Author: Athanasios Koutoupas

Grow Greek Tourism Online’ initiative supported by Google

Users will have the opportunity to be trained on how they will upgrade their presence on the web

Google announced at a press conference on Wednesday that it supports the initiative “Grow Greek Tourism Online.”

In cooperation with the Economy, Development and Tourism Ministry and the National Greek Tourism Organisation as well as the Greek Tourism Enterprises Association, Google announced the implementation of a free web education platform for tourism.

Through a wide range of topics, the users will have the opportunity to be trained on how they will upgrade their presence on the web. The users will also be able to select an adapted education plan and receive a certificate by GGTO initiative and IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) Europe.

All local enterprises, tourism professionals as well as those who want to develop their potential the web offers can be informed in detail for the education programs available in their region via the official website of the initiative -greektourism.withgoogle.com.

(en.protothema.gr)

March 6, 2016
18th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival

The 18th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival “Images of the 21st Century” will be held on March 11th until the 20th. The annual international institution will host 72 documentary screenings and a plethora of events open to the public, viewers, volunteers and film makers.

Thematics of the Documentary Festival include:

– Human rights
– Financial crisis and “antidotes”
– Politics
– Refugees
– Images of Greece
– Personalities
– Art
– Architecture
– Revealing stories about the environment
– Collective memory
– Aspects of history
– Next Door People
– Searching for answers

In addition there will a department for “Docs in Progress” which will contain 13 films from Central Europe, the Balkans and the Mediterranean, which will be addressed only to special guests of the festival and will be presented to producers, sales agents, distributors and festival representatives. This year, the Greek post production company 2|35 Inc, offers a prize of 15,000 euros in post-production services.

Therefore, the “Docs in Τhessaloniki / EDN Pitching Forum 2016” which is organized by the European Documentary Network, in collaboration with the 18th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival and with the support of the European program “Creative Europe MEDIA,” offers discussions for producing and pitching documentaries from all over the world through meetings who are open to the public. This way, Greek and foreign professionals from the audiovisual field are given the opportunity to present and promote their work in TV stations in Greece and abroad.

(greece.greekreporter.com)

March 6, 2016
Egypt signs military cooperation agreement with Cyprus

Egypt’s defence minister Sedki Sobhi and his Cypriot counterpart Christophoros Fokaides signed a joint military cooperation agreement Monday in Cairo, an Egyptian army spokesman said.

Sobhi and Fokaides, who is the first Cypriot defence minister to visit Egypt, also discussed previously signed memoranda of understanding for cooperation in defence, military trainings, and exchange of expertise, Brigadier General Mohamed Samir said in a statement.

Fokaides and Sobhi tackled “marine and energy security and prospects for cooperation in the energy sector,” according to a Cypriot press release, Cyprus News Agency (CNA) reported.

The press release stipulated that a Joint Rescue Coordination Center delegation will visit Egypt in the coming weeks to sign an agreement about cooperation in Search and Rescue.

Both defence ministers also discussed regional and international matters, including security challenges, the fight against terrorism, and the immigration crisis, according to CNA.

Sedki Sobhi expressed his appreciation for the depth of relations between Egypt and Cyprus, based on coordination and matching positions on regional matters for the security and stability of both countries, Egypt’s army spokesperson said.

Fokaides talked about Egypt’s regional importance and called for the support in its efforts in fighting regional terrorism, the Cypriot press release stated.

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attended a tripartite summit in Athens last December with the Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras and Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades.

(english.ahram.org.eg)

March 6, 2016
Lonsdale Greek Festival attracts over 100,000 people

The 29th Lonsdale St Greek Festival, Melbourne’s largest celebration of Greek culture, took over Lonsdale Street last weekend, featuring 3 stages of free entertainment, children’s rides and activities, and over 60 food, drink and craft stalls.

Both Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten attended the Greek cultural event which attracted more than 100,000 people over the weekend as did Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews and Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy.

“It was a huge success in every measure. Arguably the most attended Festival over the 2 days,” President of Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria Bill Papastergiadis says. “Our festival is the only festival in Australia with all of the nation’s political leadership attending. In fact, according to the Police Superintendent, the only other event with a similar attendance is the AFL Grand Final.”

Bishop Ezekiel of Dervis and the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne Mr. Christina Simantirakis were also there present along with several federal and state ministers and MPs, local government agents, Community leaders, benefactors and supporters.

Lonsdale St was lined with traders serving a plethora of delicious treats including The Cypriot Kitchen, St. Gerry’s, Greek Street Food, Cypriot Street Food, Mr. Calamaro, To Nostimo, Biskit Bar, Two Men and a Lemon and many more.

“The festival has become a Festival of Food with the quality of the food offering better than ever,” Mr Papastergiadis says stressing that there were a further 79 applications made for stalls that couldn’t be included in the festival.

“The new layout offered more space and was overall a huge success as its three stages catered for different tastes, keeping people from all walks of life and ages engaged until early morning hours.”

The Program featured 17 dance groups and 18 bands and musical acts, with over 300 performers taking part in total featuring diverse styles including Greek reggae, jazz, traditional, rebetika and contemporary music. Cypriot born famous singer Alkinoos Ioannides mesmerised the audience on Saturday night, after the official opening of the festival.

The dance program featured dance groups from interstate, aboriginal performers, Italian traditional dance with highlights being the ‘Akrites tou Pontou’ Phoenix of Dreamtime collaborative work and the Pontian and Cretan groups Dance Off on Sunday night.

Zorba Til You Drop competition gathered a lot of interest again this year, but Toula Katsouranis who managed to last 48 minutes won the Trip to Greece with Qatar Airways. Magic Mic, a new singing contest expected to become an attraction for young talent was held for the first time, and was won by Dion Papaspyropulos who sang “Thelo Na Me Niosis’ by Nikos Vertis.

(neoskosmos.com)

March 6, 2016