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A record number of Greek participants was documented at the international fruit and vegetable fair “Fruit Logistica 2015” that took place in Berlin. Based on the number of exhibitors, Greece was in 15th place, according to the German-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce. 

A total of 45 participants represented Greece in the international fair, ten more than in 2014. The list of Greek participants included rural cooperatives, fresh fruit and vegetable businesses, as well as technical systems, equipment and packaging companies. The participants were divided in three group kiosks that reinforced Greece’s image and promotion of Greek products abroad.

Twelve Greek companies were represented at the Enterprise Greece Investment & Trade Promotion kiosk, five companies at the Great Trade Exhibitions & Export Consulting kiosk and three companies at the Economotechniki kiosk, which organized a special event under the Freshly program for the promotion of Greek fresh fruit.

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By Ioanna Zikakou

Authorities and academics from the North Eastern Aegean island of Ikaria, as well as Diaspora Ikariots, are calling on the Greek culture ministry to apply to UNESCO for the inclusion of Ikaria’s traditional dance, the “Ikariotiko”, on its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In a letter sent last month to Deputy Culture Minister Nikos Xydakis, Ikariots are citing the example of Andalusia’s flamenco dance, which has already been placed on the list.

Known as “Kariotikos” by the locals, the three-part dance which gradually builds up pace, should, they say, be preserved and recognized as a property of the world and an integral part of Greek culture. Describing it as a cultural asset, the Ikariots are calling for the unique-to-Ikaria dance to be safeguarded.

UNESCO’s Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage aim to ensure the protection of important oral and intangible cultural traditions worldwide, raising awareness of their significance.

To read more on this, please visit Greek Travel Pages
Please don't judge a country's people based on the actions of a governement.

While Greece is in a complex political situation, Nia Vardalos, the star and screenwriter of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, took to social media to remind the world what “hard-working” and “loving” people the Greeks are.

Vardalos, daughter of Greek Canadian parents, shared her pride for being a Greek on her Facebook page.

“As a Greek (and a very proud Greek), I’ve encountered comments such as, ‘they should have paid their taxes.’ The ignorance of this comment is profoundly upsetting and selectively obtuse," the star said.

She added that she would have hoped that “society wouldn’t simply swallow the jaded media’s typical dissemination of false information”.

Vardalos then reminded the world that Greece is a beautiful nation of hard-working, loving people, “who would invite you into their home and even give you their bed.

“Please don’t judge a country’s people based on the actions of a government” she concluded.

To read more, please visit: Greek Travel Pages
Delta Air Lines’ nonstop double daily flights between Athens and New York-JFK are now on sale for travel in summer 2016, an announcement said on Monday 5th October 2015.

Flights will begin five times weekly from March 27, 2016, increasing to a daily service from May 24, 2016 using an Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 292 seats.

From May 27, 2016, an additional flight will be added which will also operate on a daily basis with a Boeing 767-400 aircraft with 245 seats, bringing the weekly total to 14 flights.

During the peak summer months, Delta will offer over 7,500 weekly seats between Greece and the United States.

All services from Athens are operated in conjunction with joint venture partners Air France KLM and Alitalia.

“Our investment in our New York-JFK hub means we offer greater connectivity for customers travelling to the United States and beyond from Greece,” said Nat Pieper, Delta’s senior vice president for Europe, Middle East and Africa."

To read more, please visit: Greek Travel Pages
Friday, 04 December 2015 07:00

The Greek Creator Of The Mini Car

SIR ALEXANDER ARNOLD KONSTANTINE ISSIGONIS (Αλέξανδρος Αρνόλδος Κωνσταντίνος Ισσιγόνης

- Born in Smyrna, Asia Minor on November 18, 1906 – Died on October 2, 1988 
- Greek designer of cars, known as the "Greek God" and for creating the Mini, which was launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959.
- In 1999 the Mini was voted the second most influential car of the 20th century, behind the Ford Model T, and ahead of the Citroen DS and the Volkswagen Beetle.

Alexandros Issigonis (Sir Alec Issigonis) was born in Smyrna (now known as İzmir, Turkey) in Asia Minor. His grandfather Demosthenis Issigonis migrated to Smyrna from Paros, Greece in the 1830's. Alec's grandfather, Demosthenis, worked as an engineer for the Smyrna Aydin Railway and later owned a machine factory. Demosthenis managed to acquire British nationality. 

Alec's father, Constantine Issigonis (Κωνσταντίνος Ισηγόνης), was born, with British nationality, in Smyrna in 1872. Constantine studied in England. Alec's mother, Hulda Prokopp, could trace her origins back to Württembergwhich is now part of Germany. Through his mother, Issigonis was a first cousin to then BMW director (now at Volkswagen) Bernd Pischetsrieder.

Moreover, as Alec and his parents were British subjects, they were evacuated to Malta by British Royalty Marines in September 1922, ahead of the Great Fire of Smyrna and the Turkish re-possession of Smyrna at the end of the Greek and Turkish War 1919-1922. After the death of his father in 1922, Alec and his mother moved to the UK in 1923.

Issigonis studied engineering at Battersea Polytechnic in London. He failed his mathematics exams three times and subsequently called mathematics "the enemy of every creative genius"After Battersea Polytechnic, Alec decided to enter the University of London External Programme to complete his university education.

To read more about the designer of the Mini Car, please visit: Greek Gateway


Out of 1,100 applicants, 3 Greek businesses have each received a Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award at the awards ceremony at the Onassis Cultural Center in Athens.

The businesses, which include Blueground, Bubbllz, and Raymetrics, received their awards from Prokopios Pavlopoulos, the President of the Hellenic Republic. The 3 business represent a range of sectors, from hospitality to social media marketing to meteorology.

The winning companies will share prize funding of 1.250.000 euros, be provided with an expert mentor and a range of business support services including legal, accounting, marketing, IT, communications and HR services.

Ongoing support by the HEA and its partners — helping these start-ups to implement their business plans successfully — is an integral part of the award programme’s mission to identify and encourage Greece’s most promising new business ventures.

The announcement of the 2016 results brings the total number of winners to 14 since the award programme was launched by the Libra Group on behalf of The Hellenic Initiative (THI) in 2012, which has committed 10 million euros to the programme.

The Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award was founded in order to stimulate entrepreneurial spirit by supporting Greece’s most promising new businesses. Between one and five winners are declared each year.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages
Monday, 19 September 2016 07:00

XpatAthens Meets E-Table Greece

At XpatAthens we're all about living well and experiencing everything that the great city of Athens has to offer. In our effort to connect locals and visitors with experiences in the city, we are especially excited to announce our cooperation with E-table.gr!

E-table.gr is Greece's top service provider for free online restaurant reservations in English! E-table.gr has connected 150,000 diners with more than 1,700 restaurants in 24 cities around Greece and users have written more than 20,000 confirmed restaurant reviews.
 
Now you too can find the best restaurants in Greece quickly and easily, 24/7, as well as get exclusive privileges and discounts. Check out E-table.gr’s dining suggestions and experience all your culinary desires across the city of Athens and beyond!

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with us, drop us a line at info@xpatathens.com.

Enjoy!!
Special prices for international flights through Qatar Airways!

The "Navarino Challenge" will take place between the 13th and 15th of October 2017, in Messinia and Costa Navarino, as part of its overseas promotional strategy and is renewing the cooperation with Qatar Airways.

Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is proud to be “Going Places Together” with travelers across its more than 150 business and leisure destinations. A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways has been awarded World’s Best Airline, World's Best Business Class, Best Business Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways sponsors world-leading sports events, like “Navarino Challenge” reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message “Going Places Together”.

A short while ago, in New York, the 1st Greek Panorama exhibition took place with great success, aiming to promote Greece to the US market. Thousands of New Yorkers, as well as tourists from around the world, visited the expo at the most central station in Manhattan, the Grand Central terminal.

The “Navarino Challenge” will take place for another year with the support of Costa Navarino and The Westin Resort Costa Navarino as well as the Municipalities of Pylos-Nestor and Trifilia.

Please use the promo code ATHNAVCH to book an exclusive offer for roundtrip tickets to Athens from over 150 places, via the following link: http://www.qatarairways.com/gr/el/cugs/navarinochallenge.page Offer valid from 3 to 15 October 2017 included (Outbound) and (Inbound) to be completed on or before 25 October 2017. This offer refers to roundtrip tickets to Athens from more than 150 destinations, including New York, USA.

More information will be announced in the next few weeks.

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Hashtags: #navarinochallenge #costanavarino #eatwell #runwell #livewell

Official Airline Partner: Qatar Airways
Official Sponsor: “Vikos” natural mineral water
Official Supporters: BIC®, BIC® Sport, Wyndham Grand Athens, Poseidonia, Surf Salad
Assisted by: Navarino Outdoors, Swim Academy, Navarino Racquet Academy, Apia
Strategic TV Partner: National Geographic

Photo:  A view from the cocktail “A Night to Remember by Qatar Airways” in Navarino Challenge 2016.
Photo credit: Elias Lefas
Tuesday, 05 September 2017 06:53

Athens Public Transport Announces Discount

The Athens Public Transport Organization (OASA) has recently announced a buy-10-get-one-free deal for its paper tickets in a bid to boost sales. The offer is valid for regular 1.40-euro tickets and discounted 0.60-cent tickets.

The offer aims to raise awareness for the introduction of electronic ticket technology that will replace paper tickets on buses, trolleys, trams, the metro and ISAP trains.

Article source: Ekathimerini
The Ministry of Culture has announced that on Monday October 28, museums and archaeological sites will waive entrance fees in celebration of the Greek National Holiday known as 'Oxi Day'. This Greek National Holiday is an excellent opportunity to explore the city, experience the festivities, and then head to one of your favorite museums or landmarks.

One of our favorites and one of the best in the world – The Acropolis Museum – brings to life the statue of Athena Parthenos, made of gold and ivory, designed by Phidias for the Parthenon. The Museum invites its visitors on a walk of knowledge about its construction materials and techniques, its myths and allegories, its radiance and its adventures. Presentations about the lost statue of Athena Parthenos will be held by ​Museum Archaeologists-Hosts​ in Greek (​at 12 noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. & 4 p.m.​) and in English (​at 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.​).  Please note that the presentations are on a first come, first served basis and limited to 30 persons per talk. Therefore, we strongly advise you to register at the museum's information desk on the same day.

Even if you are not able to visit a museum on October 28, keep in mind that entrance to Greek museums, landmarks, and archaeological sites is free on the first Sunday of the month from November to March!


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