The Greek award-winning sports marketing company, Active Media Group, proved for another year its dominance in the quality of sports tourism events it designs and organizes, remaining at the top of the Sports Marketing Awards 2020, with 14 total awards. 

The leading institution in Greece that highlights the best practices of Greek sports marketing, in its fourth year, brought another first place and the back2back title of Sports Marketing Agency of the Year 2020, to Active Media Group.

14 total awards - Record number at the Sports Marketing Awards

Active Media Group continues to innovate, create, and lead in the field of sports tourism. The company triumphed in this institution, winning a total of 14 awards while highlighting the high standard services provided by all its departments:

• PR & Communication
• Social Media & Digital
• Marketing & Sponsorship
• Sports Production
• Sports Presentation

More specifically, Active Media Group received 8 awards for the event of Navarino Challenge, which emerged as the top sports tourism event, with 1 Platinum in the “Best Integration of Digital Media with Offline” category, 4 Gold in the “Sports Tourism”, “Running & Live Well”, “Best CSR Campaign / Activity” and “Native Advertising Campaign” categories, as well as 3 Silver in the “Best Sports-related Content during the Coronavirus pandemic”, “Sports Organization / Event Sponsorship” and “Best CSR Campaign / Activity” categories for its collaborations with Costa Navarino, Pylos-Nestor Municipality, Captain Vasilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation, Samsung and 24MEDIA respectively.

It is worth noting that 3 of the 4 awarded projects were implemented in the Region of Peloponnese.

At the same time, the company won 3 awards for the Santorini Experience event, which received 1 Gold in the “Water Sports / Summer Sports / Winter Sports” category, 1 Silver in the “Best Integration of Digital Media with Offline” category, and 1 Bronze in the “Sports Tourism” category, for its collaborations with the Municipality of Santorini and the Municipal Sports Cultural Environmental Organization of Santorini (DAPPOS).

Finally, the company won 1 Gold award for the event of the 2019 Mediterranean Beach Games in Patras, one of the major multi-sport events that have taken place in Greece, in the “Best Live Event Coverage” category and 1 Gold award for the Greek Maritime Golf Event tournament in the “Individual Sports” category.

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Photo by: Kornilios Sarantioglou

 

The Messinian land constitutes a special and historic place for the Greek Revolution of 1821. It is a region where some of the most important battles were given, such as the battle of Sphacteria, in Niokastro, the battle of Maniaki, which cost the life of the Greek hero Papaflessas, but also the naval battle of Navarino which essentially sealed the end of the Revolution and marked the liberation of Greece, resulting in the establishment of the modern Greek state.

Run Messinia is an ultramarathon race of a total distance of approximately 421 kilometers, a tribute to the important events and unforgettable battles of the heroes of 1821. At the beginning of March 2021, during the “Run for Freedom” edition, 10 runners will attempt to run 10 long distances, in 10 days, crossing historical places and monuments of Messinia, which are related to the Greek revolution.

10 runners - 10 marathons in total - 10 days!
Every day, a total of 10 runners will participate in each race. The ambassador of the Run Messinia - Run for Freedom will be the remarkable Greek-American ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes, one of the 100 most influential people in the world, according to TIME magazine. Karnazes will run all 10 races, in 10 consecutive days. At this point, we should note that a lot of American volunteers fought heroically alongside Greeks during the Greek Revolution.
In the context of his participation in this historic ultra marathon, Karnazes stated: “As a proud Greek-American, it is a great honor to be part of this historic undertaking which recognizes and celebrates Greek independence on this momentous 200-year anniversary. The run will not be easy, though neither was the Greek fight for freedom”.

Maria Polyzou, the Greek running champion, born in Patras, who won the First Gold Medal in the Balkan Marathon race, the first Greek woman to compete in a marathon at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, the woman who holds the Greek record in the Marathon (2:33:40) and completed the Pheidippides Feat Athens-Sparta-Athens 524km run and eventually an endurance running coach, said about this project: “This is an event that honors the great war of 1821. It is very important that the Greek revolution will be recognized by a race like an ultramarathon and that we will honor the cities from which the revolution began in our own way. I wish you good luck in the event. I am by your side”.

We honor history by running!
The region of Messinia led the Greek War of Independence, with chiefs and politicians originating from the specific area, while their descendants still play a leading role in the political and social life of Greece. On the eve of the 1821 Revolution, where revolutionary upheaval prevailed throughout Greece and mainly in the Peloponnese, with the start of the Revolution already being decided, Messinia contributed with a number of warlords and 2 fighters who had been initiated for the purposes of the Philiki Eteria “Friendly Society”, such as Theodoros Kolokotronis, Grigorios Dikaios or Papaflessas, Nikitaras, Anagnostaras, Papatsonis and many more.

The event honors these great heroes of 1821 who led the War battles to the liberation of Greece. The greatest moment in the history of Messinia and especially of Kalamata was the liberation of the city on March 23, 1821, when the Greek chiefs, with the assistance of the fighters from Mani under the leader Petrobey Mavromichalis, entered the city and liberated it.

In collaboration with the world-famous Peloponnesian ultramarathon runner, Karnazes, the event highlights the values ​​of the heroes who covered long distances on foot with great vigor and self-denial in order to fight and move from city to city, comparing these values with the ones that we find today in the long distance running. After all, running is a sport that was born in Greece. A long-distance race demands much more from the athlete than the shorter distance races, not only physically but mainly psychologically and mentally. This race, taking place in the mountains offers the athlete the opportunity to experience situations that no other road race can offer. The challenge is great, as so is the reward. In Run Messinia, each athlete competes not only with other runners but also with the mountain and nature itself, as well as his own personal boundaries. The event came to highlight the importance of overcoming adversities and never quitting, values synonymous with those of the 1821 Revolution and Greek History in general. As the athletes consider it impossible to achieve the 10 long distances within 10 days, similarly, people considered the result of the Revolution historically impossible.

421km run in Messinian land!
The event aims to highlight the history and feature both culturally and touristically all the areas associated with the Greek Revolution in Messinia. The starting point of “Run for Freedom” will be Areopoli. Runners will have the opportunity to pass through historical places of Messinia such as Kardamyli, Verga, Kalamata, Nedousa, Poliani, Skala, Neochori, Katsarou, Solaki, Meropi, Loutro, Diavolitsi, Kallirroi, Ramovouni, Maniaki, Kato Minagia, Koroni, Methoni, Neokastro, the village of Kremmidia, Schinolakka, Paleokastro and of course to finish at the historic Pylos.

Messinian ultramarathon runner Vassilis Koumanakos, who has completed the “Marathon de Sables” 260km race in the Sahara desert, said about his participation in Run Messinia: “It is a special honor to run in the footsteps of great warriors and visit their dens, which were the strongholds of the Greek national liberation war of ‘21. What we will remember is that FREEDOM is not just a word in our national anthem, but it is a situation for which we must fight every day. And this struggle determines our Fate”.

Participations in the race will be by invitation only, while very few spots will open to the public. The event will be held in accordance with the strict health protocol and the approval of the Health Scientific Committee of the General Secretariat of Sports, with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic conditions. Active Media Group has undertaken the event’s Sports Production. More information on the dates, schedule, routes and details of Run Messinia will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

 

Getting the cameras rolling in the Greek capital, however, has not always been easy. Red tape and a shortage of competitive incentives have often driven filmmakers elsewhere. But now the stage has been set to transform Athens into a “Film Friendly City” with the launch of an Athens Film Office and boosted cash rebates from the Greek Government. In the best practice of major European cities, the new Athens Film Office will be a one-stop-shop for receiving and managing film and television requests, facilitating filming requirements, and acting as a go-between to clear bureaucratic obstacles for overseas productions.

According to the Athens Film Office website, makers of films, television episodes, or advertisements will soon have over 70+ Athenian locations to choose from. Current options span from landmark squares like Syntagma and Omonia and Athens’ emblematic National Garden, to the Maria Callas Municipal Theatre with its magisterial lobby, and contemporary urban hub, Technopolis, in Gazi.

The new approach is already paying off. More than 10 international audiovisual works (movies, TV series, and advertising) will take place this year despite the pandemic and two-month lockdown; with work already underway on several. 

Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis Says: "The Municipality of Athens, through the Athens Film Office, aspires to play a leading role in the effort to better utilize the development potential of the city, so that in the near future, Athens becomes a key pole of attraction for new investments - and hosts more and more international film productions.”

 

In the city’s bid to lure more big movie makers to the city, the Athens Film Office - which comes under the "umbrella" of the Athens Development & Destination Management Agency (EATA) - will also work closely with the This is Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau to ensure that international film executives have access to premium facilities and services throughout their stay.

One of Athens’ architectural emblems – the old Public Tobacco Factory  –  is to be reborn in 2021 with a new cultural identity and well-timed artistic purpose.

Completed in 1930, the Tobacco Factory, with its distinctive bright façade, was forged in the spirit of modernism to serve the country’s booming cigarette manufacturing industry. Once a symbol of Greece’s industrialisation and progress, the historic venue will now provide a “profoundly resonant” incubator for Greek contemporary art, according to Madeleine Grynsztejn, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, who will co-curate Portals with NEON director Elina Kountouri. The Tobacco Factory exhibition and €1 million conversion project is prompted by the bicentennial celebrations of Greece’s War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821 which led to the creation of the Modern Greek State. 

The pioneering Greek art foundation NEON, backed by the billionaire Greek art philanthropist Dimitris Daskalopoulos, will renovate one half of the listed monument on Lenorman Street in order to stage an international exhibition called “Portals” from June to December, before giving the landmark space back to the Greek state as a new culture hub. The other half of the sprawling site, which spans an entire block, is home to the Hellenic Parliament Library and Printing House. 

“This particular moment in history takes us through a ‘portal’. When we emerge on the other side, we will need to reaffirm - for the sake of future generations - our commitment to certain values: the rule of law, human rights and democracy.” ~ NEON Director Elina Kountouri

To learn more about this project visit: thisisathens.org
Photo courtesy of: NEON

 

Thodoris Anagnostopoulos has become a member of the large family of National Geographic explorers. He is a geneticist, science engager, social entrepreneur, and the co-founder of SciCo (Science Communication), which aims to promote science through innovative ways to the general public.

In his new venture, Thodoris, together with the SciCo team, British Council Greece, and STEM teachers from Xanthi, is initiating an environmental education program for students in Pomakochoria, Thrace. The National Geographic Society will support the project, which is expected to begin in the fall of 2021. The aim of the project is to alleviate the social isolation of young Pomaks, as well as to raise awareness about climate change, the exploitation of renewable energy sources, and the preservation of the natural wealth of the area.

A Few Words About The National Geographic Society

Since 1888, the National Geographic Society - one of the largest educational and scientific non-profit organizations in the world, known to the general public by National Geographic magazine, as well as the synonymous television channel - has brought together the most charismatic people from around the world; its famous "explorers".

Biologists and environmentalists, geologists, archaeologists, photojournalists, and directors… Their backgrounds and work are different, but their profiles and goals are the same: They are top professionals in their field, with a strong sense of responsibility and respect for others, the environment, and culture committed to working to create a sustainable future while supporting diversity and equality.

The Idea Behind The Project

The Pomaks, an officially recognized national minority of Greece by the Treaty of Lausanne, have been experiencing geographical and cultural isolation in recent decades. Thirty-five thousand Pomaks live in the mountains of Rhodope, in a unique natural environment. In addition, their villages, as well as the wider region of Thrace, are a valuable source of "clean" energy: a high dynamic of wind energy due to the mountain morphology and access to direct sunlight most days of the year.

The development of Renewable Energy Sources is particularly important for Greece, as they reduce the effects of climate change, create energy sustainability, and create new employment opportunities. However, the selection and design of all of the above should be based on scientific data, in order to avoid negative consequences for nature and wildlife (especially for birds).

With these goals in mind, Explorer Thodoris Anagnostopoulos designed this innovative program. He, in collaboration with members of SciCo, the many years of experience of British Council Greece in matters of intercultural and participatory education, as well as teachers from Xanthi, will organize extracurricular workshops STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) of environmental education, aimed for students 10 to 16 years old.

Thodoris Anagnostopoulos notes: "Using science as a neutral "language" that bridges cultural differences, the project proposes STEM environmental education outside school, as a tool for creative collaboration between Pomak and non-Pomak students and alleviating the social isolation of the former. The laboratories are adapted to the needs and special characteristics of the area and will focus on Renewable Energy Sources. Children will initially have the opportunity to study projects on a small scale and will gradually implement them in their schools and the local community to address real problems. This approach will create a safe and unrestricted space for education, enhancing the collaborative climate and students' skills.

In fact, in 2017 SciCo designed a similar program called STEMpowering Youth program, which enabled more than 12,400 educators and teenagers in remote areas to solve real local problems, through science and technology.

About Thodoris Anagnostopoulos

Science engager, social entrepreneur, and public speaker. He studied Biology and holds a Ph.D. in Genetics from Kings College London. He is the President and Co-Founder of the Social Enterprise SciCo, which aims to promote science through innovative ways to the general public while having an international presence. He is also the founder of Theta Communications, a company that specializes in experiential human resources training. Co-founder of the Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, Thessaly and Mediterranean Science Festivals, the Mind the Lab, the School Lab online training program, the STEMpowering Youth training program, and the NGO Green Project.

In 2012, he was trained by former US Vice President Al Gore on climate change and is his ambassador for the Climate Reality Project. From 2013 to 2017 he was the President of the Onassis Scholars Association. He is the first Greek Fellow of Ashoka and in 2017 he was awarded the British Council UK Alumni Social Impact Award. Theodoris is a member of the Explorers Club of New York and has traveled to 92 countries on six continents.

Originally published in Greek on vassosotiriou.gr
Translated by Codico Lab

From fashion insiders and digital marketers to financial analysts and fine art gallerists, Athens is attracting many international professionals, as they're discovering that the city is alive with creative possibilities and a feeling of community that is hard to beat, even during a pandemic.

Digital nomads are coveted by cities throughout the world in part because of the important role they play in the spread of knowledge and technology. Some of the most common roles include software developers, graphic designers, copywriters, and digital consultants. They bring new ideas, spark conversations, and contribute to the development of global perspectives.

The City of Athens is encouraging the creation of a digital nomad community by reinforcing innovation hubs and co-working spaces. The city is improving the accessibility of municipal services by putting them online, and the partnership between XpatAthens and This is Athens has been created with the intention of building a channel of communication with the city’s long-term visitors and expats.

Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis welcomed the trend: “Athens has long been a destination for people who want to share ideas and learn from each other. This is one of the reasons that we focus on hospitality as the core of our cultural heritage. Cultural exchange is a guarantee of our freedom, and we are thinking a lot about this as we celebrate 200 years of Greek independence. We’re thrilled that so many people want to make Athens part of their life story.”

Athens is one of the world’s oldest destinations for travelers with thousands of years of recorded history. Long famous as a gateway to summer, Athens has become a window to the 21st century and a year-round destination for visitors from all over the world. For many professionals, work from home has meant the freedom to set up a virtual office anywhere in the world; now with the support of their international firms, and the more widely accepted ‘remote work’, Athens is getting noticed as a city that gives a healthy balance of lifestyle.

We can’t help but be excited by the fact that - even during the lockdown - Athens has given light to people of diverse cultures and different backgrounds. It gives us joy to read the stories of international professionals who feel good because they’ve (finally) found a healthy work-life balance in the simplicities of life in Athens.

As work and workplaces continue to change around the world, we know that Athens will always provide its long-term visitors with warm community, creative inspiration, healthy work-life balance, and sunshine that soothes the soul!

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This content was created by XpatAthens in collaboration with This is Athens. This is Athens features stories of adventure, travel insights and up to the minute updates, as well as a schedule of events created with visitors in mind. The web portal is published in English, French, and German, helping first-time visitors and life-long residents find their stories; it is a project of the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency.

To learn more about This is Athens visit:

 

To learn more about XpatAthens and our mission to connect and create global community, visit: https://www.xpatathens.com/about-us

For many years, Athens has been facing complaints from residents, professionals, and visitors alike about cleanliness. As in any capital around the world, cleanliness is essential, and the objective of every municipality is to design practices that are both substantial and effective.

For the first time, the City of Athens is moving towards a strategy of total cleaning interventions that have shown significant results. For the last 12 months, 37 cleaning operations in 37 different areas have been changing the image of dozens of Athenian neighborhoods.

How Things Are Changing

Every Sunday, entire city areas are sanitized. To achieve the required cleansing result, dozens of cleaning staff gather in a specific area to wash sidewalks, streets, and public spaces with hot water. Due to the current circumstances, they also carry out the required disinfection.

These operations are the pinnacle of everyday cleaning and combined with smaller-scale but equally significant actions, they are changing the city for the better. For example, the group interventions that take place in the squares. During those interventions, a large group of staff take care of the green and wash and repair the equipment within a few hours. The cleaning staff is also in charge of washing-out the bins–that are gradually being replaced by new ones throughout Athens–and organized recycling.

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Street cleanings have been happening every Sunday for about the last year, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, and not just for hygienic reasons during Covid. The Mayor would say 'it’s about returning to the basics of quality of life,' and it’s starting to have a noticeable effect. Attention to neighborhoods outside the touristic center – focusing on the neighborhoods where people actually live – is part of telling people that they are wanted and belong in Athens.

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Equipment

Today, Athens is renewing its old cleaning equipment, but it has also obtained new, modern machinery to make cleaning even more efficient. The cleaning operations rely on modern equipment such as large vacuum cleaners, 20 high-pressure cleaners, water trucks, sweepers, and other equipment for washing and sweeping sidewalks, squares, and pedestrian streets. In other words, the municipality is moving away from superficial cleaning, which may have temporarily given the feeling of cleanliness but did not offer the desired result.

How Often Do Cleaning Operations Take Place?

Every Sunday and in a different area. In every Municipal Community, non-stop. The Municipality of Athens now follows a cleanliness cycle where one cycle closes a new one opens up. The cleaning cycle is supported by daily actions in every corner of the city. "This couldn't go any further, and we all saw it for so many years," explains Mayor of Athens Costas Bakogiannis. "We have the human resources and we are renewing the equipment. We had to, at all costs, find another way to clean Athens. We had to design the cleanliness plan from scratch, avoiding one mistake: Clean it in fragments, without planning, phobically. We've reached a threshold and applied dynamic interventions in the whole city, in entire neighborhoods. And as it turns out, we are winning the bet. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but now we know how to deliver the results that all Athenians want", he adds, talking about the citiy's new cleaning strategy.

Operations By Date

Votanikos- Kato Petralona 19/01/20, Kypseli 26/01/20, Kolonaki - Exarchia 02/02/20, Gyzi- Goudi 09/02/20, Pagrati 16/02/20, Pagrati- Neos Kosmos 23/02/20, Patissia 08/03/20, Omonia 10/05/20, Akadimia Platonos 17/05/20, Neapoli Exarcheion 24/05/20, Probonas 31/05/20, Neos Kosmos 07/06/20, Plateia Amerikis (Filis Street) 14/06/20, Kolonos 21/06/20, Ampelokipi 28/06/20, Metaxourgio 5/7/20, Sepolia 12/7/20, Kolonaki 19/7/20, Plaka 26/7/20, Agios Panteleimon 6/9/20, Exarcheia 13/9/20, Kato Patissia 20/9/20, Kato Patissia 28/9/20, Sepolia 4/10/20, Ano Petralona and Thiseio 11/10/20, Neos Kosmos 18/10/20, Ellinorosson 25/10/20, Votanikos 01/11/20, Agios Pavlos 8/11/20, Lambrini 15/11/20, Omonia 22/11/20, Metaxourgio 29/11/20, Koukaki 6/12/20, Commercial Triangle 13/12/20, Kypseli 10/01/2021, Kypriadou, Ano Patisia 17/01/21, Gyzi, 24/1/21, Kato Petralona, 31/1/21

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XpatAthens extends a warm thank you to This Is Athens and the City Of Athens for sharing with us news and inspiring stories about how Athens is constantly becoming a cleaner, friendlier, and more welcoming city to live in.

Greece has taken another necessary step to limit the spread of Covid-19, as part of the ongoing lockdown measures. One of the newest changes currently in effect is the 'Click in Shop' method of shopping at all retail stores across the country.

More specifically, all retail stores that sell clothes, shoes, and books - including the ones located in large shopping malls -  will now operate with the Click in Shop process as part of the government's effort to curb overcrowding in public spaces.

Click in Shop means that consumers make appointments in advance to shop in person inside retail stores thus allowing only a limited number of consumers in a store at the same time. All other stores will continue to operate by the 'Click-Away' method which means consumers place their orders from home and then collect their items from outside the store and by appointment only.

Click in Shop requires the customer to select and book the product they wish to buy, either online or via phone. Then, they will make an appointment in order to visit the store, try on the preselected items and make their purchase. They can also browse the store and try on other products as well, as long as they don't exceed the specified time limit for each customer. Appointments are scheduled based on the size of a store and the number of employees working at the time of the appointment, in order to avoid overcrowding. Remember that sending an SMS is still mandatory for leaving your home!

The main advantage of the Click in Shop method is that it actually offers consumers the opportunity to try on products, an option that the Click-Away system does not offer. Although the aim of the try-on option is to minimize the chances of returning products, customers will still be able to do so - strictly by appointment - and all return and warranty rights will still be valid. With regard to payment methods, consumers will be able to pay in cash is they like, with the cash limit set at €500. This is an additional advantage of the Click in Shop method, as the previous system in the majority of cases worked only with credit and debit cards. 

The duration of this new method of shopping will be determined based on the epidemiological data gathered daily by authorities. Retail businesses will work to ensure that all the necessary protection measures and operation regulations of the Click in Shop model are maintained.

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This content has been sourced and translated by Codico Lab.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, travel bans, and safety measures, archaeologists in Greece made a startling array of exciting discoveries. In some cases, the lack of visitors proved a blessing, allowing researchers to pore over popular sites that would otherwise feature crowds of tourists.

This list explores 3 of the most significant archaeological finds reported in Greece over the past months.

1. Theopetra Cave, Thessaly

Theopetra Cave in Thessaly is a significant site that was continuously occupied by humans for 130,000 years. The cave is famous for the fossilized footprints of a group of young Neanderthals and a 23,000-year-old wall one of the oldest known human constructions. Excavations at Theopetra have also revealed the well-preserved remains of a young woman, named Avgi who lived in the cave during the Mesolithic period, around 7000 BC.

The results of the analysis of the most recent finds reveal even more clues about the lifestyle and diet of the cave’s later Neolithic inhabitants. In fact, the evidence shows that Stone Age Greeks ate a healthier diet than many modern humans. The inhabitants of the cave ate wheat, barley, olives, and pulses, and a moderate amount of meat from a mix of domesticated and wild animals such as wild boar. Evidence suggests the people in Theopetra Cave kept cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and at least one dog, perhaps as a companion for hunting and herding.

2. Aiolou Street, Athens

A well-preserved head of a statue depicting the god Hermes was discovered lying a mere 1.3 m under street level last November during construction works on the busy Aiolou Street in central Athens. The head is thought to have formed part of a herma (literally meaning ‘heap of stones’), one of many similar statues that functioned as road markers or indicators of important public or private spaces in ancient Athens.

Based on its style, the newly found bust dates to around the end of the 4th or the beginning of the 3rd century BC and resembles the bearded Hermes Propylaios famously sculpted by Alcamenes who is considered by many as one of the finest sculptors in ancient Greece. Its unearthing is a reminder that Athens is still packed with hidden archaeological treasures waiting to be discovered.

3. Akrotiri, Santorini

Santorini’s strategic position on the maritime routes connecting southern Cyclades, Crete, and the copper-rich island of Cyprus was one of the reasons why it became an important trade center during the Middle Bronze Age between 2160 and 1600 BC.

In early 2020, Professor Christos Doumas reported on new archaeological finds discovered during excavations at the famous settlement of Akrotiri. Among the finds in the interior of a building known as the ‘House of Thrania’ (‘House of Benches’) were two large double-headed axes made of finely-crafted bronze plates; artifacts that are typical of Minoan culture and religion in Crete and the southern Aegean. A large number of miniature ceramic vessels, other bronze items, and fragments of jewelry, including a small bead of rock crystal carved in the shape of a figure-of-eight shield were also found.

The most remarkable discovery was an inscription in Linear A, the undeciphered writing system used by the Minoans, on a fragment of what would have been a wooden construction, perhaps a box or chest. These finds gave more insight into the life of the settlers of the Bronze Age town before the Theran eruption in 1628 BC, one of the largest and most catastrophic volcanic eruptions in Mediterranean history.

To read this article in full and discover the full list of significant discoveries, please visit: greece-is.com

AMKA is Greece's social security number. In essence, it is the work and insurance ID of every employee, pensioner, and their dependent family members in Greece.

A valid AMKA number is required for all transactions regarding employment, insurance, pensions, and benefits in Greece for both nationals and non nationals.

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Please note, everyone’s eligibility and legal status in Greece differs and for this reason we always recommend getting in touch with the state offices/representatives directly in order to confirm your eligibility. We recommend calling your local KEP office ahead of your visit in order to confirm your eligibility, necessary documentation, as well as whether or not you'll require a scheduled appointment.

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If an ID card or passport is not available, or if these documents do not contain all the necessary details required for registration, foreign nationals will need to present a family status certificate that has been officially translated into Greek.

Greek Citizens
To obtain an AMKA number as a Greek national, you will need a Greek ID card, or a Greek military ID card.

Underage Individuals
For underage individuals (below 12 years of age), who do not have an ID card, a family status certificate is necessary; it must be presented by the parent or a legal representative.

How To Acquire An AMKA Number Through A Representative
ID card, or passport or family status certificate of the representative and an official statement of Law 1599/1986 declaring that they represent the interested party.

How To Change Or Update Your Details
Individuals who already have an AMKA number can change or update their details such as name, telephone number, postal address, insurance institution at their local KEP or AMKA office.

Why Is An AMKA Necessary?

An AMKA number is mandatory for numerous things related to employment in Greece, as well as some services provided by the state. Having this number aids in basic areas of everyday life such as:

Health care, by acting immediately against wasting the Security Funds’ resources and to improve overall benefits.
The field of work and insurance of employees, by protecting their rights and combating contribution avoidance.
The area of pensions, by significantly reducing the time required for issuing a pension.
Overall citizen services are improved, making transactions easier.
Supporting European Union standards, the insurance, health care, and pensions of citizens working in other European Union countries is made easier.

Sourced and translated from the official Greek website: AMKA.gr

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