Violence against women and girls is a fact that crosses all boundaries across the world. Research shows that nearly 1 in 3 women have been abused in their lifetime mostly by their intimate partner. During the COVID pandemic, these numbers have increased – 2 in 3 women – as domestic violence has been on the rise.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most persistent and widespread human rights violations in the world. Whether physically, sexually, emotionally or verbally women and girls are intimidated, harassed, exploited, and killed when they speak out. Young girls, older women, refugees, women of minorities, women with disabilities, and women with gender issues are more easily manipulated.

However, women and girls all around the world must be able to talk and need to be heard instead of having their voices silenced.

Education is, in my opinion, the most significant key to this scourge. And we, parents, play a major role in educating our children both girls and boys. Because it’s not only girls that need to know they have equal rights to boys; it’s also boys that need to learn that respect, equality, and development apply to both genders.

Violence begins at home. Children mirror our behavior. When children watch their father being abusive to their mother and their mother staying silent in this relationship they get the message; the wrong message. And they will repeat it as victimizers and victims.

So it is imperative that we, as parents but also as teachers and authorities, educate our girls, our daughters first. We need to teach them what true love really is:

• Love is all about giving the space to the other person to grow and evolve and to support them even when we may not agree with their choices.
• Love, real love, should not hurt or harm us in any way.
• Love should not make us do something against our will.
• Love should not make us feel dirty or guilty.
• Love should not imprison us. On the contrary, it gives us wings to fly.
• Love includes respect.
• Love is a beautiful, warm feeling; not one we want to run away from.

There is no prosperity or growth unless we end violence against girls and women. Let’s educate our girls – and boys – so as not to have violence as a continuous obstacle to equality and development. Let’s start talking and make our voices heard.

November 25th was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Originally published on: itsmylife.gr

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Just a stone’s throw away from the historic city center with stunning views of the Acropolis, Hard Rock Cafe Athens is a must-see for both visitors and locals alike. From a lazy Sunday brunch to a romantic dinner, Hard Rock Cafe is always a great option!

We are excited to announce that all XpatAthens readers are entitled to an exclusive 20% OFF discount on HRC Athens’ menu, excluding drinks. Scroll down to download your own PDF VIP Card and be sure to present it to HRC's staff. HRC will also be happy to provide you with a paper copy upon your request.

So grab your family or friends and get ready to enjoy mouthwatering, fresh, high-quality food, which includes a selection of starters and salads, as well as delicious Legendary burgers, steaks, and many more!

Upon visiting, make sure not to miss Hard Rock's iconic collection of memorabilia which adorns the walls of Hard Rock Café Athens!

Important Notes About This Promotion:

1. The offer is available from Monday to Sunday until the 30th of December 2022.
2. The offer excludes limited edition items like alcohol, charity and other itmes for sale.
3. The offer cannot be combined with any other discount or promotional offer or seasonal menus like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother’s Day, etc.

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Download your PDF copy of the HRC Athens VIP Card here

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On Wednesday, December 1, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is once again being transformed into the city’s most enchanting Christmas destination.

On the first night of December, countless festive lights go off, effusing their glow over the plane trees of the Canal and the decorated fir trees at the Agora! A festival of light dons the nighttime Stavros Niarchos Park in radiant hues: three light installations by renowned artists, foreign and Greek, capture our glances, creating a unique jovial atmosphere that will set the scene for our Christmas memories.

This special evening, as is evident from its title , will be filled with SNFCC visitors’ memories, which our host, Dimitris Kouroubalis, will be sharing with the people gathered at the Agora..

And all of this will happen, as always, against the sounds of music: a special partnership between the youth orchestra and youth choir of El Sistema Greece community music project and the fascinating band ONIRAMA, featuring their incomparable frontman, Thodoris Marantinis. Adaptations of popular Christmas songs, Greek carols and international hits make up a program that is sure to spread the joy of the holiday season among young and old alike.


According to the latest measures to protect public health from the risk of spreading COVID-19, a valid vaccination certificate or a disease certificate, is required for the public to enter the event venue, as the venue operates as a pure venue. The above applies to adults. Μinors from 4 to 17 years old may, alternatively, submit a statement of negative self-diagnosis (self test) of the last twenty-four hours, a certificate of PCR (72 hours) or rapid (48 hours) diagnostic test, in accordance with the latest provisions of Joint Ministerial Decision.

In Ikaria honey is used to treat everything from wounds to stomach issues, influenza, and the common cold. Ikarians start their day with a simple spoonful of raw local honey, which has a high antioxidant level. This may reduce inflammation and also contains amino acids and vitamin C which are known to speed the growth of healthy tissue in the body.

This famous Greek island is a part of ‘Blue Zones’ a name given to 5 places in the world- Ikaria, Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa of Japan, Nicoya of Costa Rica, and Loma Linda of California, USA, whose inhabitants surpass the life expectancy and reach over the age of 90 years.

A new television report by CBS has taken a close look at why Ikarian honey could be one of the main keys as to why the locals here keep healthy and strong well into old age.

“Up the winding mountain roads of this isolated isle, you’re likely to notice brightly-painted boxes dotting the landscape. And what’s happening inside those boxes is generating some buzz: Bees busy making rare honey that locals believe is one of the secrets to a long life,” notes CBS.

Ikarian beekeeper Andoni Karimalis explained to CBS correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti that people on the island “have been eating the honey for generations, to keep healthy and strong well into old age.”

At work in her weaving studio, 109-year-old Yiayia Ioanna from Ikaria agrees there is something special about it. So does 87-year-old-beekeeper Giorgos Stenos. He eats the honey “every single day.”

For centuries humans have valued honey for its medicinal properties. And in Ikaria, known in ancient times as the “healing island,” the honey is different from that found on most supermarket shelves.

As a result, the pollen and nectar collected by the bees are free of chemicals and pesticides normally found in commercial or private farming. And unlike most honey sold in the other parts of the world, Ikarian honey is also unheated, unfiltered, and unpasteurized – all processes which can destroy the natural vitamins and minerals.

Although this has been one of Ikaria’s best-kept secrets, after the CBS report aired live on American television, there has been a huge response with people all over the world wanting to get their hands on some of this Ikarian gem!

Originally published: greekcitytimes.com

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The award-winning Acropolis Museum, dedicated to the rich archaeological heritage of the Athenian Acropolis from the Bronze Age to Byzantine times, has launched ten new educational programs for school pupils, from kindergarten to high school.

Designed to motivate thinking and enhance the museum experience, the Museum’s education department has put together nine on-site programs for groups of up to 25 visitors, students, and teachers, and one online program, presenting a virtual tour of the most important works of the Acropolis.

The on-site programs last between 60 and 90 minutes and are available in both Greek and English. They include expertly guided and interactive tours through the Museum’s galleries, exploring the collections.

Younger classes (kindergarten and the first grades of primary school) have the opportunity to learn about the eating habits and favorite recipes of the ancient Athenians, plants and animals, the Olympian gods, and the Panathenaic festival, while older classes (4th to 6th grades primary and 7th grade junior high) can explore the story of the fabled hill and its monuments, how the ancients depicted themselves in art, the Parthenon sculptures, and the secrets of ancient marble sculpting.

For high school students, an on-site program will introduce them to various professions of the ancient Athenians, and a 90-minute online tour presents the Acropolis Museum, its architecture, the excavation at its base, and some of the Museum’s most celebrated exhibits.

Originally published on: greece-is.com

Nymphaio is a beautiful village located just outside Florina in West Macedonia, Greece. It has been often included on lists of the “Ten Most Beautiful Villages of Europe” in travel guides.

It has also won UNESCO’s “Melina Mercouri International Prize” for its excellent management of the area’s cultural heritage and the surrounding natural environment.

Nymphaio, which lies at an altitude of 1,360 meters (4,462 feet) is nestled along the slopes of Mt. Verno (also known as Mt. Vitsi), surrounded by dense forests.

Its unique architecture, impressive mansions made of stone, stone-paved streets, and the incredible natural beauty of the surrounding area captivate all visitors to Nymphaio. The village has thankfully been able to maintain its original character, as all new buildings must strictly follow traditional forms of architecture.

Vlach nomads were the first people recorded to have settled here, in the early 1300s, and the town was formerly known as Niviesta or Nevesta all the way up to 1929. Beginning in the late 17th century, the town became one of the largest silversmithing centers in the Balkans, and it remained dominant in that industry for almost three centuries.

Nymphaio is known for its traditional mansions

The glory days of Nymphaio are reflected in the impressive stone-built mansions located all around the village. Although Nymphaio was affected in the 1950s by out-migrants and the 1960s, it has been revived today by the return of its people who wanted to come back to their roots in this ancient and beautiful mountain village.

The nearby village of Zazari and Cheimaditida Lake delimit an area of exceptional natural beauty in Florina. The two nearby natural lakes, two of the largest in Florina, are worth visiting as they are home to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, and fish as well as the ferruginous duck, which is protected as an endangered species.

Apart from its charming architecture and natural landscape, Nymphaio offers many activities for those who are lucky enough to visit. The ARCTUROS shelter, constructed by this non-governmental organization that protects brown bears, is located in a natural beech forest and is home to ten bears who formerly lived in captivity.

Image Credit: @greeceenfrance

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