According to a global survey from WIN/Gallup International, the world’s leading association in market research and analysis in Europe, the Greeks are the cleanest people in Europe, with 85% agreeing that they wash their hands with soap and water automatically.

The results come in the right moment, given the recent outbreak of the coronavirus, where hand-washing is one of the essential measures to deter the spread of the virus. To date, Greece has only reported 7 cases of the coronavirus, while Italy has more than 1,000 cases.

The survey examined a total of 62,398 people worldwide and found there are significant differences by region. More specifically, people from China and Japan were much less likely to automatically use soap and water (23% and 30% respectively). In comparison, Saudi Arabians are among the cleanest nations in the world.

Surprisingly enough, one in three people across the world doesn’t always wash their hands properly after going to the toilet even though it is estimated that hand-washing with soap alone could save over 650,000 lives each year (Greenland et al. 2012).

The President of WIN/Gallup International Association, Jean-Marc Leger, said: “It is estimated that 35% of the global population has no access to safe bathroom facilities and that an alarmingly high number of people across the world are not washing their hands with soap and water, either because of a lack of facilities or bad habits. We are proud to release this study and to contribute to raising awareness worldwide about the benefits of hand-washing with soap.”


To read this article in full, please visit: Greek City Times

 

“We are especially grateful that you made today’s ceremony possible, even under difficult circumstances,” IOC President Thomas Bach said in a speech, thanking the president of the Greek Olympic Committee at the site of the Ancient Olympics. 

 

The lighting ceremony was held without spectators and was attended by 100 accredited guests from the International Olympic Committee and Tokyo 2020. The Olympic Flame will spend 8 days in Greece before leaving for Japan for a 121-day journey until the July 24 Opening Ceremony. 

 

A new campaign by Marketing Greece urges international travelers to '#StaySafe' during the coronavirus pandemic—while continuing to dream and plan a future escape to Greece.

 

With its main motto 'Till Then, #StaySafe,' the campaign aims is to share the message with aspiring travelers worldwide that better days are coming while prompting them to stay safe in the meantime.

 

The new, innovative campaign uses stunning photographs accompanied by the caption 'When the time is right, we'll be there for you. Till then, #StaySafe', using the unique light of Greece to bring hope to all the people who are experiencing unprecedented social distancing.

 

Marketing Greece's announcement states, "In our times, humanity is called upon to rise to a shocking challenge, with messages of hope and optimism being more imperative than ever. Greek tourism, fully identifying with the sense of freedom and escape from the everyday grind, sends its own message for the next day."

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

7-year-old Greek pianist, Stelios Kerasidis, has composed a musical piece named “Isolation Waltz,” inspired by the coronavirus pandemic. Stelios dedicated his musical piece to everyone suffering from the coronavirus and people who are isolated at home because of the lockdowns.

 

The tiny pianist started performing in public at the age of five and performed at Carnegie Hall at the age of six. Following his great performances, Stelios began to compose his own music.

 

In October 2018, Stelios won first prize at the Golden Classical Music Awards Invited Winners List after a brilliant performance at New York City’s Weill Recital Hall. Playing a Chopin waltz for his audience and judges, he also became the youngest Greek musician of all time to play at Carnegie Hall.


















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

Greece is undoubtedly one of the most appealing travel destinations, but amidst the Covid-19 crisis, the idea of a summer vacation in Greece sounds like an unlikely scenario! Or maybe not, according to Greek officials.

 

And that is because Greece appears to be a rare coronavirus success story. The safety measures and a strict lockdown was enforced very early, keeping the death rate extremely low compared to European countries.

 

This week, some small businesses–such as hairdressers and bookstores–were allowed to re-open for the first time after the long closure. This gradual lifting of the lockdown measures may be a model for welcoming back some travelers this summer, thinks Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

 

"The tourism experience this summer may be slightly different from what you've had in previous years," Mitsotakis told CNN's, Nic Robertson. "Maybe no bars may be open, or no tight crowds, but you can still get a fantastic experience in Greece – provided that the global epidemic is on a downward path."

However, opening up to tourism unavoidably means opening up to travelers possibly carrying the virus. Currently, every international traveler is screened for Covid-19 upon arriving in Athens; however, the Prime Minister is hoping for something more comprehensive such as global, or at least European standards that set the same travel protocols for all countries. "I would assume that people will be tested before they get on a plane, not after they arrive here. They can only get on the plane with a negative test, or with a positive antibody test," he said.

All going well, Greece will probably be able to start welcoming tourists by July 1.


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

Hundreds of Greeks danced and sang from inside their cars at a drive-in concert, the first concert since the ban of mass gatherings in Greece. The show took place in a football court at the seaside suburb of Glyfada on Tuesday night.

 

Cars were parked on designated spots to safeguard the health of the concertgoers who came to enjoy a free performance by famous Greek singer Natasa Theodoridou. The 300 car spaces were raffled in a lottery of more than 7,000 applications.

I have never done something like this before, it's a nice experience, a new experience,' affirmed a spectator.

'This is an example to all of us that nothing stops, we can do everything if we have patience and positive thoughts,' said the performer on stage.

Live concerts in Greece are expected to resume on July 15.

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

Alexander the Great, king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia, who created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, by the age of 30, is one of the most famous rulers of all time. But Alexander's achievements would not have been possible without his father's; King Philip's II, legacy. Even though he is not as famous as his offspring, King Philip II was also a remarkable leader.

 

The cover article of the June edition of the Smithsonian Magazine is dedicated to Philip II of Macedon, who "was a colossus in his own right, a brilliant military leader and politician who transformed Macedonia and built its first empire." To discover more about King Philip II journalist Richard Grant traveled to Aigai, the ancient royal capital of Macedonia and site of Philip's palace, where he met Angeliki Kottaridi, an archaeologist who has dedicated much of her life to excavating the ruins at Aigai.

 

Kottaridi and her team's work continues to give insight on the rise of this ancient superpower, including how Philip "paved the way for his son Alexander to become a legend." The article focuses on Philip's upbringing and how he came to be the man he was, backing everything up with statements by Kottaridi and other researchers.

 

The archaeological finds discovered in the area will be displayed in the new "Polycentric Museum of Aigai," which will open for the public in 2021. In addition to the Museum, the partial restoration of Philip's palace will enable visitors to appreciate the grand scale of the building, which covered 4 acres.

 

The archaeological site of Aigai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that is slowly rising from obscurity. It is almost sure that in the next few years, it will become an unmissable destination for history buffs and cultural travelers.

To read this aricle in full, please visit: greece-is.com

The Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment of Connecticut, has acquired a 30-year license to operate a casino at a massive new real estate development project unfolding on the grounds of the former Hellinikon International Airport in Athens. The casino will be part of The Hellinikon Project, an €8 billion development on the Athens Riviera that includes a marina, parks, recreational areas, condos, and sports facilities.

 

"We have already done a detailed job to ensure that we start as soon as possible," said MGE's CEO, Mario Kontomerkos, at an economic forum in mid-June. Kontomerkos, stated that MGE aims to create the premier entertainment destination in southern Europe.

 

Greek Development and Investment Minister, Adonis Georgiadis, said that the initial phase of The Hellinikon Project will begin in July and includes site preparation such as clearing the area and demolishing some 900 buildings and structures. Along with the casino resort, The Hellinikon Project will include luxury homes and condos, a marina, a shopping district, office space, a public park the size of Central Park, and a nearly mile-long beach.

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

Acclaimed automotive engineer Spyros Panopoulos, aspires to launch the first Greek supercar and introduce a brand new category of high-performance vehicles, called the "Ultra Car."

 

Panopoulos runs a successful Athens-based company specializing in the design and production of high-specification performance car parts with cutting-edge internal combustion engine technology. His skills, expertise, and his love for Greece have led him to start an original car manufacturing project.

 

The prototype that Panopoulos plans to bring to life called chaos after the ancient Greek word, which signifies a pre-cosmogony abyss. With its never-before-seen horsepower of 3000 and other breakthrough features, chaos will become a game-changer for the international automotive scene.

 

Until now, the project has been self-financed by Panopoulos, but he is negotiating for a bank loan to help him set up the colossal infrastructure required for a production unit. Even though Panopoulos has received financing offers from abroad, he declares his commitment to keeping the project completely Greek.

 

Chaos' exterior and engineering have been finalized, while the interior is currently being manufactured. Panopoulos aims to take his car to the prestigious Geneva International Motor Show in 2021!

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

Photo: Spyros Panopoulos

A medal awarded at the first modern Olympic Games, held in Athens in 1896, recently sold at auction for $65,625.

 

The bronze medal was awarded to Georgios Tsitas, a Greco-Roman wrestling athlete who won second place at the Athens Olympic games in 1896. At the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, first-place winners received a silver medal, a certificate, and an olive branch, while runner ups won a bronze medal, a certificate, and a laurel branch.

 

The medals were designed by Jules-Clement Chaplain, a renowned French Art Nouveau sculptor, and feature a relief of Zeus holding Nike, the goddess of victory. On the other side, there is an elaborate representation of the Parthenon and the words “International Olympic Games in Athens, 1896,” in Greek.

 

The Boston-based auction house that made the sale noted that athletes’ medals from the 1896 Olympic Games are extremely rare to come across, and this is the first one they have ever sold.

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