2015 was a tough year for Greece, but these Greeks managed to distinguish themselves and excel in their professional fields as well as inspire others to continue fighting for their ideals.  Here we present to you the 10 Greeks that left their mark in 2015:

Paul Alivisatos is considered one of the fathers of nanoscience for his ground-breaking research in quantum dots and other artificial nanostructures. In 2015 he was chosen as the recipient of the National Medal of Science by President Obama, America's highest honor for lifetime achievement in fields of scientific research.  The Greek-American is the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and an award-winning chemist.  He has been internationally recognized as an authority ont he fabrication of nanocrystals and their use in solar energy applications. Alivisatos, 56, holds appointments with the University of California Berkeley as the Samsung Distinguished Chair in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.  He is also a scientific founder of two prominent nanotechnology companies; Nanosys and Quantum Dot Corp.

Although John Calamos is known as a financial guru and the CEO and Chairman of the Calamos Investments, the Greek-American from Chicago made sure to bring to the U.S. the largest ever Ancient Greek exhibition in 2015.  Calamos became the biggest benefactor of the exhibit 'The Greeks: From Agamemnon to Alexander the Great" to the United States. The exhibit, presented at the Field Museum of Chicago in collaboration with the National Hellenic Museum, offers the chance to see up close more than 500 artifacts from Ancient Greece.  Calamos is also the biggest donor and Chairman of the National Hellenic Museum in Chicago and countess other organisations that promote Hellenism.

The Greek photojournalist was praised for his coverage of two of the biggest stories of 2015, Europe's Refugee Crisis and the Financial Implosion in his home country.  The Guardian named him its photographer of the year and his photos made it to the covers of some of the world's most important media outlets.  Born in 1960, Behrakis studied photography at the Athens School of Arts and Technology and London's Middlesex University.  He has covered various significant events such as the Libya Crisis in 1989, the funeral of the founder of Iran's Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as well as the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosova, Chechyna, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Afghanistan.

Angeliki Pappa is an eductator that has taught more than 800 students with special educational needs and trained about 1,500 teacher to use her own unique teaching methods.  In 2015 she was included in the list of 50 nominees for hte Varkey Foundation's Global Teacher Award for her work on dyslexia for the prize on one million dollars, also widely known as the Nobel Prize of teaching.  The top 50 candidates were selected from 8,000 entries and applications submitted from 148 countries around the world.  The winner will be announced at the Global Education & Skills Forum, to be held in March 2016 in Dubai.

To read more, please visit: Greek Reporter

Lemnos is a magical place. A small island in the northern Aegean, the place where the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa meet. Another reason why Lemnos is so special is that according to several people the island is the home of the only European desert.

People who have not visited the beautiful Greek island of Lemnos may think that it is a place of exile, a place resembling the moonscape, but that is only because they had not had a chance to explore the majestic island.

On the north side of Lemnos, in an area called Gomati, visitors have the chance to witness a unique and unexpected sight, a small desert. The 7 hectare area is located away from the sea full and it’s full of sand and dunes constantly changing shape, just like in the Sahara desert, depending on the direction of the wind.

The ever-changing terrain and landscape of the sand dunes accompanied by the deep-blue colors of the Aegean Sea make for an unforgettable sight.

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

Since fleeing their home countries with their families, young refugees have been adapting to life in Athens and facing many challenges along the way. To help ease the transition and learn techniques to face these challenges, Free Movement Skateboarding was created to teach children and teens how to 'get back up' through skateboarding. NBC News reports on this Athens based charity and gives us a glimpse into the lives of young refugees learning how to ride.

"In a third-floor apartment in Athens’ graffiti-covered Exarchia neighborhood, the British trio behind the charity recently prepared for another long and loud afternoon."

"One of them, Ruby Mateja, 26, gathered roughly a dozen banged-up donated boards and replaced the metal trucks one by one. She then fastened the polyurethane wheels, scratched and blackened from carrying enthusiastic young boys and girls."

To read this article in full, please visit: NBC News

TripAdvisor's Traveler's Choice Awards recently named AEGEAN Airlines the Best Regional Airline in Europe for 2018! 

Last year was the first year TripAdvisor included an airline category for the Traveler's Choice Awards. AEGEAN was also listed as one of the best for the 2017 Traveler's Choice Awards. To continue the success this year, they honored 69 airlines that provide exceptional value and service across the world. Singapore Airlines was named number one in the world. 

The Traveler's Choice Awards for airlines recognize carriers who exceed passenger expectations and receive great reviews from travelers. The winners of the 2018 Traveler’s Choice Awards for Airlines were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of airline reviews and ratings submitted by travelers worldwide on TripAdvisor Flights from February 2017 to February 2018.

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

Please click HERE to view TripAdvisor's Top 10 Airlines in the World for 2018.

According to a research team at the Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization DEMETER in Athens, Greek feta cheese could turn probiotic. This would help meet the demand for food to be 'functional' and healthy.

The researchers began with the bacterial strain Lactobacillus planetarum T571 to produce probiotic feta. The results were of a high quality cheese, with characteristics very similar to traditional feta.

The scientists stated to the Dairy Reporter, "In today's global food industry, the probiotic market is encountering an unprecedented growth to conform with the consumer demand for new products with health benefits. Considering the global demand, L. planetarum strain is a promising adjunct candidate to develop functional feta."

To read this article in full, please visit: The Dairy Reporter

After spending 15 days on the island of Crete, Discover Greece recently released their 4th season of Wanderlust Greece, promoting the island's extraordinary beauty. The aim of their campaign is to increase the average spending of tourists, as well as to encourage longer stays to see more of Crete. After watching this video, it wouldn't be hard to do just that.

The video below showcases Crete's greatest assets, including its mountains, ancient Minoan culture, and of course, the beaches. Check out the amazing video below.



Article source: Greek Reporter

Santorini returns dynamically to the sports action for the 5th edition of “Santorini Experience” that will attract the worldwide interest of professional and amateur athletes of running and open water swimming on October 4-6, 2019.

Santorini’s sports tourism event, “Santorini Experience”, which every year exceeds the country’s borders, recently received recognition from the international institution Travel & Hospitality Awards. In particular, the co-organization of the Municipality of Santorini, the Municipal Sports Cultural Environmental Organization of Santorini (DAPPOS) and Active Media Group were honored for “Santorini Experience” as the Unique Tour Company of the Year 2019.

You may watch the video teaser and get a taste of the energy and adrenaline to be offered by Santorini Experience 2019 HERE.

Runners will have the opportunity to enjoy the three established routes on the Caldera, overlooking the enchanting images of the volcano and the background scenery of Imerovigli, Firostefani and Oia. Specifically, the 5km “Aristides Alafouzos” route concerns the running and dynamic walking, the 10km is addressed to the most experienced in distances and the 15km route to those who love strength, endurance and adrenaline.

All routes start from the desalination plant in Oia, including parts of trail track, and finish in Oia. The running routes are designed by the former marathon runner, Greek classic route record holder, running trainer and director of All About Running, Nikos Polias.

Open water swimming will have an honorable position in this year’s schedule as well. Specifically, the participants will have the opportunity to swim from the volcano to the old port of Fira, having the imposing view of the island in front of them, in the 1.5 miles (2.4 km) race. Organization will provide amateur athletes with a high-quality safety lifeguard buoy, giving them extra motive to choose “Santorini Experience”.

Swimming route will take place with the upmost safety in the enchanting sea of Santorini (average water temperature of 20-22 degrees Celsius), under the technical direction of federal coach with Olympic and World Championship distinctions, Nikos Gemelos, who has designed this unique route.

Once again, specialized lifeguards will contribute in safety measures, providing staff as well as lifeboats. Distinguished age categories will be formed depending on the final participation entries, while a separate classification for those wearing wetsuits will be added.

Good luck, Stefanos!

It seems like Greece is finally moving toward a smoke-free future. Earlier this week, the Ministry of Health officially presented the National Action Plan Against Smoking.

During the presentation, the prime minister stated: "The smoking ban is a bold initiative to protect public health. A symbolic move to modernise and refine our daily lives. But it is also an exercise in mutual respect that ultimately strengthens social cohesion."

The Greek administration sympathizes with the 84% of citizens who consider the failure to implement anti-smoking laws a "cultural degradation" and the 76% who declare themselves outraged.

"We are responding to this displeasure with a national strategy and a strict ban on smoking in public spaces, in private work areas, in spaces where there are children, in cars where children are passengers...but also with a good and extremely inventive information and awareness campaign. Our aim is not to divide but an alliance for health. To highlight the individual responsibility that will lead to collective harmony." he said.

Health Unites us: Alliance For A Better Life Without Smoking

The anti-smoking campaign, whose central message is "Health unites us: Alliance for a better life without smoking" marks the start of a nationwide effort, which is also back by strict fines.

The campaign focuses on 4 lines of action

1. Creating a non-smoking culture that emphasizes on prevention.
2. Respect for non-smokers.
3. Care for smokers by increasing medical support for stopping smoking.
4. Evaluating new tobacco products and regulating their circulation on the market.
   
   

Finally, an anti-smoking g information and support hotline has come into operation since Tuesday. By calling 1142, citizens can learn more about the anti-smoking law and what it entails, get help to quit smoking, and report any anti-smoking law violations.


To read more about the anti-smoking campaign, please visit: AMNA

As more and more businesses practice social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, millions of employees across the globe are working from home (WFH) for the first time. At the same time, schools and daycare centers are rapidly closing their doors for the same reasons. While the challenges during this time are real, so are the solutions. If you are looking for ways to create healthy habits during coronavirus self-isolation, Thrive Global has gathered some productivity tips to help you out!

Define a new morning routine. According to a recent study, children have greater energy levels than well-trained adult endurance athletes, so, staying home all-day must be a rather boring experience for your kids. The days can feel very long and unstructured. Spending your mornings together, whether it’s a family breakfast, reading a book together, or choosing their clothes, can help them feel like they’re more secure.

Set up your workspace. Even if you don’t have a home office, it’s important to establish a defined work area at home and make your kids understand that when you’re in work mode, you’re not to be disturbed. You can also create an "office" for your children, a designated space for play, reading, and drawing while you are working.

Help your kids stay connected. Technology isn't all bad! Setting up a virtual playdate, using FaceTime or Skype, can help your children connect with their friends. This is extremely important, especially if you're raising an only child. You don't want your children to stop socializing with other kids since this will worsen the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. 

Make a schedule for the next day. Every family member can share what is going on in their day, and your children can add in activities like watering the plants, art projects, and reading, as well as their meals and snack breaks. This replicates the structure they’re used to at school and helps you plan ahead at the same time.