sustainable lifestyle. A way of life towards a better and more humane world for everyone, environment, animals and people.