XpatAthens

XpatAthens

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is set to get personally involved in the process of trying to convince independent and opposition MPs to elect Stavros Dimas as president, Kathimerini understands. The task of contacting the lawmakers has so far been left to State Minister Dimitris Stamatis, Samaras’s adviser Chrysanthos Lazaridis and Health Minister Makis Voridis.

However, Samaras will now become involved in the process, either meeting or phoning MPs who the government believes might be prepared to vote for Dimas.

The coalition’s aim is to secure at least 165 votes in the first ballot on Wednesday and to then take stock of which lawmakers the coalition might be able to persuade to vote “yes” by the time the final round of voting comes around on December 29. The government needs 200 votes to elect a president in the first two ballots and 180 in the final one.

Realistically, this means that the coalition needs to garner support from roughly 15 of the independent MPs and about 10 deputies from Democratic Left and Independent Greeks. So far the number of lawmakers in this group who have clearly said they will back Dimas numbers around 10.

As the battle for MPs’ votes intensifies, the polarization between the two main parties – New Democracy and SYRIZA – also looks certain to grow. On Friday, however, it was comments from outside Greece that caused a stir. The controversy was caused when European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker clearly stated his preference for the current government remaining in power rather then being replace by SYRIZA.

To read more, please visit ekathimerini.com

In July, a creative social media campaign named #LifeOnIos ran in Greece to promote and rebrand Ios from a destination known as a party island for young travellers to a destination with a sustainable luxurious future.

The #LifeOnIos campaign, a first of its kind event for the travel industry, saw video creators from five different countries (UK, Spain, USA, Brazil, Germany) gather on Ios for the whole month of July to create video content to show that the island has a lot more to offer apart from the party scene it is famous for.

#LifeOnX
The #LifeOnIos project is part of #LifeOnX, a new concept in tourism marketing to promote and rebrand a destination, introduced by Simon Lewis, the founder of Travel Concept Solution, a Cape Town-based marketing agency with a global network in travel.

#LifeOnIos was set up in cooperation with the local brand LuxurIOS Island Experience and had the support of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), Lonely Planet and Greek carrier Aegean Airlines.  Also, the global travel industry community Travel Massive was involved and Traveldudes and GTP supported the event as media partners.

To find out more about this campaign, please visit: Greek Travel Pages


The new book by Sydney / London writer Billy Cotsis: The Many Faces Of Hellenic Culture is a collection of tales from the author's own experiences of magical locations from across the globe that even the history books have forgotten.  They're 'magical' because what the people of these Helenic communities have achieved seems to defy belief: Hellenic culture surviving against the backdrop of a dwindling Diaspora and the abscence of government assistance; and the Hellenic language enduring despite native speakers being a rarity in many of these regions.

This book covers stories gathered by Billy Cotsis in a range of Hellenic communities located in Albania and Ukraine and almost 'everywhere' in between!

You can find out more about the author through his website here.

Available on Amazon in print and Kindle version.




Tuesday, 01 November 2016 07:00

Greece Among Europe's Most Charming Villages

A popular travel website, AFAR, recently named the 13 most charming villages in Europe and Greece made the list! Ano Mera is a quiet and colorful Cycladic village in Mykonos and is actually one of the oldest villages of the island. Visitors often explore the Panagia Tourliani church and the Paleokastro Monastery, which are centuries old. In addition, there are graves of the ancient Geometric era of Greece in Ano Mera.

To name a few, AFAR's list also included Les Bateliers in France, Glen Country House in Cork, and Vernazza on the stunning Amalfi Coast. Mykonos came in at number 4.

To read this article in full, please visit: AFAR
In the new April edition of National Geographic Traveller, Greece is featured in ‘A Modern Classic,’ titled ‘Greece - A Creative Renaissance,’ where art, innovation, and fresh ideas are the focus.

The feature story highlights the arts scene of Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as the modernization and uniqueness of the Greek islands.

As the author writes, ‘In every crisis there are green shoots, and despite - or perhaps because of - its financial woes, Greece is enjoying a cultural bloom.’
 
Please click HERE to view Greece’s feature in National Geographic Traveller.
 
Enterprise Greece and ANIMA Investment Network have stepped up cooperation on innovation in the Mediterranean and have organized ‘The Next Society,’ a European and Mediterranean Innovation Conference this May 2017.
 
The conference marks the launch of ‘The Next Society,’ an initiative supported by public and private innovation, investment and economic development players with the support of the European Commission. It aims at mobilising entrepreneurs, innovators and corporate ecosystems to overcome the innovation and sustainable development challenges faced in the Mediterranean, in the North as much as in the South. ‘The Next Society’ wishes both to improve the frameworks and ecosystems and to develop the value creation and concrete solutions for a shared prosperity among the Mediterranean countries.

Thirty sectoral institutions from eleven countries, as well as companies and entrepreneurs, will have the opportunity to learn about the latest developments in innovation, to discuss aid measures, to explore possible partnerships, to draw inspiration from the achievements of others and to expand their network both in the Mediterranean and in the wider European area.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek News Agenda
The 74-year-old conceptual artist Marta Minujín has recreated her seminal installation – initially constructed in Buenos Aires in 1983 – with thousands of banned books that have been donated by the public.

Marta Minujín's monumental installation "The Parthenon of Books" is one of the highlights of this year's Documenta in Kassel, Germany.

The installation in Friedrichsplatz perfectly mimics the grandeur and scale of the Parthenon at 10 meters high by 70 meters long and 30 meters wide.

On each of the 46 columns, up to 100,000 books which have been forbidden in various countries for numerous reasons (like Goethe’s romantic novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther, that led to a wave of suicides across Europe) have been attached to the metal scaffolding replica in plastic bags.

To read this article in full, please visit: The Culture Trip
 
Photo Credit: Maxie Fischer from documenta 14
Thursday, 30 May 2019 07:00

Cocktail Time In Athens

Partly fueled by growing tourist numbers according to the Huffington Post UK, Greece and especially Athens is booming with speciality cocktail bars and “mad mixologists.” One travel and drinks writer takes us to two bars who serve some of the most unique drinks in Athens.

“Look up Kerameikos in most guidebooks and you'll be told about the famous cemetery there, that this was once the home of ceramicists and is where we get the very word ceramics from. But it's also where you'll find the MoMix Bar Kerameikos, which opened in November 2012 and has been so successful there's now a MoMix in the Athens seaside suburb of Glyfada, joined this summer by MoMix Bar Santorini.”

“It's in the Kerameikos original that you'll find MoMix co-founder Aris Chatziantoniou performing the molecular mixology that gives the bar its name. The cocktail menu is a cube that lights up when you move it and has such weird wonders as cocktail bubbles, cocktail tubes, magic needles and a Saganaki Cocktail.”

“Aris is far from being the only mixologist making his name on the Greek cocktail scene. A ten-minute walk from Syntagma Square, a bar called The Clumsies opened in 2014. In less than a year it was ranked number 22 on The World's 50 Best Bars list, and in 2016 it rocketed to number 9. That's not so surprising when you learn that it was founded by two award-winning Greek bartenders, Nikos Bakoulis and Vasilis Kyritsis.”

To read this article in full, please visit: Huffington Post UK
Tuesday, 24 April 2018 20:17

April 17 - Athens Old & New

Athens is the perfect place when it comes to combining old and new. Learn all about a new exhibition displaying ancient artifacts inside the city's metro and a mindblowing 3D video on how the Parthenon was built!


Please click HERE to view this issue of our newsletter!
Remember to stay connected with us through our weekly newsletterFacebook, and Twitter!

Summer is already here, and those of us with children want to find something fun for our kids to do before and/or after our summer vacation. With schools in Greece being closed until the beginning of September, it is imperative for children and teenagers to have something fun, creative, and adventurous to do during the warm summer months.

We've created a list with summer camps taking place in Athens this summer. If you know of a good summer camp, please send us an email with detailed information at ideas@xpatathens.com.

Are you running a summer camp and want to let everyone know about it? Create an XpatAthens Profile and upload your event today!


Pierce Summer Camp
 
The Summer Camp aims to develop the athletic and artistic skills of children 6-14 years old who want to spend their time creatively after the school year has ended. The children are divided into groups according to their age and knowledge level. The program is primarily in Greek but the English language is also used by the instructors.

When: 5 weeks (June 17 – July 19, 2019)
Time: 
Monday to Friday (09:00 – 17:00)
Where:
 The American College of Greece
Price:
Prices start at € 325 per child per week
Email: camps@acg.edu

The well-established tradition of the ACS Athens Summer Youth Camp will once again give the opportunity to children (4-14 years old) to experience fun, innovative and engaging activities. These activities are designed to appeal to the participants’ interests, talents, needs, and different personalities. The range of the offered activities has now expanded and is in line with the educational and technological evolution of the new era!

When: Session 1: June 18 - 28 (2 weeks) Session 2: July 1– 5 (1 week)
Time:
Monday to Friday (09:00 – 15:30)
Where:
 ACS Athens
Price:
Prices start at € 495 per child
Email: summeryouthcamp@acs.gr / paterakig@acs.gr

Saronida Summer Camp

This camp was establshed in 1961 in Ekali as the first sports camp in Greece. Because of its long-standing tradition, the small number of children, the specialised personnel, the excellent living conditions and the organised program, the Camp guarantees a high quality level of services, giving it a family character with emphasis on care, safety and entertainment of children.

When: Session 1: June 16 - July 7 Session 2: July 8 - July 29 Session 3: July 30 - August 20
Time:
Live in
Where:
 Saronida Summer Camp, Anavissos
Price:
N/A
Email: info@saronidacamp.gr

Summer Camp at the Museum of Cycladic Art

The Museum of Cycladic Art has arranged six five-day terms in June and July that will fascinate the young friends of the Museum and make the summer in the city a creative adventure full of discovery. Packed with interactive guided tours, screenings, storytelling, painting, construction and sculpture crafts, group games and activities, the Museum of Cycladic Art's 'summer camp' is an alternative summer activity for children 5-9 years old.

When: 6 Terms: June 24 - June 28, July 1 - July 05, July 8 - July 12, July 15 - July 19, July 22 - July 26, July 29 - 2 August
Time: Monday to Friday (10.00-13.00)
Where: The Museum of Cycladic Art
Price: N/A
Email: museum@cycladic.gr

Astrocamp | Travelling From Earth To Space

Through experiential workshops, constructions, puzzles and educational games, children will obtain new knowledge about our planet, our sun, our planetary system, and space missions. This magical journey will end with the recognition of constellations and the way they are connected with mythology. The Astrocamp will be conducted in Greek and is suitable for children 8-12 years old.

When: July 1- July 5
Time: N/A
Where: National Observatory | Thissio Visitor Center
Price: N/A
Email: visitorcenter@noa.gr

Stay tuned for more!
Page 234 of 436