News about Greece
Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias outlined his vision for the creation of an organization for security and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean on the first day of the second international Conference for Security and Stability on the southeastern Aegean island of Rhodes.
In his address to the participants from 19 countries at the conference, Kotzias said the purpose is the creation of a security structure in the Eastern Mediterranean that will gradually expand further south and east.
For the second year running, the conference included European and Arab countries but not countries like Turkey as Athens has said that it wants the meetings to have a positive agenda and not be a forum for recycling regional differences.
Kotzias said the only way to deal with the regionās challenges, such as migration flows and the safety of sea and new energy routes, is through respect of international law and the law of the sea without the baseless revision of treaties.
The 2nd Rhodes Informal Ministerial Conference for Security and Stability took place on the 22 and 23 of May 2017, under the theme āLiving and Working together in Peace and Stabilityā. The participating Ministers of Foreign Affairs and High Officials from Albania, Algeria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates as well as from the Gulf Cooperation Council and the League of Arab States, had the opportunity to reiterate their determination to promote, amid diverse security challenges for the Eastern Mediterranean, a positive agenda of cooperation for the benefit of their strategically, economically and culturally important neighbourhood, making it a safer place for its people to prosper.
The participants, guided by the āSpirit of Rhodesā, as this emerged in 2016, at the 1st Rhodes Informal Ministerial Meeting and was ever since embraced and frequently invoked by states of the regionand other states, deepened their discussions at the 2nd Ministerial Meeting, on major issues of the Eastern Mediterranean. Their dialogue focused on developing joint initiatives, which will help restore the appropriate conditions for the stability and welfare of the region. The actions to be taken shall complement the work being done by international and regional organizations āsuch as the UN, the EU, the Arab Leagueand the Gulf Cooperation Council- and the efforts made within institutionalized structures of cooperation ā such as the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Union of the Mediterranean.
The participants addressed a broad spectrum of important issues in the Eastern Mediterranean, which due to their transnational nature, call for the joint action of regional actors. Namely, the discussions focused on three main thematic areas:
1.Ā Ā Ā āCommon Challenges in our regionā
On migration, the participants acknowledged that the Eastern Mediterranean serves as a migratory route for a very large number of illegal migrants and refugees and agreed that it is imperative to address this phenomenon through an integrated approach and by making use of all tools provided for by foreign and security policies, including development assistance.
At the same time, the participants agreed on the need to raise awareness among policy makers, law enforcement bodies and civil society with regard to human traffickingnetworks that take advantage of the massive migratory and refugee flows towards Europe and other countries of the region.
Ontransnationalorganized crimeand drug trafficking, the participants recognized that regions in crisis serve as a breeding ground for such illicit activities threatening the economic, political and cultural development of local societies. In this respect, they stressed the fact that Daāesh and other terrorist groups, as defined by UNSC Resolutions,finances itself by exploiting this type of illicit networks.
Regarding terrorism, the participants underlined the fact that its lethal action has taken a huge toll on human lives in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean, in Europe and beyond.Ongoing conflicts and increased radicalizationperpetuate the phenomenon. The participants agreed that special attention should be given to the stabilization of conflict-ridden areasā once fighting is over.
Special emphasis was placed by participants on religious tolerance and on preventing the radicalization of youth. The growing number of young and educated, albeit unemployed, people highlights the importance of providing equal opportunities for all to employment and thus to prosperity. Economic progress needs to be coupled with educational programs and initiatives that promote interreligious dialogue and civil solidarity. Once more the participants emphasized the need to adopt a collective and comprehensive approach to address this issue, including encouraging the exchange of students and professors, supporting the programs to develop the educational system in parallel with increasing the efficiency of the economic and technical assistance programs.
2.Ā Ā Ā āEducation, Culture and Environmentā
The field of educationwas earmarked as a top priority of cooperation. Initial steps have been taken since the 1st Ministerial Conference, in view of establishing a university network for exchanging views and ideas as well as promoting contacts between youth and academia. The participants emphasized the role of culture in countering extremism and promoting religious and racial tolerance.
The participants took stock of the environmental challenges with regard to the sensitive ecosystem of the Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean Sea was acknowledged as a unifying factor that largely contributes to the livelihood and welfare of the people. The participants identified the region as a major transit route for trade and an emerging energy producing center.
Regarding maritime security in the strategically important Mediterranean Sea route, the participants agreed on the importance of freedom of navigation, and the protection of the sea environment.
On energy, the participants highlightedthe positive prospects of new projects in the promising region of the Eastern Mediterranean that will secure energy supply and its diversification. Increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the āenergy mixā will contribute to the alleviation of environmental pressures and the sustainable development of the region.
3.Ā Ā Ā āEnhancing security and stabilityā
The participants agreed on the need to think and act jointly on a positive agenda, to promote deliberations that could result in the next generation of ideas and to facilitate the creation of conditions in which a stable security concept will prevail. In this respect, they discussed the perspective of bestowing the Rhodes Conference the character of a permanent dialogue forum, as a flexible, lean and Ā«softĀ» instrument, with specific added value nonetheless. Its mission will be to channel common values rather than differences into joint and productive initiatives as a long-term investment for peace, security and stability in the region.
As a general conclusion, the participants stressed theneed for respect of International Law, as a fundamental factor contributing to stability and security in international relations. Respect of International Law entails sovereign equality of states, inviolability of borders settled by Treaties, such as the Treaty of Lausanne,and abstention from interference in other states’ internal affairs.
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With the certainty that current security challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean region call for concerted action, the participating countriesdecided toput together a working group composed of senior diplomats. The working group will study the international experience of security organisations such as the OSCE. It will also draw up a plan, in line with the UN resolutions and with the assistance of the regional organizations, in order to help tackle major challenges in the region, namely a) terrorism, b) authoritarianism in relations between states, c) ideological, religious, world view fanaticism and d) outside interference.
The participants decided on a number of joint initiatives, namely:
– Ā Ā Ā To activatea Steering Committee by appointing a liaison at each of their Foreign Ministries, in order to facilitate coordination on all matters relevant to the Rhodes Conferences. The Steering Committee will form a network with the objective to promote the implementation of actionsagreed at Ministerial Conferences. The Committee will also plan thematic meetings in view of preparing the third meeting in Rhodes which will take place at the end of August 2018.
–Ā Ā Ā Topromote cooperation among foreign ministries’ centres for analysis and among other competent ministries,with the aim of combating terrorism,extremism, organised crime anddrug trafficking networks.Lessons learned and best practices will be drawn by the HedayahCenter, the Muslim Council of Elders and the SawabCenter, in UAE, in dealing with, respectively, extremism, sectarian roots of conflicts and combating extremist propaganda via social media.The participants expressed deep appreciation of the role played by Al Azhar and the Egyptian Dar Al Ifta in countering extremists and terrorists narrative, including through their counter extremism observatories and by issuing edicts (fatwas) confronting extremists allegations and spreading moderate Islam messages. Participants acknowledged the potential contribution of specific NGO projects to de-radicalisation, as attested by the results of projects such as those pertaining to women empowerment in rural areas in Tunisia.
–Ā Ā Ā Todevelop a positive agenda on matters pertaining to the sea, and more specifically focusing on security, on the protection of maritime environment and on addressing water security. Moreover, to exploitrelevant innovative sectors that can impart momentum to the participating countriesā economies, including aquaculture, fish farming (pisciculture), coastal and cruise tourism and marine biotechnology.
–Ā Ā Ā To enhance and expand, as per Cyprusā suggestion, existing bilateral cooperation schemes in the area of blue growth and blue economy including technical maritime education and training,bearing in mind the ongoing cooperation between the University of Nicosia and the Arab Academy of Sciences, Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria. Participants will promote the formation of a network of their institutes of marine/maritime training and research, in cooperation with the corresponding university departments āfrom biotechnology to shippingā for promotion of maritime/marine issues.
–Ā Ā Ā To explore further the idea of cooperation between national maritime search and rescue centres in the Eastern Mediterranean region focusing on the exchange of know-how and best practices in areas such as prevention and management of environmental disasters, safety of off-shore platforms and carrying out joint search & rescue exercises.
– Ā Ā Ā To consider planning and carrying out a joint forum on migration. Its goal would be to analyse ways to deter human trafficking, trafficking in narcotics and weapons, as well as ways to combat organized crime, and especially criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling.
–Ā Ā Ā To continue work being done with regard to establishing a network of universities agreed at the 1st Rhodes Conference. Participants welcomed Lebanonās willingness to take the lead in moving the process forward.
–Ā Ā Ā To design, with respect to education, intensive seminar programs for young researchers and post-graduate students of all participating countries covering a variety of relevant academic areas such as development, environment, counter-terrorism, religious tolerance, post-conflict reconstruction, civic education and democratic resilience. The location where these seminar programs will be held will be subject to rotation on a biannual basis.
–Ā Ā Ā Todevelop a more systematic cooperation on research activities with exchanges of pupils, students, educators and researchers, possibly with the aid of a small number of scholarships. In this context, the creation of a joint research programme for the Eastern Mediterranean region, its economy, societies and history could be examined.
– Ā Ā Ā To develop structured collaborations between national academies of science.
–Ā Ā Ā To promote synergies betweenregional and sub-regional cultural institute networks (i.e. EUNIC).
– Ā Ā Ā To facilitate the intensification of youth-to-youth contacts and exchanges between participants as means of promoting tolerance and mutual understanding and dispelling misconceptions and false stereotypes. In this context, participants took note of Cyprusā proposal to host, with the help of the Youth Board of Cyprus in 2017, a Youth Forum.
– Ā Ā Ā To organize a meeting of ministers for international economic relations on any of the following three sectors of the economy: a) tourism, b) transport and c) an industry sector that involves new technology or existing capabilities, or both, as in the case of the pharmaceutical industry.
– Ā Ā Ā To elaborate a roadmap for encouraging cooperation among SMEs.
–Ā Ā Ā To hold in Athens a meeting of young diplomats of the participating countries, hosted by the Diplomatic Academy of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, focusing on exchanging views, on promoting mutual understanding and communication.
–Ā Ā Ā Ī¤o intensify their collaboration in the culture sector, specifically in the areas of cinema and music. In that regard, the participants welcomed the announcement by Egypt of a special selection of films originating from participating states to the Rhodes Conference, which are to be projected in the framework of the upcoming Alexandria Film Festival, to be held 7-12 October 2017. They also welcomed the thematic round table discussion, which is also to take place during the aforementioned Festival, on how the film industry addresses current challenges such as migration.
Finally, participants to the recently signed Convention on offenses related to cultural property of the Council of Europe, also open to non CoE members, invited the latter to sign the said Convention.
It was decided that the next Rhodes Conference is to take place in the last week of June 2018.
Offered by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UoA) Centre of Continuing Education & Training and taught in English,Ā distance learning programmes and coursesĀ provide the opportunity to combine novel learning and teaching techniques with the ability to study anytime and anywhere.
As part of the arts/culture category of the UoAās e-learning programmes, āThe arts of ancient Greece: the birth of classical tasteā offers a journey through the fascinating developments in Greek art in the period between 1200 to 30 BCE. Introducing participants to an extraordinary cultural phenomenon, the course caters to the beginner in the study of the classical world, the non-specialist as well as to the art enthusiast.
University of Athensā e-learning programmes
Drawing on the expertise of senior faculty members and renowned European academics, UoA offers e-learning programmes in a wide array of fields, ranging from art and health to business and nanotechnology, through a friendly online educational platform.
Culture and Arts Online ProgrammesĀ provide a deeper understanding of the aspects defining the daily life of Ancient Greeks, taking a close look at fields related to philosophy, theatre and rituals that established the uniqueness of Greek civilization. These online courses offer the opportunity to increase oneās knowledge of a culture attracting global interest for centuries and standing as the originator of most arts as we know them.
It is worth mentioning that over the past fifteen years more than 45,000 people have joined the continuous professional development (CPD) and lifelong learning (LLL) courses of UoAās e-Learning Programmes.
A visit this week to Trikala and meetings there with government and business leaders has reinforced my optimism about Greeceās future and this countryās rich endowment of human and natural resources. Trikala has the distinction of being the first āsmart cityā in Greece ā integrating technology-powered solutions into the daily life of the municipality and delivering government services to citizens through e-governance. From free Wi-Fi service throughout the city to tele-health care for the elderly, from driverless buses to the e-Dialogos platform where citizens can participate in the public life of the city and its decision-making, Trikala is using technology to increase transparency and improve citizensā lives. I was deeply impressed by the way Mayor Papastergiou and e-Trikala CEO Odysseas Raptis have embraced technology as a means to bring government closer to citizens and to streamline delivery of services. Trikala is leading the way as a 21st century model for other Greek cities looking to partner with American companies to put technology to use for democracy.
With technology playing such an important role in the city, Trikala was the perfect venue for our CodeGirls 2.0 program. I had the opportunity to attend the graduation ceremony for the 40 girls who completed the two-weekend course to advance their computer programming skills. CodeGirls is a program sponsored by U.S. Embassy Athens and our partner, the Greek NGO Mataroa, to teach girls the fundamentals of web development. We have organized the CodeGirls program in three other cities in Greece ā Kozani, Kalamata, and Patras ā and we will look for ways to expand to other cities in the future.
I was blown away by what these young people have accomplished. I hope that the technology skills the CodeGirls participants learned during this course will serve them well in the future and show them that there are no barriers to what they can achieve. I have already met CodeGirl graduates who have told me how this program changed their lives. One young woman now attends the American College of Greece and was offered a competitive internship with a technology company following her participation in the Kalamata CodeGirls program. Examples like this convince me that Greeceās talented youth will drive the countryās growth and prosperity.
The tech-savvy spirit of Trikala is also inspiring and supporting entrepreneurship. During my visit, I met with Dimitris Dimitriadis, creator of the EasyBike system. EasyBike is the first bike sharing system to be developed and successfully implemented in Greece, and it now operates 30 active bike sharing systems in various cities with more than 2500 bikes, including here in Athens. This initiative promotes sustainable mobility and is an example of how tech entrepreneurs can be successful in Greece working with local government. Entrepreneurs and startups can really take off when they have this kind of government support at the local and national levels. It was a pleasure to see how bicycle-friendly Trikala is, and even to ride around the city a bit with Mayor Papastergiou. I am very grateful for his hospitality.
I loved my tour of the Tyras dairy complex, led by CEO Dimitros Sarantis. This is the largest feta production facility in Greece, and I saw cheese and yogurt being produced for groceries all over Europe and the United States. This is a world-class facility, with state of the art technology and new investment in environmental sustainability; a great example of Greek resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.
My travels around Greece have shown me how much potential there is in this beautiful country, and I am committed to using the resources of the U.S. Embassy to support entrepreneurship, including the range of exchange visits we support between Greek and American entrepreneurs. Aside from the entrepreneurs I met in Trikala, Iāve recently had meetings with members of the startup community in Thessaloniki and with the scientific pioneers at the Foundation for Research and Technology in Heraklion, Crete. I am very encouraged by the innovation and growth in Greeceās knowledge-based economy. Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy and I know that they can also become the launch pad for Greeceās economic recovery. Combining the entrepreneurial spirit I have seen in so many Greeks with the advantages of e-governance, I am enthusiastic about Greeceās potential for growth in the coming months and years.
Recently appointed Ā GreekĀ Culture Minister Lydia KoniordouĀ announced thatĀ 2.5 million eurosĀ have been allotted for restoration works executed atĀ Kasta Hill, the excavation site of theĀ Amphipolis tomb.
During a press conference this week, she clarified that the funds will be made available immediately for the restoration of the site inĀ northeastern Greece, where a huge grave fromĀ Alexander the Greatās eraĀ was unearthed.
The so-calledĀ Kasta Tomb, also known as the Amphipolis Tomb is an ancient Macedonian tomb that was discovered inside the Kasta mound (or Tumulus) near Amphipolis, Central Macedonia, in northern Greece in 2012 and first entered inĀ August 2014. The first excavations at the mound in 1964 led to exposure of the perimeter wall, and further excavations in the 1970s uncovered many other ancient remains.
The recently discovered tomb is dated to the last quarter of the 4th century B.C. The tumulus is the largest ever discovered in Greece and by comparison dwarfs that of Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, in Vergina. The excavation team, based on findings unearthed at the site, argued that the tomb was a memorial dedicated to the close friend of Alexander the Great,Ā Hephaestion.
It is not yet known who is buried in the tomb, but the initial public speculation that it could be the tomb of Alexander the Great, because of its size and estimated cost of construction, wasĀ dismissedĀ by the experts community when commenting on the published findings, as the available historical records mentionĀ Alexandria in EgyptĀ as the last known location of Alexander’s body; it has been supported instead, that a likely occupant could be either a wealthy Macedonian noble or a late member of the royal family.
The skeletal remains of five people were unearthed within a corresponding tomb, in the lower levels of the third chamber inĀ November 2014. The dead of the burial are: A woman at the age of 60, two men aged 35ā45, a newborn infant and a fifth person represented by minimum fragments. Further examination is underway with regard to the dating of the skeletal remains, as well as DNA cross examination between the dead of the burial as well as other skeletons from the neighboring tombs in the area.
Monogram of Hephaestion
At a press conference in theĀ Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,Ā Greek archaelogist Katerina PeristeriĀ revealed the existence of three inscriptions apparently linking the tomb to Hephaestion, nobleman, General and close friend of Alexander the Great. The ancient Greek word “Ī ĪĪ”ĪĪĪĪĪĪ” (it means “received”) is written in the inscriptions and next to it the monogram of Hephaestion.
According to theĀ Culture Minister,Ā the resources will also be allocated for works to unify the archaeological sites of Amphipolis and create specially designed trails for visitors.
Ms. Koniordou Ā also revealed that other current projects of the Greek Culture Ministry include the upgrade of five more ancient Greek theaters,Ā Ancient Gitana Thesprotia, Ancient Ambracia, Nikopolis, Kassopi and DodonaĀ that are all connected through theĀ Epirus cultural route.
Furthermore, the Culture Ministry plans to hire 1,314 museum and archaeological site guards for the season and they are expected to be in their positions as of early April.
Finally, she noted that the e-ticket access will initially run as a pilot program at theĀ Acropolis, Mycenae, Knossos and MessinaĀ sites.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a smile on his face the entire weekend at NBA All-Star in New Orleans.
From the moment the Bucks’ forward walked into his media availability session on Friday, he was astounded at the reception he received.
“This is amazing. I gotta take a picture of this before we start,” Antetokounmpo said as he saw the number of journalists, including a dozen or so from Greece, waiting at his table.
“This is crazy,” he continued. “I haven’t seen so much media in my life.”
Antetokounmpo’s historical selection as an All-Star starter was made even more impressive when he finished his debut game as the East team’s leading scorer with 30 points ā more than players such as Lebron James and Kyrie Irving ā and could have even won the award as the game’s Most Valuable Player had the East been able to defeat the West. They lost 192-182.
“You know, at the start of the game, I was just hoping I could get a bucket, to not embarrass myself and just have fun,” he said post-game. “It was fun. I told the coach I’m going to play hard no matter what. That’s the only thing I know how to do.”
Golden State Warriors’ superstar forward Kevin Durant said that Antetokounmpo will have a presence at every All-Star game from now on.
“That’s a big compliment coming from KD,” said Antetokounmpo when told of Durant’s comments.
“I believe I can be here as long as I play basketball. The most important thing is that I believe it. I appreciate the compliment from KD. I’ll try to be here every year because this is fun.”
Antetokounmpo made history by being the first ever Greek voted to the NBA’s showcase event, and his selection served a purpose greater than just basketball ā it was also a celebration of Hellenism.
He answered questions in Greek during Friday’s media session and even told the reporters from Greece that he would prefer an international gold medal to an NBA MVP award or title.
His reason? “Because it will represent an entire country,” he said. At every opportunity he spoke of the appreciation he has for the support he has received from Greeks worldwide.
“Whatever I do, I have Greece behind me,” he said. “I try to make all Greeks proud and I thank them for their support.”
Antetokounmpo’s ascension from peddling bootleg CDs on the streets of Athens to being selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 15th pick in the 2013 draft to now, representing his team and country at the All-Star game ā repeatedly over the weekend Antetokounmpo alluded to “living the dream”.
“This story and this journey is incredible,” he said after the game. “A lot of people helped me. My family was right there for me.”
Despite his impressive showing in the game on Sunday, all Antetokounmpo said he wanted to do was soak it all up with his family ā older brother Thanasis, younger brothers Alex and Kosta, and his parents, Veronica and Charles.
“The highlight for me [was] seeing my family after the game on the court, taking pictures with all the celebrities out there,” he said. “Just the smile on their faces, how excited they are to be here. I think that’s the highlight.”
Still, even after all the adulation of the weekend, and the memories it created, Antetokounmpo is ready to get back to work and help the Bucks reach the playoffs.
“I was talking with [Milwaukee’s assistant] coach today and I told him, ‘I can’t wait until we get back and I start practicing and playing games’.”
Sea research has been carried out in Greece for more than 100 years. Nowadays, it is conducted under the auspices of theĀ Hellenic Centre for Marine ResearchĀ (HCMR). HCMR can trace its origins to the founding of theĀ first Greek Marine Research Institute, the Marine Hydrobiological Station, established in 1914.
HCMR mission is to research, develop and implement marine and maritime services and products such as the recently presented GeoMAREA and the Nautilus documentary series which advance our understanding and protection of the seas and inland waters, creating a sustainable life on Earth.
HCMR is a unique governmental research organization at the heart of scientific and technological research of the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Red Sea. It comprises three Research Institutes: theĀ Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, theĀ Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland WatersĀ and theĀ Institute of OceanographyĀ .
The HCMR building facilities are distributed in three strategic areas: in Attica, in Crete and in Rhodes. HCMRās fleet consists of three research vessels and underwater vehicles. HCMR owns and operates a wide range of advanced scientific laboratories, fully-equipped biogeochemical laboratories, innovative genetic laboratories, micro CT scanner for biodiversity research, aqua labs state-of-the-art aquaculture farming technologies.
HCMR maintains large research infrastructures likeĀ PoseidonĀ network and operational monitoring forecasting and data collection system. Poseidon is based on network observatory buoys which collect and transmit every three hours online meteorological and oceanographic data used for making 72-hour forecasts. HCMR owns and operates aquariums inĀ CreteĀ andĀ RhodesĀ islands with more than 500,000 visitors per year. Ī¤he HCMR aquariums provide unique experiential events and educational opportunities advancing peopleās knowledge for a sustainable management of the Seas. HCMR participates and plays a key role in the establishment of the large-scale European research infrastructures, such asĀ LIFEWATCH,Ā European multidisciplinary water column and seabed observatories,Ā Euro-Argo, andĀ European Marine Biological Resourse Center.
HCMR work covers the entire spectrum of marine and inland water research with specific focus on the integrated coastal zone management marine spatial planning and seabed mapping, integrated marine observation and forecasting of the scenes functioning of inland waters coastal and marine ecosystems, impact of global change.
HCMR also focus on human pressures and hazards on the aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity, marine geo-hazards and geo-resources, fisheries dynamics ecology, modeling and management, marine technology and biotechnology, aquaculture. HCMR scientists and engineers having implemented more than 100 of EU projects are ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities of theĀ Horizon 2020Ā onĀ blue growth: the sustainable exploitation of marine bio resources but innovative bioactive compounds the marine and Maritime Services the societal challenges contribute to the sustainable development of regional economy within the framework ofĀ EUās DG REGIOĀ strategies and tools implement the marine maritime strategy through European environmental policies promote a cross-sector interdisciplinary dialogue with the industry and socio-economic communities, enhancing marine technology biotechnology and innovation, emerging the hidden European cultural heritage.
Looking into the future HCMR strategic plans include building a new oceanās research vessel, the creation of aquarium in Attica region, the development of marine techno parks, to extend the research activities to the Atlantic Ocean and polar seas. HCMRās focus will be to advance its position among the global leaders in marine and maritime research and to educate future generations in achieving a sustainable future for our planet.
The GeoMAREA system
Recently, the output of the cooperation between ITO LTD, the Marine Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (MERL-HCMR) and the Laboratory of Nuclear Physics of the National Technical University of Athens (LNP-NTUA), is the successful completion of the project āResearch and development of an in-situ underwater gamma-ray spectrometer for low-level radioactivity measurementsā (Code: 12CHN212), in the frame of a bilateral Greece-China cooperation. The project was co-funded by the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT), Greece, under NSRF 2007-2013.
The final product of the project is theĀ GeoMAREA systemĀ (Gamma-ray spectrometer for in-situ MARine Environmental Applications).The sensor was developed for measuring in- situ the activity concentration of gamma-ray emitters in the marine environment. It is characterized by: capability to offer free-of-error continuous functionality down to 600 meter water depth; pluggable watertight cabling system for real time data transmission in case of operation at a buoy; high efficiency due to the minimum gamma-ray absorption in the enclosure material. Read more about the radioscopioĀ here.
Explore Nautilus: the first interactive TV series about our seas
The beauty and mystery of life beneath the surface of the seas of Greece, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea is brought to the screen inĀ āNautilusāĀ : a documentary series introduced by HCMR, SKAI and Cyta which depicts the complexity of the marine ecosystem. The marine scientistsā research team and crew of āNautilusā, divers and filmmakers with the ācaptainā Dr. Vaggelis Papathanasiou sailed across Greek seas in order to record exclusive videos about underwater fountains, sperm whales, caretta–caretta, dolphins, red shrimps, Aegean volcanoes, climate change and shipwrecks.
āNautilusā is an impressive production with 3 years of shooting and over 80 sailing days in the seas of Greece, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Since September 2007, in cooperation with HCMR, over 50 Greek researchers and 25 members of crew have boarded on the āAegeanā ship. Researchers from the Institute of Oceanography and the Institute of Marine Marine Biological Resources of HMRCĀ have participated in most of āNautilusā missions.
Moreover, during this journeys, HCMR cooperated with researchers from the University of Patras, the National Marine Park of Alonnisos Northern Sporades and āPelagosā Cetacean Research Institute.
The oldest University of Greece, theĀ National and Kapodistrian University of AthensĀ (NKUA), turns 180 in 2017. To mark this anniversary,Ā a series of eventsĀ have been programmed. The International Conference onĀ āHellene, Greek, Romios: Collective Identifications and Identitiesā, that took place in Athens from 19 to 21 January 2017 was the main celebratory event of that month.
Greek News Agenda, guided byĀ Vangelis Karamanolakis, Assistant Professor of Modern Greek History in theĀ Faculty of History and ArchaeologyĀ of the School of Philosophy in the NKUA and President of the Historical Archives of the Universityās Board of Directors, plunges into the depths of its history. Vangelis Karamanolakis, co author with Kostas Gavroglou and Chaido Barkoula of āThe University of Athens and its history (1837-1937)ā is also a Member of the Committee for the Celebration of the 180 Years since the Establishment of the NKUA.
Karamanolakis talks to Greek News Agenda* about the milestones in the History of NKUA, which formed its present academic profile, bringing to light the main changes it has undergone in its status and philosophy. Through all changes though, politics were always part of the Universityās DNA and both Professors and Students took part in political evolutions in Greece. This is evident from the fact that the University used to have its own Militia called Phalanx and elect its own Member of the Parliament. At the same time the University had an active role as part of the Greek society and its acts of Solidarity were evident from the early times, as was the case with the University Clinic which offered medical services to those in need. The social role of the NKUA and its acts of Solidarity is one of the main notions the Committee for the Celebration of the 180th Anniversary wants to focus on, Karamanolakis goes on to explain as regards to the rationale of the Celebratory events. Last, but not least Karamanolakis talks about the first event for the celebration of the 180th Anniversary and the International Conference on āHellene, Greek, Romiosā: Collective Identifications and Identitiesā.
What was theĀ first Governor of the Hellenic Republic KapodistriasāĀ role as far as the orientation of the University was concerned?
This one of the funny contradictions in the Universityās history, which was named after Kapodistrias, although establishing a university, was not a priority for Kapodistrias. He governed a country ruined by war and other economic and natural disasters and what he thought was necessary for this country was the establishment of a series of technical education institutions so that citizens would be able to handle the new realities. That is why he founded a great number of such technical institutions (agricultural, ecclesiastic, military etc). As his term was cut short, we cannot guess what his future education policies would have been. The idea for a University had been there since the years of the Revolution, because it was considered a step towards the countryās Europeanization. During theĀ RegencyĀ period (the period Ā from 1832, when Otto, a Bavarian prince, became the first modernĀ KingĀ ofĀ GreeceĀ in 1832. He reigned until he was deposed in 1862. His government was initially run by a three-man regency council made up of Bavarian court officials. In 1835 Otto removed the regents). The Bavarians, who came from a bureaucratic tradition, proceeded rapidly with the establishment of a state University which they deemed essential, so as to man the administration of the state. In 1834, the Bavarians established a law for Primary School Education and in 1836 a law for Secondary School Education. Shortly afterwards, in 1837, they established the Othonian University. It was officially inaugurated In May 4, 1837, consisting of the Schools of Theology, Medicine, Law and Philosophy, which at that time included Physics and Mathematical Sciences.
What was the impact of politics on the University?
Politics were part of the Universityās DNA. In post revolutionary Greece, there were three political parties: the English, the Russian and the French. It is worth mentioning that the University was the first and only institution that was represented by a Member of Parliament from 1843 to 1862, elected by University professors. This was a unique phenomenon, coming from the West, and there were always huge political conflicts regarding the election of this MP. Politics were always present in student movements, even where there seemed to be a dispute between a student and a member of the faculty.
Which are the milestones in the History of NKUA?
In 1862, after King Otto was deposed, the University was renamed National University, signifying the change in the way it was perceived. During that same period, students and professors formed the historic University Phalanx, an army for the protection of the city and democracy. It is worth mentioning here that the term āMetapolitefsiā (meaning āpolitical changeoverā, chiefly used to describe the transition from the junta regime during 1967-1974 to Democracy) has its roots in the transition following the deposition of King Otto. The young people of that era were called the Golden Youth and took an active part in political developments. WhenĀ George IĀ ascended to the throne, the Phalanx was asked to drop its mission, and it did; the students however insisted that it should resume its activities. The phalanx was linked to what we call irredentism. During the second half of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th, when nationalism nurtured by the āGreat Ideaā had reached its peak, the University phalanx served as a vision for the students wishing to take up arms to serve their country.
1882 was also a milestone year as the election of members of the Faculty by their peers was established. Members of the Faculty until then were appointed by the government, whereas after 1882 professors were able to choose their successors. This was a significant breakthrough for the Greek history of science as it had a direct effect onthe formation of the scientific field, which ceased being defined by politics.
In 1901 and 1903 respectively, the events known as āEvangeliakaā and Oresteiaka took place. These refer to mass student protests on the language dispute. Students supported the use of Katharevousa, a scholarly form of the Greek language resembling Ancient Greek as opposed to āDemotikiā, spoken Greek, which was supported by the modernists. This highly controversial issue reflected the ideological divide between conservatives and modernists. As you can see, the student movement hasnāt always been progressive.
In 1910, the first great purging operations took place in the University, on the basis of political criteria. In 1911, the University was divided into National and Kapodistrian. There is a funny story behind that: following the murder of Kapodistrias, Ioannis Dobolis, a rich expatriate in Russia and follower of Kapodistrias, bequeathed in 1860 a large sum of money provided that a second University would be established in Greece called Kapodistrianin 50 years time. This set in motion talks regarding the establishment of a new University. A decision was reached on economic grounds to divide the University into one that was called National and one called Kapodistrian, so that the second one would be able to inherit the money. But history had other plans: the money was lost on account of the Bolshevik revolution in 1917, and in 1922 the University was rejoined as National and Kapodistrian.
In 1911, an important reform took place involving the establishment of Doctoral studies which up to that point were not available in Greece. This meant that, until then, only those who could afford studies abroad could aspire to an academic career with the University, which inevitablyexcluded people without means. Another important development in that same year was that students were enabled, under certain conditions, to form student unions. It is worth noting here that up to 1926 the sole prerequisite for University studies was a High School Certificate. No entrance exams were necessary. In 1926, entrance examinations were established under the supervision of the University, and in 1929 the Ministry of Education set limits to the overall numbers of students admitted.
In 1926,Ā Aristotle UniversityĀ was founded in Thessaloniki, which meant NKUA was no longer the only University in Greece. In the same period, followers ofĀ Eleftherios VenizelosĀ established a number of schools around Greece (agronomics etc) which changed the field of higher education.Thus the next milestones, i.e. the educational reforms of 1932 and 1982 did not affect the National and Kapodistrian University alone.
The Education Reform brought about by Education Minister Georgios Papandreou in 1932 was in effect until 1982. It was a reform that tried to rationalize the way the University operated.
With the end of the junta regime in 1974, students found themselves in a powerful position following their mass participation in protests against the dictatorship. Nevertheless, they had no representatives in the University administration. There was also another large but silent category known as auxiliary academic staff. Professors had absolute authority. The Education Reform of 1982 overturned professorial power, established faculties and introduced students and assisting personnel into the administration of the University.
After 1982, a large number of changes have taken place. As a result of post war prosperity in the 60ās, more and more citizens had the ability to study and there was a definite rise in the number of Universities and students around Greece. Today, Aristotle University outnumbers NKUA, because it includes the Polytechnic School as well.
Having completed this retrospective, what are the philosophy and message of theĀ celebratory events for the 180th Anniversary of NKUA?
The events are organized on a monthly basis. There is a thematic unity for each month, followed by an event. Regarding the rationale of the celebration, I have to say that every Anniversary is determined by how the present intends to interpret the past. There are some permanent aspects regarding the celebration, i.e. the history of the University, the way it has arranged its disciplines, its relations with other academic institutions etc. The aim of this Anniversary is to highlight the Universityās ties with society and its social role, evident since the 19th century: the University clinic (Astikliniki) that operated in the 19th century offered medical services to thousands of people in need every year. Nowadays there are other activities connected with the university efforts for social solidarity, such as the University Refugee Watch.
Another social side of the University that these celebrations focus on is its role in the life of the city of Athens, and by that I mean that districts such as Exarcheia and Neapoli were built as student areas, while several historical buildings in the city center were linked to the University. We are also interested in highlighting student artistic creation and scientific endeavours, as well as talk about the future prospects of the University in times of crisis.
What is the impact of the current economic situation?
It has a big impact indeed. As far as the celebration costs are concerned, we are trying to limit them to the minimum. We are trying to find sponsors with the transparent procedures that the University and its public role require, as well as to organize events that make use of University resources without material cost. It is worth noting that all these celebrations do not intend to conceal University realities i.e. the difficulties deriving from limited resources. They rather act as a call for a dialogue on these issues. To sum up, I would say that the 2017 Celebratory events will serve as a self reflection on the Universityās social role in the current economic context.
What was the reason dā etre of the central celebrational event for January 2017, the International Conference onĀ āHellene, Greek, Romiosā: Collective Identifications and Identities?ā
It was quite natural to start with history. This Conference was proposed by the History and Archaeology Department and we believe that the establishment of a National University is consistent with the subject of this conference as far as the process of forming a national identity is concerned. At the same time, most of the debate regarding the meaning of these terms has taken place in the University during in 19th Century and we think that is the par excellence Institution that is linked to this discourse. We also think that the time has come to rethink with sobriety the terms that constitute our national identity, keeping in mind the new economic circumstances that redefine this identity.
The mayors of Lesbos, Greece Mr. Spyridon Galinos and Lampedusa, Italy Ms. Giusi Nicolini were honored with the 2016 Olof Palme Prize at a ceremony held at Swedenās national legislature, the Riksdag. In attendance were the ambassadors of Greece and Cyprus, Dimitrios Touloupas and Andreas Kakouris, Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia, the widow of the late Olof Palme, who bestowed the prizes, and numerous public figures from the countryās political circles. This year, the Olof Palme Foundation awarded the courage, sacrifices, and humanitarianism displayed by the two mayors and the residents of their respective islands towards the thousands of refugees arriving there.
āThe name of Lesbos has become commonplace to people from all over the world, who see an outpouring of humanitarianism and solidarity in its example, as well as the society envisioned by Olof Palme. My fellow citizens are doing their humanitarian duty as they handle an enormous humanitarian crisis in an exemplary manner; a crisis that has left the international community stunned as it discovers the real proportions of the problem,ā Mr. Galinos noted in his speech.
At the end of the ceremony, Metropolitan Cleopas congratulated Mayor Galinos and invited him to visit the headquarters of the Holy Metropolis of Sweden in Stockholm. Their meeting took place on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 31, 2017, at the St. George Cathedral. The Ambassador of Greece Dimitrios Touloupas accompanied Mayor Galinos to this meeting, along with the latterās wife, his son Michael-Mimis Galinos, and his associate Marios Andriotis.
The meeting began with a tour of the Cathedral, where the visitors were informed about the churchās rich and longstanding history, as well as the present efforts to renovate the edifice.
In the discussions that followed, Mayor Galinos informed Metropolitan Cleopas about the present state of the island of Lesbos, as well as the problems and challenges that local governance is managing daily as a result of the large number of refugees that they are called to host.
In his conversation with Mayor Galinos, Metropolitan Cleopas reiterated the firm position of the Church, which has stood on the front lines of the effort to provide humanitarian aid to the refugees with all its resources right from the onset of the crisis, thus substantially aiding Greek state agencies. He also made special reference to the recent visit by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, and His Holiness Pope Francis to the refugee camp at Moria, highlighting the great symbolism of their meeting there. In addition, the Metropolitan cited the work of the Rev. Christopher Schuff, an Orthodox clergyman from the USA serving in Norway who is known for his volunteerism and organizational abilities, and who regularly visits Lesbos at his own expense to stand by the refugees.
At the conclusion of their discussion, Metropolitan Cleopas thanked Mayor Galinos for honoring the Ecumenical Patriarchās historic eparchy in Scandinavia with his presence and offered him a copy of his study on St. Nectariosā ministry at the Rizareios Seminary, as a token of his appreciation. The meeting ended with the Metropolitan expressing his wishes to the mayor for a safe return, continued success in the difficult task he has undertaken, and the assurance that he will keep him in his prayers.