Greece This month
In this issue:
• Tsipras’ visit to Bejiing (1415.5.2017) • 3rd Greek Wine Tasting Event, Greek Embassy • Yannis Smaragdis’ Exclusive Interview • 2017 Greek Symposium Gourmet Touring • Thessaloniki and Cape Sounio • ‘Documenta 14’ Travels to Athens
Greek PM’s visit to Bejiing, China (14-15.5.2017) Speaking on his arrival in Beijing, in order to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the Greek Prime Minister, Mr. Alexis Tsipras stressed that China’s vision to revive the Silk Road and Greece’s ambition to become a regional energy, transport, commercial and cultural hub will feed off each other to the benefit of both countries. “Greece and China not only share a common, and glorious, past, but a common vision for the future,” Mr. Tsipras underlined. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ visit to China has resulted in a series of deals and plans for closer cooperation between the countries in a number of fields. Chinese President Xi Jinping insisting in Beijing said both countries should expand their cooperation in the fields of energy, telecommunications and infrastructure, 1
Kathimerini wrote. Xi made his remarks at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, – a Chinese initiative aimed at expanding links between Asia, Africa and Europe through multi-billion-euro infrastructure investments. Describing Greece as a vital part of Beijing’s vision to revive the Silk Route, Xi said the cooperation between the two countries “continues to glow with new dynamism,” adding that their cooperation in matters of energy, infrastructure and telecommunications must be “deep and solid.” Tsipras discussed a series of topics, including investment plans in renewable energy sources and energy networks for the Greek islands and, most importantly, the EuroAsia Interconnector – an underwater sea cable that will connect Crete and Cy-
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prus with Israel, a project billed to have a drastic impact on the wider Eastern Mediterranean. The Greek PM has also inaugurated the new Center of Hellenic Studies at the University of Foreign Language in Beijing, where he was welcomed to the tune of “Zorba the Greek” blaring from speakers and greeted by students in Greek. “Our hope is that with the promotion of modern Greek studies in China, Greece will continue to charm the studious Chinese people,” he said.
Greece’s status-quo was upgraded after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ visit to Beijing for the “Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation”, Deputy Economy and Development Minister Stergios Pitsiorlas told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) on Monday. “At the opening and closing of the Forum, the Greek prime minister’s role was very important […] It was a great success and proof that Greece’s status quo is upgraded after this participation in the Forum,” he said in an interview with ANA. “Greece is a crucial part for the development of this strategy,” he said, adding the plan includes cooperation in infrastructure projects in transport, energy and telecommunications, which means Greece will have to form a package of proposals that will be in line with this strategy.
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3rd Greek Wine Tasting Event Organised by the Greek Embassy (25 April 2017)
The 3rd Greek Wine Tasting Event, organised by the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of Greece n London, in collaboration with the National Inter - Professional Organization ‘Wines of Greece’, and supported by the Press and Communication Office of the Embassy, took place on Tuesday April 25, at Vintners’ Hall in London. Once again, wine importers and exporters, as well as sommeliers and media representatives, had the chance to taste a thorough selection of more than 350 quality wines and new exciting vintages, produced by 70 different wineries from all over Greece. “It is our top priority to support Greek wines in the British market. We put an enormous amount of effort to make the event better every year. This year, more than 70 wineries represented by 11 importers and 18 exporters of Greek wines are presenting their portfolios and over 350 vintages are available for visitors to taste’’, the Head of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of Greece n London, Mr. Antonis Katepodis, stated.
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“I am delighted that this event is taking place for the third time, especially when it is hosted in this traditional and historical place. Greek wine has gained its distinguished place in the British market. The high standards and the excellent quality are the two main reasons for this noticeable growth”, the Greek Ambassador in the UK, Mr. Dimitrios Caramitsos-Tziras, underlined.
The team of ‘Greece this Month’ has also discussed with many wine importers and sommeliers of the 260 attendants of the event, who were happy to share their experience with us. “It was a great pleasure to be here today. We had the chance to meet with some very significant clients, some of them new and some of them old. In my opinion, it has been a great success. Although, Greek wine still represents a very small chunk of the market, we have to underline that the interest in both Greek wines and Greek cuisine is growing … Greek wines as well as the Embassyof Greece put a enormous amount of effort to make the event better every year. But it was Mr. Katepodis’ personal effort that made the difference’’, the director of Eclectic Wines and veteran on the wine field, Mary Pateras, stressed. 3
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“I was honestly honored to participate in this event. It was a great and productive day. I came across different wines and also new vintages. As an importer myself, I think that it is a privilege as well as a need to explore the wealth of the Greek wines’’, Maria Moutsou, WSET Advanced Founder and Consultant for Southern Wines Roads Ltd, mentioned, adding that ‘’ the image of Greek wine is improving in the British Market, and great progress it expected. Everyone seems to agree that the market is slowly increasing in advantage of the Greek wine producers. Moreover, there is a great variety of grapes and wine making techniques from the northern Greece to South, and of course from the mainland to the islands. Everything from the origins, indigenous grapes and their characteristics make Greek wines unique. Some of our varieties are becoming more and more popular in the British market such as Asyrtiko, Xinomayro and of course the traditional and biological vintages. If we focus on that we can have a great success. It is our top priority to support Greek wines in the British market, by putting this tasting together as a showcase of the best of Greek wines “. “There were importers from all over the country who specialize in different Greek varieties. The guests were more than ever before. I am glad that I suggested my colleagues to come along at the wine festival. All of them are satisfied to taste the traditional wines as well as new vintages and fresh blends.” Said Alexandros Kamnou , sommelier at the Greek fish restaurant ‘Mylos ‘, situated at the heart of London, the glamorous area of Mayfair.
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Yannis Smaragdis: Exclusive Interview in view of the screening in London of the making of his new film ‘KAZANTZAKIS’ (Hellenic Centre, 22.5.2017) The acclaimed Greek film director Yannis Smaragdis, awarded for his previous films such as “Kavafy”, “El Greco”, and “God Loves Caviar”, has recently announced his new film, centering on the life of Cretan poet, novelist and travel writer Nikos Kazantzakis. Mr Smaragdis will be in London on Monday May 22 to speak and screen footage of his new film, during an event organized by the Hellenic Centre and under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Greeks Abroad of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of the Embassy of Greece in London and of the Office of the Commissioner to the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus. Mr Smaragdis spoke to our team about his new movie:
Photographer: Andreas Smaragdis How did you decide to make this movie/ tribute to Nikos Kazantzakis? It seems like I was meant to make a movie about Kazantzakis. The house I was born in is only 300 meters away from where the
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writer was born and another 300 meters from El Greco’s house. These three spots form a rectangular triangle. I feel it is my debt to this great writer -the most widely read Greek writer worldwide after Homerwith whom I share the same birthplace. Could you tell us a few words about the plot and any difficulties you may have faced, during the filming? The filming started in September in our beloved Crete and it has since taken place in Heraklion, Chania, Ayios Nikolaos, and then Athens, Aegina, Salamina, Lavrio, Legraina, Southern France and Berlin. I have to admit that we have experienced an unprecedented war, mainly from the vicious cinematic lobby of Athens, as they intensely tried to boycott the film. Do not forget that Kazantzakis himself also experienced the same war from the literary lobby of Athens and as a result both the author and Greece lost the Nobel Prize in literature!
Photographer: Andreas Smaragdis However, the biggest difficulty we faced was its funding. During my whole life, I have been a “beggar of love” looking for money to complete my films, but this time it has been a real pain to find the mon4
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ey it took to make this film. Fortunately, there were good Greeks and good Cretans without whose help this movie would not have been completed. The blessed, generous and great-hearted Cretan AEGEAN’s Theodoros Vassilakis, the great Hertz’s Emmanoula Vassilakis, Leonidas Frangiadakis, Managing Director at the National Bank of Greece, intelligent banker and great Cretan, the Vardinoyannis family with their “Audiovisual”, who supported us strongly, and many others.
Photographer: Andreas Smaragdis
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November, on the 23th. The same company released also our previous work, ‘EL GRECO’, which sold the unprecedented record of 1,200,000 tickets. What is different between this movie and your previous ones? I don’t know… What I do know, however, is that people who ‘create’ do not choose their subjects, but it is the other way round …They choose us… And to put it in another way, Kazantzakis has said: “A demon is inside of me but it is not me. I am just the donkey he rides on and he goes - where does he go? The demon knows, I don’t. He prods me and I walk. Maybe I am a Being of a Master I don’t know but I serve him, whether this is right or wrong!” Personally, I assume that the first reason that prompted me to touch this “giant” is my unlimited love for Nikos Kazantzakis, who has been a comforting “companion” to me since the age of 14. So, the less I could do in order to “show” him my gratitude “up there” was to create this film. What the leading actors told us about the upcoming film “Nikos Kazantzakis” and their collaboration with Yannis Smaragdis.
Photographer: Andreas Smaragdis When will the film be released? The long-lasting shooting is over and now the film is in the stage of editing and the music is being composed by the great composer, Minos Matsas. The film will be released in Greece by “Audiovisual” this 5
Marina Kalogirou: I feel that we have tried to accomplish something big and really beautiful. And that’s why we risked and not followed the “safe path”. We aimed high risking that some scenes might turn up to be “dangerous”. But most times our audacity worked and we reached the desired outcome. And when this happens, it is truly a blessing. I feel grateful and really lucky for this collaboration left me with Yannis Smaragdis and Odysseas Papaspiliopoulos. We have shared some
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moments of honest communication and. We have worked on this project with great passion, modesty and open heart for each other.” Odysseas Papaspiliopoulos: “About two years ago, when Yannis Smaragdis called me to his office to discuss “something interesting”, as he told me over the phone, I would never have imagined that he was going to offer me something so precious and -as exaggerating ti may sound-ife-changing. I feel grateful for this journey in the fascinating universe of Nikos Kazantzakis and extremely happy that this film was the springboard for me , giving me the opportunity to ‘meet’ through thorough survey, the outstanding spirit of this great writer. And a few words about the event here in London - what should we expect? Firstly, I would like to thank Mrs Leventis and Mrs Agatha Kalisperas who gave us the space to present footage of the film at the Hellenic Center, which is part of the events honouring Nikos Kazantzakis, since this year has been proclaimed by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture as “The Year of Nikos Kazantzakis”. Other participants in the event will be Niki Stavrou, Director of Kazantzakis Publications, a great woman who is distinguished for her unselfishness and friendliness and a great pillar of the dissemination of Nikos Kazantzakis’ high-profile work, Ms Marina Kalogirou, who plays Eleni Kazantzaki in the film, as well as the Hon Consular of Cyprus, Mr. Yiannis Tziros and a representative of the General Secretariat of Greeks Abroad of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Photographer: Andreas Smaragdis At this point I would like mention that the event is under the auspices of the of the Embassy of Greece in London and supported by the Hellenic Tourism Office in the UK and Aegean Airlines. It will also be an invitation to the distinguished Greek-Cypriot community of London that loves and supports culture, which is necessary in order to keep “Hellenism” alive. I am extremely confident that this film will find great support. Can you “reveal” something about your future plans? The next movie that I will be working on is “Ioannis Kapodistrias”, a film based on the unknown life of a great Greek and the first Governor of the modern era of Greece. The scenario has already being written by Dimitris Pelirakis, a man of unique intelligence, the most thorough ‘connoisseur’ of Kapodistrias’ personality, work and visions. Kapodistrias was killed by ‘Greek hands’, which destroyed also the future of our country. If Kapodistrias had had the chance to organize Greece the way he had envisioned, our country would have been the leading example in education and culture. 6
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2017 Sympossio Gourmet Touring’s Final Stop, UK & Ireland
The 8th Greek Sympossio Gourmet Touring (www.sympossio.gr) concluded its 2017 tour of 15 countries when it arrived in the UK on Monday 3 April and covered Cambridge (3 April), Altrincham in Manchester (4 April), Dublin (5 April) and Birmingham (6 April). A total of 130 travel agents across the four events took part in an interactive Greek cooking evening. Jointly organized by the South Aegean Region, Aldemar Resorts and Aegean Airlines with the support of local travel trade co-sponsors, Sympossio has become an annual event sponsored by the Greek National Tourism Organisation (www.visitgreece.gr), which brings together Greek producers, chefs, hoteliers, airlines, tour operators and travel trade businesses for an evening to experience and discover the treasures of Greek culinary traditions. Christina Kalogera, the Director for UK & Ireland for the Greek National Tourist Office commented: “We value the role of authentic,
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local cuisine in providing travellers to Greece with an added reason for returning to our shores as often as possible. In the last three years UK travellers to Greece have increased by more than a million, reaching 2.9m travellers in 2016. These Sympossio cooking events aimed at the UK’s travel trade can but add to our country’s appeal as a tasteful holiday destination.” Aegean Airlines has introduced more flights from the UK and Ireland this year including increased capacity from Dublin and a new twice weekly flight from Edinburgh to Athens and beyond. The evenings involved travel agents together with professional Greek chefs being shown how to make a variety of Greek dishes. Once cooked everyone settled down to enjoy the food they have prepared and cooked, washed down with Greek wine (www.santowines.gr) or beer (www.nissos.beer). This year, the chefs from Aldemar Resorts showcased the very best of the South Aegean Region with dishes such as a Mini seafood platter with octopus, shrimps, stuffed calamari on the grill and three different sauces (sharing platter four-ways). Island Salad made with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, fresh onion, baby spinach, horseradish flakes, whole
capers, wrinkled olives from Thasos and anthotyro with extra virgin olive oil. Alexandros Angelopoulos, Vice President of Aldemar Resorts concluded: “We respect what nature has given us: tourism is the opportunity, hospitality is the inspiration and food is the reality’’. 7
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A taste from.. Thessaloniki Thessaloniki is fuelled by optimism, sensuality and just a dash of chaos. Greece’s thriving second biggest city has monuments and museums to thrill history-lovers and, for some, has a more upbeat quality than the capital. The centre is laced with historic sites, from the Byzantine walls threading its romantic Upper Town to the imposing Rotunda. Of course, Rotunda is one of the most important monuments of Late Antiquity in the entire Greek world, essentially an open-air archaeological museum in Navarinou square area in the center of the city. The counstruction of this imposing building complex started in the late 3rd - early 4th century AD and was part of Galerian Complex which also included the Triumphal Arch the Hippodrome, the Rotunda. This is a city where old and new coexist harmonically. For instance the Arch of Galerius overlooks the busy shopping drag of Egnatia, while Thessaloniki’s most famous site, the White Tower, anchors the waterfront. The White Tower is considered to be the landmark of the city, as it was built in late 15th century, as the south-east tower of the city’s fortification. It is an imposing six-storey, cylinder shaped structure dominating the port area. During its course over the centuries, it changed names and operations multiple times. Kalamaria Fortress, Tower of Yenitsaroi, Tower of Blood, were some of these, the latter two due to its use as a prison for serious convicts. The name “White Tower” finally prevailed when a prisoner offered to paint it with whitewash, to gain his freedom. It currently operates as a Museum offering a journey to the city’s history, from the time of its foundation, up until now.
The city’s biggest advantage is, without any doupt, the element of water. Few cities in Europe such a long seafront and it has been regenerated so that residents and visitors can enjoy walking or cycling, a unique route by the sea! The coastal route from the port to the Concert Hall of Thessaloniki, is considered to be really ‘photogenic’, as one can admire all the famous monuments, such as the Statue of Alexander the Great on horseback, and the umbrellas, a special sculpture which is one of the most romantic places in the city, the 12 thematic gardens to relax and work out, with lakes, small waterfall, tennis courts, a skateboard track, playgrounds, coffee shops, refreshment stands, kiosks. It is the colors of Mediterranean sun while fading away into the sea, or the depth of the horizon touching Olympus it is Thessaloniki of the sunset that will make you fall in love and be overwhelmed with feelings, the exact moment that sun bids farewell to the city. 8
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A Trip to the temple of Poseidon at Sounion
The temple of Poseidon, the ancient Greek God of the sea, dominates the southernmost tip of Attica, where the horizon meets the Aegean Sea. Perched on the craggy rocks of Cape Sounio, the temple is enveloped in myth and historic facts dated from antiquity until the present times. Located 69 kilometres south-southeast of Athens, it is considered among the sites you should definitely visit if you come to Athens, since it takes only less than an hour from the city centre to get there. According to Greek Mythology, Cape Sounion is the spot where Aegeus, King of Athens, leapt to his death off the cliff, thus giving his name to the Aegean Sea.
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of Sparta died at his post while rounding “Holy Sounion, Cape of Athens”. Menelaus reached Sounion to give his companion full funeral honours (i.e., cremation on a funeral pyre on the beach). The Greek ships were then caught by a storm off Cape Malea and scattered in all directions. Heading to the top of the Temple, the visitor could enjoy the most breathtaking sea view, its majestic sunset and the great view to the Aegean Book a private coastal tour and arrive in the Temple in less than an hour. Schedule a daily trip or a private coastal tour to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon. You will find quite a few amazing places to grab a coffee and taste something traditional by the sea, completing a perfect day out to the Greek sun (or sunset)!
International Exhibition ‘Documenta 14’ Travels to Athens (April- July 2017)
The earliest literary reference to Sounion is in Homer’s poem the Odyssey, probably composed in the 8th century BC. This recounts the mythical tribulations suffered by Greek hero Odysseus in a grueling 10year sea-voyage to return to his native island, Ithaca, in the Ionian Sea, from the sack of Troy. This ordeal was supposedly inflicted upon him by Poseidon, to whom the temple at Sounion was dedicated. The story recounts that as the various Greek commanders sailed back from Troy, the helmsman of the ship of King Menelaus 9
For the first time since its launch in 1955, the prestigious international contemporary art exhibition “Documenta 14” travels from Kassel Museum towards the Greek capital Athens, running from 8 April until 16 July (with that of Kassel following, from 10 June to 17 September, 2017), giving
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the opportunity to the visitors to wander around 40 small and big venues across the city to watch and admire the works of 160 artists from all over the world.
Documenta is an exhibition of contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany. It was founded by artist, teacher and curator Arnold Bode in 1955 as part of the Bundesgartenschau (Federal Horticultural Show) which took place in Kassel at that time and was an attempt to bring Germany up to speed with modern art, both banishing and repressing the cultural darkness of Nazism. This first documenta featured many artists who are generally considered to have had a significant influence on modern art (such as Picasso and Kandinsky). The more recent documentas feature art from all continents; nonetheless most of it is site-specific.
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In 2017, Kassel and the Greek capital are hosting the exhibition on an equal footing: Kassel has relinquished its hitherto undisputed position as the central exhibition venue in favour of another role, namely that of a guest in Athens. In the latter, entitled “Learning from Athens”, the exhibition was inaugurated on Saturday 8 April 2017, at the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), by the Greek President Prokopios Pavlopoulos and the President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The director of the National Museum of Contemporary Art Katerina Koskina addressed the event followed by Culture Minister Lydia Koniordou who praised the importance of that exhibition held in the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Greek President Prokopios Pavlopoulos stressed the importance of the exhibition adding that the Greek spirit is meeting with the German spirit in order to defend their natural position in the European Cultural Heritage. On his part, the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that although the title “Learning from Athens” seems reasonable as this is the cradle of Democracy, the exhibition focuses on the present and the political and economic problems that we need to overcome. The artistic director of ‘Documenta 14’, Adam Szymczyk, explained his proposal for Kassel and Athens to co-host the exhibition: The proposal reviews the idea of the institution reversing the usual hitherto role of the host with the organization of an exhibition in which it will be the guest with the prospect of a mutual lesson from Athens. participating artists have been in10
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vited to think and produce within the context of the emerging dynamic relationship between these two cities and to develop a work for each of the two locations.
Thank you note from the editor
As my term of office in London is coming to its end, I would like to thank all and each one of you who participated with their article contributions and by giving exclusive interviews for our Newsletter during the last 4 years that I was appointed as the Chief Editor of the Newsletter of the Greek Embassy in the UK. All of our special guests : actors, internationally acclaimed directors and music composers, as well as newly established companies by Greek young professionals who organised beautiful cultural events in London and asked for our support, in promoting the best image of our country abroad, being a great inspiration to the Greek young generation: the team of Prosopa Events, the Greek Economic Forum, the Greek Energy Forum, Art4art, the LSE SU Hellenic Society and last but not least our collaboration with the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. My apologies if I am forgetting someone I did not mention! Last, but not least, I would like to express my special thanks and my best wishes to each one of my interns during these 4 years who have helped me and collaborated with me, showing their creativity, patience, tolerance towards me and above all... team spirit!! I consider you all as my friends!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! See you soon! Eirini Kioulafi Press and Communication Officer Embassy of Greece in London 11
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