Tag: Athens

  • Athens named World Book Capital 2018

    Athens named World Book Capital 2018

    Athens has been named World Book Capital 2018 by the director general of UNESCO, Irina Bokova.

    The Greek capital was chosen on the recommendation of an advisory committee, comprising representatives of the IPA, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), and UNESCO, based on the “outstanding quality” of its programme of activities for the book trade in Greece.

    Every year, the city named World Book Capital commits to promote books and reading and to implement a programme of activities for one year, starting on World Book and Copyright Day, on 23rd April. The purpose of 2018’s initiative is to make books and reading accessible to the whole population, including to migrants and refugees.

    Athens’ “proven expertise in organising international events” was also a factor, alongside its “cultural infrastructure”, in selection. During its tenure as World Book Capital it will organise meetings with authors, translators and illustrators, as well as concerts, themed exhibitions, poetry readings and workshops for publishing professionals.

    IPA president Richard Charkin said: “Ever since my predecessor, Pere Vicens, proposed the idea for World Book Capital in 1996, it has been about celebrating and promoting literacy and reading culture. Our warmest congratulations go to Athens, which put in a fantastic bid this year. This ancient city naturally corresponds with the values of the World Book Capital initiative, and I am sure will deliver an outstanding programme in 2018.”

    The European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) pulled out of its role on the committee in June, after 13 years supporting WBC, due to concerns for freedom of speech when Chinese city Shenzhen and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates were put forward as potential winners. EIBF’s director, Françoise Dubruille, said at the time: “For EIBF, the absence of freedom of expression is ipso facto an eliminatory criterion in any WBC application and there is no need to refer to any other form of assessment.”

    Athens is the 18th city to be named World Book Capital, after Madrid (2001); Alexandria (2002); New Delhi (2003); Antwerp (2004); Montreal (2005); Turin (2006); Bogota (2007); Amsterdam (2008); Beirut (2009); Ljubljana (2010); Buenos Aires (2011); Yerevan (2012); Bangkok (2013); Port Harcourt (2014); Incheon (2015); Wroclaw (2016); and Conakry (2017).

    (www.thebookseller.com)

  • Athens and Epidaurus Festival 2017: Youthful, Alternative, Political

    Athens and Epidaurus Festival 2017: Youthful, Alternative, Political

    Since its inception in 1955 the “Athens and Epidaurus Festival” was staged at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in an attempt to bridge modern recollections of antiquity with contemporary artistic output. In recent years the Festival forged a modern identity opening up to cutting-edge international productions, and promoting young Greek artists who have something to say to contemporary audiences.

    Throughout this summer, the Festival will present a rich programme of open-air theatre, ancient drama, opera, classical music, concerts and dance performances at landmark locations in Athens and Epidaurus. Its new identity – a festival that is inclusive, that reflects its host city, and that brings the livelier aspects of society back into play is being enhanced this year launching a series of new sections, collaborations, and openings, which according to the Festival’s artistic director, Vangelis Theodoropoulos will “hopefully revitalize the Greek performing scene and over time bear fruit and become established parts of the Festival,” adding that its intention is to be “able to give a first taste of the direction in which we are interested, an initial positioning -youthful, alternative and at the same time political.”

    This year will see the launch of the Epidaurus Lyceum, an international summer school of ancient Greek drama intended for drama school students and young actors from all over the world. The 2017 Epidaurus performances and the courses on offer at the Epidaurus Lyceum, as well as other relevant activities will fall under a common theme. With the migrant and refugee crisis continuously testing and trying the identity of Western societies, this year’s umbrella title for all Epidaurus and Lyceum productions is “The Arrival of the Stranger” as reflected in ancient texts and in the interplay of ancient drama and the historical present.

    This year will also see the launch of another important new section of the Festival: “Opening to the City”. Encompassing performances and events at non-theatrical spaces, site-specific, poetic and musical performances, and activist interventions in dodgy or run-down areas of the city, this section seeks to counteract the increasingly withdrawn and introspective stance of society, responding to the fear of diversity, and taking a stand against parochial, insular, and racist attitudes at large.

    The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus will feature works by both accomplished and emerging Greek directors. The Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus will host productions with a more alternative take on ancient drama, including a Festival d’Avignon production, directed by Olivier Py. The stages of Peiraios 260 will be dedicated, as usual, to contemporary theatre and dance productions. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus will host principally musical productions, including operas, orchestras, and concerts of classical, modern Byzantine, folk, and contemporary Greek music.

    In an outgoing spirit that looks to connect the Athens and Epidaurus Festival with other institutional actors, the Festival also renewed its cooperation with the Athens International Film Festival “Opening Nights”, for the purposes of the Athens Open Air Film Festival. This year, with the support of the British Council, the Athens Open Air Film Festival has prepared a tribute to mystery, horror and dark surprises to turn your summer night on their heads! Gothic horror and romance stories based on the darkest fears and desires will be the cinematic myths featured in «British Gothic».

    As for the international program, it will include a multifaceted tribute to the world-famous Volksbühne, featuring three major productions, among which a performance by its outgoing artistic director, Frank Castorf, who ran the historic Berlin theatre for 25 years. 

    The Epidaurus programme will come to an end with a closing celebration at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus on Saturday 19 August, featuring music and dances from the Peloponnese region.

    (www.greeknewsagenda.gr)

  • Athens, Lesvos mayors on list for world title

    Athens, Lesvos mayors on list for world title

    ΠολιτικήTheir efforts to humanely address the refugee crisis have put Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis (photo) and Lesvos Mayor Spyros Galinos on a short list of 15 local authority leaders from around the world contending for the title of World Mayor 2016.
    The 15 finalists have been proposed for their response to the European refugee crisis and include mayors from Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Germany, the USA, Canada as well as Syria and Turkey. The winner is to be announced at the end of the year.
    Those interested in influencing the verdict can participate in an online vote online at www.worldmayor.com/contest_2016/world-mayor-shortlist-2016.html.
    Meanwhile, the coast guard was put on alert Wednesday after a smuggling boat foundered off the coast of Thassos in the northern Aegean, leading to four people drowning while another 15 were rescued.
    The drownings came after a period of relative calm, with arrivals from neighboring Turkey sharply reduced since March, when Ankara signed a deal with the European Union to crack down on human smuggling in the Aegean.
    However, there is still concern about growing tensions at overcrowded reception centers on the Aegean islands.

    (www.ekathimerini.com)

  • Stavros Niarchos Foundation: 20 years of grantmaking activity

    Stavros Niarchos Foundation: 20 years of grantmaking activity

    ΠολιτισμόςThe Stavros Niarchos Foundation celebrates its 20th anniversary, fulfilling the original purpose of its establishment: to contribute, with all the means at its disposal, to the improvement of the lives of those less privileged and to support organizations and projects that are expected to achieve a broad, lasting and positive impact for society at large. 

    The SNF’s philanthropic activity, to date, has spread across 111 countries, with particular emphasis on Greece which—among other grants and programs—is where some of the most important initiatives of the Foundation are being developed, such as the development of the SNFCC, alongside Initiatives Against the Greek Crisis and for Recharging the Youth.

    Since the commencement of its activities in 1996, to date, the SNF has made grant commitments of $1.9 billion (€1.56 billion), through 3,646 grants to nonprofit organizations across the world, in four main areas: Arts and Culture, Education, Health and Sports, and Social Welfare. 

    Specifically, during the last 20 years, the SNF has committed the following, in total:

    ▪ Arts & Culture: 752 grants (totaling €387 million), with the key strategic objective of broadening public access to the Arts, promoting Greek art and culture worldwide, encouraging creative partnerships between institutions, organizations and artists on a national and global level, as well as strengthening the social role of cultural organizations.

    ▪ Education: 1,107 grants (totaling €484 million), supporting the implementation of innovative educational programs, the establishment of new, innovative education centers in Greece and abroad, and the creation of significant capacity building opportunities for the benefit of numerous social groups.

    ▪ Health & Sports: 672 grants (totaling €287 million), which aim to improve the quality of life of society as a whole, while simultaneously helping to widen accessibility to comprehensive health care services for all.

    ▪ Social Welfare: 1,115 grants (totaling €409 million), mainly focusing on the needs of the most vulnerable groups (children, the elderly, the homeless, refugees, the disabled, etc.). 

    Initiatives: Against the Greek Crisis & Recharging the Youth

    In addition to its regular grant-making activities, and in order to contribute towards the efforts to address the multifaceted effects of the crisis on the Greek society, the Foundation, beginning in 2012, launched initiatives totaling €300 million, with the aim of providing immediate relief to those mostly affected by the crisis, as well as creating new opportunities and better employment prospects for the younger generation, which has been severely impacted by one of the highest percentages of youth unemployment in Europe. 

    As part of the Grants against the Greek Crisis, the SNF has made 494 grants, totaling €164 million, in order to address the effects of the crisis. The purpose of this initiative is twofold: through the supported programs, it aims, on the one hand, to contribute to the immediate relief of those impacted more severely from the crisis and, on the other hand, to create those necessary conditions which will ensure long-term benefits. In this context, a series of grants were designed, based on a strategic and long-term perspective. The majority of grants supported the development, adaptation and expansion of existing social programs and the operation of grantee organizations. Additional grants were made for the purchasing of equipment or vehicles, as well as the construction and renovation of social structures.

    As part of the Recharging the Youth Initiative, the SNF has made 57 grants, totaling €38 million, focusing on programs aimed at the development of entrepreneurship, the creation of skills, as well as education, while it continues to develop and assess programs—in collaboration with various local and international partners—which have the potential to provide a boost in youth employment.

    Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

    In addition to the SNF’s 3,646 grants and the special initiatives, the Foundation’s philanthropic activity is complemented by the creation of a new landmark for the city of Athens: the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC). The SNFCC is the Foundation’s largest single gift, with a total budget of €617 million, and it has already recorded some significant successes, even before its official delivery to the Greek State, which will be the project’s legal owner. 

    ▪ The SNFCC’s construction was completed within 4 years, adhering, without any major deviations, to the original project timetable, despite the project’s scope and complexity.

    ▪ Designed by the Renzo Pianο Building Workshop, the SNFCC is one of the few projects worldwide, which houses two national cultural and educational institutions, namely the Greek National Opera and the National Library of Greece, complementing them with the Stavros Niarchos Park, with a total surface area of 210,000 m², which connects the city center with the urban waterfront.

    ▪ According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group, during the project’s construction, the SNFCC added €1.1 billion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (0.2% of GDP per year), contributing €57 million in tax revenues. According to the same study, the construction of the SNFCC created more than 13,000 jobs, in total.

    ▪ During the project’s implementation, best practices were used in terms of construction, alongside a mix of traditional and innovative materials, which ensured the SNFCC’s innovation and functionality. The SNFCC earned the prestigious Platinum LEED certification, the highest possible rating for environmentally conscious and sustainable buildings.

    ▪ Beginning in mid-August of 2016, when the project opened its doors to the public through a series of free events, funded exclusively by the SNF, the SNFCC welcomes on a weekly basis more than 35,000 visitors.

    Andreas Dracopoulos, Co-President of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, stated: “At a first glance, the 20-year course of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation may reflect the innumerable needs of society worldwide. For us, however, it also reflects people’s possibilities and prospects, for which we should all strive more. We feel proud that after 20 years of grant making activity, we have managed to evolve and strengthen our initiatives, while at the same time remain flexible to respond to all kinds of challenges, from the greatest ones, such as the creation of the SNFCC, to supporting a small organization that demonstrates vision and commitment. We hope to continue in the same way in the coming years, helping to make our world a better place, to the best of our abilities.”

    (www.snf.org)