XpatAthens
Thursday, 19 February 2015 13:30
Greece Needs Debts Cancelled And Growth
As economists, we note that the historical evidence demonstrates the futility and dangers of imposing unsustainable debt and repayment conditions on debtor countries; the negative impact of austerity policies on weakening economies; and the particularly severe effects that flow on to the poorest households.
We therefore urge the troika (EU, European Centra Bank and IMF) to negotiate in good faith with the Greek government so that there is a cancellation of a large part of the debt and new terms of payment which support the rebuilding of a sustainable economy. This settlement should mark the beginning of a new EU-wide policy framework favouring pro-growth rather than deflationary policies (Report, 14 January).
We urge the Greek government to abandon the austerity programme that is crushing economic activity and adopt a more expansive fiscal policy setting, targeting immediate relief from poverty and stimulating further domestic demand; to launch a fully independent investigation into the historic and systemic failure of the Greek public financial management processes (including any evidence of corruption) that led to the accumulation of debt, the disguising of the size and nature of the debt and the inefficient/ineffective use of public funds; and to consider the establishment of a judicial body or alternative mechanism that is independent of government and charged with a future responsibility of investigating corruption from the highest to lowest levels of government.
To read more, please visit theguardian.com
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Local News
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Wednesday, 17 June 2015 07:00
Tears As Greek State TV Returns To Air After Austerity Shutdown
Exactly two years after the state broadcaster was abruptly shut down by the previous government, ERT began broadcasting again in place of its successor NERIT.
Employees at Greece's state television ERT hugged each other and cried on Thursday 11th June 2015 as the channel aired its first broadcast in two years, after it was shut down under one of the previous government's most drastic austerity measures.
Leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who is racing to reach a cash-for-reforms deal with the European Union and IMF, had called ERT's closure "a great wound" of his country's bailout. He made its reopening one of his priorities as part of efforts to roll back cuts demanded by the lenders.
Employees gathered on the set in the early hours of 11th June 2015 in tears as anchors prepared to present the first early-morning talk show. Ahead of the programme, the channel played out footage of some of Greece's most famous landmarks and scenery, as the national anthem blared out.
"It's a special day for all Greeks, for philhellenes, for those who love Greece and for those who love freedom of information," anchor Nikos Aggelidis said at the start of the show. "We're nervous. We're very touched."
Visibly moved, his co-presenter Vasiliki Haina added in a shaky voice: "It's a special day for us, a difficult day." The news ticker at the bottom of the screen read: "The return of ERT two years since the black."
To read more, please visit: The TOC
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Local News
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Monday, 23 November 2015 07:00
UNICEF Awards Greek Coast Guard For Rescue Work In The Aegean
Amidst warm applause and in a highly emotional ceremony, UNICEF Greece on Thursday presented the Lambros Kanellopoulos award to Greece’s coast guard for its search-and-rescue efforts in the Aegean, especially its work for the protection of refugee and migrant children. The award was one of the prizes handed out by UNICEF in 2015 for Universal Children’s Day celebrated on November 20.
Earlier, a video of coast guard officers’ sensational efforts to save small children had been shown.
According to senior coast guard officer Athanassios Hondronasios, the number of refugees and migrants arriving by sea had increased 1,873 pct in comparison with 2014. During that time, there had been 4,800 rescue operations, in which 89,000 refugees and migrants were rescued, including 16,500 children and infants.
To read more, please visit: Greek Reporter
Published in
Greece In The News
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Sunday, 03 April 2016 07:00
Tahini & Chocolate Mousse
This guilt-free dessert is perfect for lent and all the health-conscious chocolate lovers out there. It's easy to make, dairy-free, and full of healthy fats and antioxidants. The avocado and tahini combination may seem questionable, but it adds a unique element that will surely please your taste buds.
Serves: 2
Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
2 TBS tahini
¼ cup almond milk
1 TBS chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 TBS cacao powder
8 drops liquid stevia
Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.
Spoon mousse into a glass jar or cup and chill slightly before eating.
Published in
Greek Food & Diet
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Tuesday, 06 September 2016 07:00
'Swing Away' Movie - A Love Affair With Greece
‘Swing Away,’ a film about self-discovery and one woman’s love affair with Greece, will be released in November 2016 in select cities throughout the US.
The film focuses on a Greek-American golfer named Zoe, played by Shannon Elizabeth, who has become disillusioned with her life in the US following a very public meltdown and decides to travel back to Greece to visit her family and figure out a new direction. Her decision is inspired by famous Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis, whose philosophy of ‘hope for nothing, fear nothing’ is infused throughout the movie.
‘Swing Away’ is one of the few non-Greek language movies to be shot, edited, and post-produced within Greece, partly in order to more effectively tell the story, in which the country plays such a central part, and partly as a decision of the filmmakers to support the Greek creative community. The film has already picked up praise and accolades, especially when it premiered at the Geena Davis-founded Bentonville Film Festival in May 2016.
Though the Greek-American community will definitely relate to the film’s central message of going back home to find yourself, the movie will surely appeal to a wider audience as well thanks to its tale of change, courage and self-discovery.
To read this article in full, please visit: Tornos News
Watch the trailer!
To read this article in full, please visit: Tornos News
Watch the trailer!
Published in
Greece In The News
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Monday, 07 August 2017 09:59
The Best Last-Minute Destinations In Greece
Summer in Greece, especially August, is packed full with all kinds of travelers, thus making it more difficult to find accommodation. If you’re looking to take a last-minute holiday, check out Greece Is’ list of the best places to do so!
Samothraki
Located in the northeastern Aegean, Samothraki (also known as Samothrace) has some truly fairytale landscapes not normally associated with Greek islands – most notably the Fonias Gorge with its waterfalls and plunge pools that you can swim in all summer long. Walk along the gorge under lush trees accompanied by colorful dragonflies flitting about.
Pilio
Roughly a four-hour drive from Athens and located near the city of Volos (which has an international airport), Pilio combines much of the best of Greece has to offer (forested mountains, fantastic beaches, stone-built villages, stories of centaurs). While it is a popular destination among Greeks and foreign visitors, the accommodation options are many in and around the numerous villages, so even in the height of summer you should be able to find a little slice of paradise.
To read this article in full, please visit: Greece Is
Published in
Travel Greece
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Tuesday, 17 July 2018 19:06
July 10 - The City Escape
Whether a local or visitor, there are a few places in Athens not to be missed. For instance, the gardens of the Concert Hall offer a beautiful and relaxing experience and a delicious pie shop downtown will top your experience. Learn all about them in our newsletter!
Please click HERE to view this issue of our newsletter!
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Newsletters
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Monday, 25 March 2019 07:00
Discover The Katakouzenos Museum, A Gem In The Center Of Athens
Following the principles and expanding possibilities of house museums, such as the Freud Museum in London, the Katakouzenos House Museum is proof of how a historical Athenian residence can be converted to a community-oriented and education-based institution.
The former owners of the house, Angelos and Leto Katakouzenos, belonged to the intellectual elite of the so-called “1930s generation”. Their home functioned as a literary salon, while its rooms have hosted numerous renowned artists, writers, and poets of international fame.
Angelos Katakouzenos was born in 1904 in Lesvos, an island in the Aegean to which he often returned as a child, for holidays; the rest of the year he lived with his wealthy family of timber traders in Smyrna, Asia Minor. Arete-Leto Protopappa was born in 1914 in Pireaus, where she spent her childhood years. Her great-grandfather was aid-de-camp to the first king of Hellas, Otto, and came from Montenegro. Her grandfather founded the first biscuit factory in Greece and her father was a paediatrician and senator during Eleutherios Venizelos tenure.
The fairy-tale life of Angelos and Leto began in the 1930s and lasted for more than 40 years. The couple were deeply cultured and creative and prominent members of the Athenian society. In fact, the significant neurologist and his wife experienced a life of literary and artistic merits and befriended personalities such as Albert Camus and Marc Chagall.
The Katakouzenos House Museum is located on Amalias avenue and houses a noteworthy collection of paintings, books, furniture. However, it is the invisible essence of the Katakouzenos couple and their legacy, that makes the museum one of the most remarkable treasures in Athens. In addition to its permanent exhibits, the museum also hosts a variety of interesting cultural events such as talks, performances, recitals, and narrations.
To read more about the life & heritage of Angelos & Leto Katakouzenos, please visit: Katakouzenos House Museum
Published in
City Discovery
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Thursday, 12 December 2019 23:16
Flexible Workspaces Add $254 BN To Local Economies
Flexible workspaces add $254bn to local economies and contribute to worker well-being, study finds. A new report from IWG's operating brand Regus finds that the introduction of a flexible workspace adds an average $16.47m and a better quality of life to local economies.
According to a new report from Development Economics and commissioned by Regus, flexible-office space will contribute $254bn (£196bn) to local economies over the next 10 years. The research is an indication that providing more office space closer to home and cutting down on commute times is having a significant impact on both job creation and employee well-being, with the demand for flexspace on the rise in response to the changing nature of work.
Mark Dixon, the CEO of International Workplace Group (IWG), believes this growth in out-of-town workspace is partly down to support for a flexible working policy among employees: “When people commute into major cities, their wallets commute with them,” he says. “Working locally keeps that spending power closer to home. What this study shows is that providing more opportunities for people to work closer to home can have a tremendous effect, not just on them, but on their local area too.”
Mark Dixon, the CEO of International Workplace Group (IWG), believes this growth in out-of-town workspace is partly down to support for a flexible working policy among employees: “When people commute into major cities, their wallets commute with them,” he says. “Working locally keeps that spending power closer to home. What this study shows is that providing more opportunities for people to work closer to home can have a tremendous effect, not just on them, but on their local area too.”
The first major socioeconomic study of its kind, it found that the presence of flexspace created up to 128 new jobs and a Gross Value Add (GVA) – or sandwich economy – of $16.47m (£12.7m) per area.
The independently-conducted report examined 19 countries from Belgium to Brazil, and also revealed the positive impact a local workspace can have environmentally and socially. A local flexspace is expected to save an average of 7,416 hours in commuting time per year – and also help to save 118 metric tonnes of carbon in the process.
Globally, this amounts to 2,560,000 tonnes a year – the equivalent of 128,000 flights between London and New York – which has huge implications for the way we think about the where and how of work in the 21st century (especially when green issues and worker well-being are considered).
According to its author, Steve Lucas, the report shows a profound change in global working culture: “This study reveals a shift in jobs and capital growth moving outside of city centres, where it has been focused for the last few decades, into suburban locations,” he comments.
As the trend for a flexible-working policy continues to spread, the numbers are getting bigger too: from the roles created by running the building itself, to the ancillary jobs that spring up to serve the new business community. Amongst these many economic benefits, flexible office space is predicted to add a staggering $254bn of value to local economies around the globe over the next 10 years – roughly the same as the entire economy of the Czech Republic in 2019. It’s perhaps another indication that growth is still an important part of an economy – but it’s shifting location, and it’s doing so with the potential to be more evenly distributed.
As the world’s leading workspace-provider, the global reach that Regus provides means it can spread a positive influence that goes beyond the merely practical: its size allows it to make a real socio-economic impact on a local community, and a positive impact on quality of life. As new generations enter the workforce, question the old way of doing things, and respond to the various challenges presented by life today (from environmental considerations to a better work and life balance), flexwork appears here to stay.
Dig deeper: read the full Regus report here.
This content has been sponsored by IWG - an XpatAthens Brand Partner.
Originally published at Regus.com
Originally published at Regus.com
Published in
Business News
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Thursday, 19 August 2021 15:53
XpatAthens Announces Media Sponsorship For "Olympic Day Run GREECE"
We're happy to announce a new Media Sponsorship collaboration with "Olympic Day Run GREECE". We thank them for their trust and amicable support!
The biggest anniversary for the Olympic celebration in Greece will unite, for another year, the footsteps of people of all ages, in the ultimate Olympic experience.
Olympic Day Run GREECE is the only Olympic Road Running Race in Greece and constitutes the official global institution for the celebration of the International Olympic Day, established by the International Olympic Committee, the organizing authority of the Olympic Games, with the aim of spreading the message of the Olympic idea.
We love sharing events and letting our community know what's on in Athens and around Greece! Whether it’s art, music, sports, food & drink, or community events, our aim is to encourage people to embrace and experience all that Athens has to offer! We keep our readers up-to-date with what’s on, and what’s coming up in our great city.
Part of the work that we do at XpatAthens is to collaborate with many different venues, digital platforms and event planners/hosts as Media Sponsors - you're welcome to learn more and see our sponsorships here.
The biggest anniversary for the Olympic celebration in Greece will unite, for another year, the footsteps of people of all ages, in the ultimate Olympic experience.
Olympic Day Run GREECE is the only Olympic Road Running Race in Greece and constitutes the official global institution for the celebration of the International Olympic Day, established by the International Olympic Committee, the organizing authority of the Olympic Games, with the aim of spreading the message of the Olympic idea.
We love sharing events and letting our community know what's on in Athens and around Greece! Whether it’s art, music, sports, food & drink, or community events, our aim is to encourage people to embrace and experience all that Athens has to offer! We keep our readers up-to-date with what’s on, and what’s coming up in our great city.
Part of the work that we do at XpatAthens is to collaborate with many different venues, digital platforms and event planners/hosts as Media Sponsors - you're welcome to learn more and see our sponsorships here.
If you'd like to learn more about sharing your event on XpatAthens,
please contact us here to tell us more about your upcoming event.
Published in
Local News
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