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ISSUE 6
Winter 2013-2014
HRH PRINCE CHARLES and His Spiritual Quest
THE HELLENIC TIMES INTERNATIONAL
contents
14
28
30 41
35
36
49 4 Editorial 6 Letters to the Editor 10 POLITICAL VIEW 11 ECONOMIC VIEW 14 HRH PRINCE CHARLES and His Spiritual Quest
20 John C. Hadjipateras & Sons Ltd The ďŹ rst 60 years in London
22
ENVIROMENTAL ISSUES Environment and Spirituality Rev. Dr John Chryssavgis
50
HISTORY
Ele herios Venizelos
30
62
51 52
35 Gianna Angelopoulos Book "My Greek Drama"
36 A Peloponnesian dream with COSTA NAVARINO People We Remember
40 Geoge Moustaki 41 Margaret Thatcher 42 SUBSCRIPTION 43 Travel in time
to pre-liberation Greece
44 Spetses Classic Yacht Race 2013
28 David Lloyd George
40
46 18th Dinner Dance of the Hellenic Engineers Society of GB
49 - THE "TIME - MACHINE" Press Counsellor! RUSSIA
50 - The Hellenic Cultural Center 51 - Artist Nicos Floros at the Tsartsyno Palace
52 THE LONDON RETURN OF THE YANNI PHENOMENON
58 NEWS EVENTS 61 Nicoletta Tsiama A Greek Jewellery maker at Earl's Court .. 62 The Blauel Story:
How Spirituality and Love for Nature led to Business Success!
Prof. Nikos Fokas Greek-Hungarian Diaspora
CHINA
48 - Food Diplomacy
66 NOTICE BOARD
THE HELLENIC TIMES INTERNATIONAL
NATURE... IN ALL ITS MANIFESTATIONS EVEN IN THE VERY SMALLEST THERE IS SOMETHING DIVINE. EVEN ITS WASTE IT REARRANGES AS A GOOD PROVIDER IN ORDER TO CREATE SOMETHING USEFUL ARISTOTLE
editorial "This is a call to revolution"... and I am here to give you the message! ..."The Earth is under threat. It cannot cope with all that we demand of it. It losing its balance and we humans are causing this to happen". (HARMONY Book, page 145). In this issue we host personalities who share similar philosophies with respect to the Environment. Although I met them at different times, it is by coincidence rather than by choice that they "meet" in the pages of the same issue! Is this coincidence a wake-up call for contemplating the future of the planet? It was in 2010 when I visited the Highgrove gardens and felt their metaphysical energy, I realised how spiritual a person Prince Charles is and decided to write about it, (page 14). Another item/article in this issue, titled "Spirituality and Environment" has been written by The Rev. Dr. John Chrysavgis, Ecologic Advisor to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (page 22). I first met Father John when he came to London two years ago and gave a lecture on the same subject. I was impressed by his lecture, slides and perhaps even more by his calm, sincere voice. At the end I felt as if I had attended a concert, not a lecture; there was such harmony in the whole presentation. I felt that we need to listen more often to gifted, spiritual people like Father John and for this reason I promptly asked for his permission to publish a version of his lecture. Then, like a comet, YANNI stepped in, in this issue with the announcement of his forthcoming concert on 23 April at the ROYAL ALBERT HALL. The Greek born American composer is well known for a kind of metaphysical energy transmitted through his concerts. He understands nature since he was a child because his father was a philosopher and taught his children about life by taking examples from nature. Today, among his many other activities, Yanni is also spokesman for WWF. (page 52) Yanni's concert at the Royal Albert Hall, on St. George's Day, should not be missed! It is worth reminding to you at this point, that in 2014, Orthodox and Catholic Easters coincide on the 20th of April. Perhaps Yanni's arrival in London, after 10 years and during the Resurrection week, has some symbolism as it happens on a year that the East will celebrate Easter together with the West! After all, his dream is to see the world without borders, without boundaries. .. Finally, we have the "Blauel story", the story of an Austrian couple who landed in Mani in the late 1970s; (page 62) An excellent example of how understanding nature and living a spiritual life can also go hand-in-hand with impressive and ethical business success! Prince Charles is calling for a spiritual Revolution. YANNI is calling for Love and Peace throughout his concerts around the world. As it happens, they share the same Birthday, which is approaching soon. Happy Birthday to Prince Charles! Happy Birthday to YANNI!
HRH PRINCE CHARLES and the chickens at Highgrove Photo by Mario Testino, 2001
THE HELLENIC TIMES INTERNATIONAL Editor Martha-Maria Chrysomallis Assistant Editor Simeon MavroskouďŹ s Design Babis Demitriades Pavlina Vourtsou Contributors George Yemenakis Soula Violaris Thanasis Gavos Rhea Hajifanis Photographer Katerina Kalogeraki Marketing-Advertising Dr Evy Sakelariou Correspondents Australia: George Hatzimanolis Germany: Julie Josef Paris: George Costa Washington DC: Peter Dallis
THE HELLENIC TIMES
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Letters to the editor 4.9.2012 To the Editor and all at THE HELLENIC TIMES I must say it was by accident that I noticed the square box of type at EuGreeka. Then I browsed through the pages with an open mouth... Why, because that was what I was telling for 30 years my compatriots to produce, a publication like yours with contents and layout away from the politics and the Kafenion thinking and now I can see it in my eyes... exactly as I wanted it to be.. The nearer to the one that I always liked was the Greek Review and that was around nearly 25 years ago... I will support you in any way I can in my limited time. As an artist, I know well how important a platform is needed in our community at the time that is dri ing apart... And I can say that I can speak with knowledge, as I worked for 30 years as an artist for the Daily Mail, closely with editorial and I know very well how the late Sir English build the paper into the success that it is now... I am now retired and at the age of 68 (next month) I devote myself to my art and a bit on the golf... But I am really really thrilled with what I have seen in the website. Well done, Renos Lavithis www.renosart.co.uk
GREEN BETTER THAN GOLD Dear Hellenic Times, I am a first generation Greek Canadian, who returned to the motherland in 2000 and I live in Thessaloniki. I do not think people are aware of the ramifications that a Canadian mining company, namely Elderaldo Gold, will have on the eco-system and human quality of life in Northern Greece and particularly in the Macedonian region Chalkidiki. The mining company and its supporters insist that all the necessary precautions have been taken to safe guard the eco-system. Is a handful of gold worth sacrificing the tourism industry and the honey industry when you can obtain the same metals in larger amounts from recycling old computers and other electronic devices? The mining company and the Greek government insist that one thousand jobs will created, but no one is confirming how many will be lost, with ten percent of the honey industry will be in Chalkidiki and the area is a major tourism spot which will see the closure of many hotels, restaurants and shops. The fish will disappear due to the toxins pouring into the sea. The drinking water that Thessaloniki and surrounding regions use might also be effected because the mountain that is close to the mining site has fresh water leading to the river Axios and this ends up in our homes. The villagers of Chalkidiki are trying to save their homes and their livelihood. But, a statement from the village police confirms eye witness accounts of force and illegal detention of villagers who have become criminals because they are protesting
the destruction of all they know. The men are submitted to DNA samplings through saliva, the women are hauled to the station in handcuffs and interrogated and children are brought to the station to report on their parents’ whereabouts. Not to mention a recent incident the village school was tear gassed. Are these the actions of a democratic country? No one denies we need foreign investment but to create reliable industries that do not harm the environment. The people of Greece are frustrated, they are helplessly watching the Greek government turn their country into a situation like Argentina in order to depreciate the land to the point where we are giving it away and opening the door to anyone willing to drain our natural resources. Elderaldo Gold is a clear indication of what is to come, in a statement from the company, they supposedly now owe all of the metal mines in Thrace and half of the ones in Chalkidiki with plans to expand into Kilkis. When did all this happen? Like everything else, by-laws are passed in the dead of night, in order to please the Troika's every wish and announced to the Greek public at a convenient date in the future. Please can we help stop the madness? Yours sincerely Angela Nendos Thessaloniki
Letters to the editor
16.6.2013 Αγαπητή κα Χρυσομάλλη, έλαβα τα τεύχη των ''HELLENIC TIMES'' και σας ευχαριστώ πολύ. Εύγε για την προσπάθειά σας να διατηρήσετε ψηλά την επικοινωνιακή δάδα του Ελληνισμού, όχι μόνο στη Μ. Βρετανία που εδρεύετε αλλά και διεθνώς, όπως άλλωστε γράφει και το ''logo'' της περιοδικής σας επιθεώρησης. Ας δώσουμε όλοι ένα χεράκι να πάει η Χώρα μας μπροστά, όπως της αξίζει! Να είσθε πάντα καλά, και πάντα ψηλότερα να ατενίζουμε! Σας ευχαριστώ για τη συνεργασία, από καρδιάς Χρήστος Γ. Φαϊλάδης Christos Failadis, Communication Counsellor Public Diplomacy in Greek Embassy of Beijing
Αγαπητή κ. Χρυσομάλλη,
Μόσχα, 13 Σεπτεμβρίου 2013 Αγαπητοί Συμπατριώτες, Εκστρατεία για την ανέγερση του Ιερού Ναού Αγίου Δημητρίου στην Αγία Πετρούπολη «Δεν μπορείς να είσαι δούλος του Θεού και του μαμωνά» γράφει μέσα στην Καινή Διαθήκη. Ο κάθε άνθρωπος, τόσο σε προσωπικό όσο και σε συλλογικό επίπεδο οφείλει να διαλέξει στρατόπεδο. Τι συμβαίνει όμως όταν κάποιοι αποφασίζουν να γκρεμίσουν ένα ναό για να χτίσουν νέο εμπορικό κέντρο; Ο λόγος για τον ελληνικό ναό του Αγίου Δημητρίου, που ήδρευε στην Αγία Πετρούπολη, ένα κομψοτέχνημα, στη δημιουργία του οποίου συνέβαλε ο αείμνηστος μαικήνας Δημήτρης Μπεναρδάκης (1799-1870). Σύσσωμη η ελληνική κοινότητα, καθώς και πολλοί άνθρωποι από τον πνευματικό χώρο της Αγίας Πετρούπολης εναντιώνονται στην απόφαση των Αρχών να κατασκευασθεί εμπορικό κέντρο στη θέση του Ναού και συλλέγουν υπογραφές. Το Κέντρο Ελληνικού Πολιτισμού στηρίζει την προσπάθεια αυτή και σας καλεί να συμμετέχετε με την υπογραφή σας. Περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες δύνασθε να αντλήσετε στους Ιστοτόπους: www.греческаяцерковь.рф www.greekchurch.ru
Μπόρεσα να δω τα τεύχη που είχατε την καλοσύνη να μού προσφέρετε. Συγχαρητήρια. Κάνετε πολύ καλή δουλειά, που προσελκύει το ενδιαφέρον τού αναγνώστη. Ελπίζω να έχουμε την ευκαιρία να τα πούμε. Προγραμματίζουμε το επόμενο Συνέδριο των Athens Dialogues τού Ωνασείου να γίνει τον Νοέμβριο στο King's College (Θέμα : Image as Rhetoric. Logos, Icon and Logo). Με φιλικούς χαιρετισμούς Καθηγητής Γιώργος Μπαμπινιώτης Πρόεδρος Φιλεκπαιδευτικής Εταιρείας Αρσακείων
Letters to the editor 11.6.2013
FORGET THE MARBLES CLAIM THE OLYMPICS Dear Editor, Your items on the topic of the Olympic Games in The Hellenic Times (Issue 5, 2012) prompt me to offer a suggestion. It is this: I think that it is not only an engaging idea but a necessary one (for the future benefit of both Greece and indeed all the other nations of the world) that the summer Olympic Games be re-established on a permanent basis in the land of its source. This was a thought that impressed itself upon me at two particular places when I visited Greece last year: in Athens as I was wandering about and musing inside its superb Parthenon Museum, and then later at Delphi amidst its Treasuries and cypresses. And since, it is a thought that has insisted upon lingering. Certainly it strikes me as being of far greater priority in today’s circumstances for Greece and its people now to be concentrating upon a drive to restore the summer Games to the native soil, rather than it is to be campaigning for a collection of marble fragments however symbolically precious. The former would be a move to revitalise Greece’s lifeblood - a living symbol; whereas the latter effort is one simply to reclaim a few inanimate stones. Where, then, is a practical model to be found for this idea? Well, it’s time perhaps to think back once more to Delphi, which functioned for multi-centuries as the nerve-centre of the Mediterranean world with city states maintaining their representation there in the form of the Treasuries. Now were Greece of today to provide an ample precinct (convenient to the original Olympics site), and suitable for countries each to build their national pavilions upon, then we can imagine this complex becoming the international nerve-centre of the athletics and sports world. The individual nations would both pay for and upkeep their pavilions, and could demolish them and re-build them more grandly whenever they wished. This approach, I daresay, would create something altogether remarkable to behold architecturally; even so, it would be significantly less wasteful than the succession of gargantuan sites of national vanity that presently mark the Olympics on its itinerant journeys to host cities. Of course at the heart of this proposed complex there could stand a meeting hall for the International Olympics Committee (IOC), which would continue to administer the Games as well as to choose the outside
8 THE HELLENIC TIMES international
venues for winter Games. All in all a permanent return of the summer Olympic Games to Greece would bring with it many positive and far-reaching benefits to the Greek nation. Here are but two: First, it would ensure that Greece and her heritage remained an on-going point of focus in the eyes of the entire world. That is to say, every four years hundreds of millions of eyes and minds would be concentrated upon Greece, not to mention the multitudes physically arriving for the event. This main stream could be complemented during interim years by the function of the complex as a year-round international sports training centre used by participant nations. In sum the potential economic benefits to Greece of such an operation hardly need spelling out. Lastly, whatever proved the fate of the European Community itself, or of Greece’s part in it, Greece’s status as permanent home of the Games would forever protect her from the risk of becoming a forgotten, or a marginalised, state - for the world would continue beating a respectful path to her Olympia. Hence, Greece ought now to insist, as is its prerogative, for this to be. In short, the on-going life of the Games in Greece is intrinsic to the on-going life of Greece itself and to its value in the eyes of other nations. Without a doubt, for Greece the Games are a godsend. If Greeks today truly like this idea then there is no reason not to go fullsteam ahead with it. And if any other nations don’t agree to participate with whatever might be Greece’s determination of direction on this matter then that’s just too bad for them. It is something to remember that Greece has even now, and will always possess, the ultimate say about the course of the Olympic Games. This final authority resides with her being the keeper of its flame, so to speak. Greece can always say no to the lighting of the validating torch should the conduct, or course, or location, of the Games as an ideal not meet with either her wishes or her approval. In view of what’s been said who knows what lies ahead for the summer Olympics? But it would be a lovely thought to imagine the Elgin Marbles being put on permanent exhibition in a British Pavilion on this future site! Yours sincerely, Peter Strong Oxford
POLITICAL VIEW
British Cypriot lobbying machine in full swing By Thanos Gavos The concurrence of this year's UK parties' conferences with the preparatory stages of the new negotiations over the Cyprus issue upgraded the role of the organised Cypriot presence in Brighton (for the Labour party gathering) and in Manchester (for the Conservatives' conference). Even before the Tory party got together from 29 September to 2 October, the Conservatives for Cyprus group - made up of members of the organised diaspora - held a meeting at Westminster with one of the party's vice-chairmen. A few days later, a fringe event during the Brighton conference saw the Labour shadow Minister for Europe, Emma Reynolds meeting representatives of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK who hosted the event in association with the Labour Cypriot Society. Then, a fringe reception at the British Conservatives' annual conference in Manchester offered assurances of the coalition's main party's commitment to the delivery of a comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem. In all instances the Cypriot delegates le with pledges of support for the pursuit of a just and viable solution in Cyprus, as well as promises of closer cooperation in all aspects of the relationship between the two countries. The meeting with the Conservative party vice chairman, attended by ministers and Tory members of Parliament, was described as particularly encouraging and satisfactory, while at the party's conference event attendees included politicians ranging from the cabinet to local Councillors, candidates and delegates. The Labour conference fringe event also drew in the political crowds, as heavyweights and backbenchers of Ed Miliband's team reiterated their commitment to helping Cyprus reunify. To what extent do or can occasions like these really make a difference though? "The Cypriot delegations to the conferences are always well prepared and focused. And there are so many friends of Cyprus in both parties, so they always welcome the opportunity to remind everyone else that the Cyprus issue requires our attendance - even more so now that we are facing a renewed effort to reach a negotiated solution," says a junior member of the Conservative party's army of consultants. "They need our help in getting votes in areas with a big Greek Cypriot population, so we ask them for their support in our cause in exchange," remarks a senior figure of the organised Cypriot diaspora. "That's not to say that there are not MPs who do act on our behalf out of conviction and real friendship. There are many actually," he said. The heavy weights of British diplomacy may or may not have limitations to the amount of the pressure they can exert over Turkey or other international actors in over the Cyprus issue; but the grassroots Cypriot lobbying machine has remained alert over the years, always ready to act when the chance presents itself.
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Readers’ Opinion
The Most Interesting and Threatening of Times for Hellas and Cyprus The Chinese have a chastisement concealed in the seemingly innocuous phrase “May you live in interesting times”. This is a form of bad will, as the Chinese define ‘Interesting Times’ as a time of turmoil, insecurity and threat. Well! We Greeks both in Hellas and Cyprus certainly are living in interesting times and those that choose to continue to walk merrily on their own cocooned path are clearly the minority now. The big questions are, “Where do we go from here, how to we get there and how can we ensure that we are going in the right direction”? To answer the first two questions, “Where do we go from here” and “How do we get there”? From here we go forward, with courage. To quote Nikos Kazantzakis, “When you fight for freedom, you are certainly free”. The political system (together with the mass media) has been exposed as a farce our established politicians as conspirators, our nations have been destroyed by bankers, yet these are the organisations that are tasked with now governing us, and their solutions are leading us into the abyss. What we need is to bring to power a new patriotic united political movement that has at its core values, greater not less democracy, a political party of law, justice and independence. Does this sound to ‘pie in the sky’? Well if you have a defeatist mind set then it probably does. But there are contemporary examples of this happening, two examples being Iceland, Ecuador (who declared their national debt illegitimate, an odious debt) amongst others. To find out the truth about how odious and usurious the Greek debt is, just watch free on YouTube the documentary "Debt Management". In answer to the third question let me present to you by way of an answer, a disputed quote familiar to many, attributed to Henry Kissinger in the 1970’s. “The Greek people are anarchic and difficult to tame. For this reason we must strike deep into
POLITICAL VIEW their cultural roots: Perhaps then we can force them to conform. I mean, of course, to strike at their language, their religion, their cultural and historical reserves, so that we can neutralize their ability to develop, to distinguish themselves, or to prevail; thereby removing them as an obstacle to our strategically vital plans in the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.” Now, whether Kissinger said this or not, is not important, what is important is that this, in many ways, is how Hellenism has and is being assailed. So in order to return to ourselves, we have to regain what we once had and what we have lost. Because this conflict is not only economic, it is spiritual and both are essential components to the eventual outcome. The spiritual and cultural component is essential in guiding us in the right direction to finding a solution. The values of love and kindness will help us to unite as a people, to care for one another to reject hate and fratricide. With love we reject violence and understand the value of justice and the rule of law and can differentiate between law and oppression. A good principle to judge an issue is the Christian principle of “Judge a tree by its fruit”. Additionally to quote Martin Luther King; “Darkness cannot drive our darkness only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that”. I guess another issue is “Why should I care, I’m too small to make a difference”? Well the recent events concerning the threatened
bombing of Syria have shown the power of the (good hearted) individuals to make a difference. It clearly was the pressure of the both UK and American constituents that forced politicians to seek a diplomatic way forward in addressing the Syria conflict as opposed to bombing ‘freedom’ into them. Another example is Iceland and how as a united people they rejected the covert economic invasion and occupation of their country and found a way forward that protected their sovereignty and integrity. To quote the Dalai Lama, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito”. In truth you are incredibly important, with a colossal cultural heritage of 3000 years and two of the best strategically located and beautiful countries in Europe, which are also rich in natural resources. The solution and liberation of Hellas and Cyprus from their current shackles is with you, with all of us, all we need is to get organised and be united as patriots and not as disciples of the le or right ideologies. These are the most interesting and threatening times for Hellas and Cyprus indeed! For further information contact EPAM (United People's Front) at www.epamhellas.gr and www.epam.org.uk or on Facebook ‘Kale Kypros’ and EPAM London . Dr Christos Tzivinikos MD DCH MRCPCH MSc ( EPAM ) Mr Mixalis Stefanidis RGN, ( Kale Kypros )
ECONOMIC VIEW
Athens Stock Exchange Roadshow in London The Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) carried out in London its two day annual Roadshow of Greek companies, last September 2013. Around 200 fund managers attended as well as 28 ASE registered companies. The Roadshow attracted an increased number of
David Powell, Economist of Bloomberg, Ilias Lekkos, Group Chief Economist, Piraeus Bank, Michael Massourakis, Senior Manager, Economic Research Alpha Bank, Platon Monokroussos, Head of Financial Markets Research, Eurobank
foreign institutional investors curious about opportunities in Greece and over 1,000 special meeting took place extending the event into a third day. It was supported by Bloomberg. At an exclusive Cocktail evening the ASE also handed out prizes to the patrons of its 8th Roadashow, including, Alpha Finance, Beta Nasos Thanopoulos, Morgan Stanley, received Securities, his award from Thimios Bouloutas, Marfin Eurobank Equities, Investment Group, and Socrates Lazaridis, Euroxx Securities, Chairman of the Athens Stock Exchange Investment Bank of Greece, Morgan Stanley. The evening's events were supported by Bloomberg whose TV program 'On the move', also granted an interview to ASE president, Mr Christos Megalou,Credit Suisse, presented an award to Michael Socrates Lazarides. Andreadis ,Investment Bank of Greece
THE HELLENIC TIMES international
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ECONOMIC VIEW
NEW APPOINTMENTS NEW GUARD AT THE CYPRUS HIGH COMMISSION
Josephides new Chairman of ABTA
By Kyriakos Tsioupras A er five years of service as High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in London Mr Alexandros Zenon has moved back to Cyprus where he has taken his old post of Director General of the Foreign Ministry . Mr Zenon was in the same position when in 2008 he was transfered to London to serve as High Commissioner. The new High Commissioner, Mr Euripides Euriviades, is expected to take up his position later on this month. Mr Euriviades, also a high calibre diplomat , has served in various posts including that of Ambassador in Washington.
A modern day Icarus! “The upli ing story of a talented Greek” Greeks are found in all walks of professional life. Ilias Panagopoulos was a Colonel commanding fighter pilot with the Hellenic Air Force and with qualifications from Greece and the US. Then he moved to London and found work in Britain and Holland where he could market his skills and his special insight. He specialises in the growing field of aviation security and safety. His hands on experience make him invaluable as an adviser and also as a lecturer in Aviation Management modules at the University of Coventry. Furthermore, he became a Senior Trainer of Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA), Training Organisation in Netherlands. He is currently completing a PhD in Air Transport Management and Safety at the City University in London. He also assists at EU level to develop aviation safety for air operators with new safety regulation. He is a member of EASA/EHEST Specialist Team Operations, Special Team Training and SMS Teams chaired by the European Safety Strategic Initiative (ESSI) Secretary and EASA Safety Coordinator. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is based in Cologne and it is the main Aviation Regulatory Body in Europe. It is certainly encouraging that Greece nurtures such multi-faceted talents .
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The new Chairman of the Travel Association, better known as ABTA, is Noel Josephides. He was already a director since 2006. The members of the association handle around ninety percent of the package holidays sold in the UK. His own lengthy experience in the travel market has given him the necessary credentials needed. He has been active in the tourism sector for over 40 years. He is Chairman of the Sunvil Group which carries around 28,000 passengers per annum. Speaking to The Hellenic Times, Mr Josephides was optimistic about the 2014 tourist numbers to Greece. He said they might well be higher than 2013. "Tourists are still looking for cheap deals and prefer to buy special offers", he told us but sounded a word of caution, pointing out that Greece has to be careful with prices, "they have to be reasonable if Greece want to attract travellers", he observed. Though global warming due to man's burning of fossil fuels has meant that the good weather in Britain during summer held back bookings; he noted that the current problems in Turkey and Egypt meant that destinations like Greece , Portugal and Spain benefitted. Mr Josephides has also been Chairman of the Association of Greek Cypriot Travel Agents (AGTA) since 2003. The next event to be organised by Sunvil will be an open day event at the historic Elvetham Hotel in Hampshire on 10 November 2013 on the occasion of The World Travel Market 2013 and entitled, Meet the Travel Experts. Mr Josephides and the directors of Sunvil, Expert Africa, GIC The Villa Collection, and Planet Holidays will be available to meet representatives from various tourist boards and Hoteliers.
ECONOMIC VIEW
TASTES OF CRETE goes international at London's OLYMPIA Minas Konstantakis from Crete was the only Greek producer to have a stand with his produce at the Specialty and Fine Food Fair in September 2013, at London's Olympia. Mr Konstantakis was promoting his Extra Virgin Olive Oil with its distinctive taste of the 'Koroneiki' variety, as well as his pure thyme honey from the area of Messara in Crete. Minas's confidence in the quality of his local Greek produce set up a
GREEK SHIPPING BRITISH FORUM He has an engaging sense of humour, his initiatives have livened up the City and he has been honoured with an OBE and CBE. Now, Professor Costas Grammenos himself is the centre of celebrations as Cass Business School, City University London is about to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 'Costas Grammenos Centre for Shipping, Trade & Finance'. The success of the Centre is a living testament to the healthy traditional presence of Greek shipping in London. The event will coincide with the Centre's Seventh City of London Biennial Meeting. The first Biennial Meeting took place in November 1999, and the keynote speaker was the then Governor of the Bank of England, the late Lord George, who praised it for immediately becoming a forum where, "academics, policy-makers and business leaders from around the world have the opportunity to discuss and debate issues which contribute to the dynamic development of the City of London markets and their effect worldwide." The event is sponsored by the Maria Tsakos Foundation and as it is non-commercial no fee is charged for attendance which is by invitation only.
LOOKING AHEAD 2014 By Vicky pryce 2013 has been a year of gradual recovery for the world economy but it has been volatile and full of uncertainties and also uneven. The US pubic services shutdown and issues around their debt ceiling have been clouding prospects for next year and unsettling the markets as is talk of a gradual withdrawal of the huge amount of funding that the Federal Reserve has been pumping into the US economy. In the UK GDP is now forecast to expand by more than 1% in 2013 and by just over 2% in 2014 on the back of increased consumer spending and
company in Southampton, in southern England to reach an international market, 'Messara Gourmet Products'. www.messara-gourmet-products.com sales@messara-gourmet-products.com
construction activity but real disposable incomes remain tight, investment spending is still subdued and the longed for re-balancing of the economy is a long way off. UK output is still at present some 3% below its pre recession level. UK prospects remain very tied in with the eurozone where most of is exports go and the problems of the periphery countries, including Greece, have not gone away. The Eurozone is just beginning to post its first growth figures a er a year and a half of declining output and even Greece was able to show a rise quarter on quarter in the most recent quarter boosted by strong tourist receipts. That is welcome. As is the emergence of a government primary surplus and an improvement in the country's current account. But output will still fall in the year as a whole and unemployment at over 27%, with youth unemployment at 64% is the highest in europe, having overtaken Spain which is running a close second. Yes, confidence is finally improving and foriegn investors are beginning to look at greece with greater interest as asset prices have fallen so considerably that they now look attractive. And competitiveness has improved. But output has fallen by some 25% since the beginning of the crisis and greece will need to see a further reduction in the debt overhang with more debt 'haircuts ' and rescheduling and possible further injection of funds to get the econmy back on a sustainable path for growth. The banking system, which has been re -capitalised at immense cost, needs to start lending properly again to support the economy. And of course the continuation of reforms is critical. But the interesting thing for Greece is that although a year ago the crisis management was considered to be just an issue for Greece, it has now become crystal clear that Greece's problems were just a manifestation, though a rather more extreme one, of what was wrong with the Eurozone as a whole. Let's hope 2014 gives us the solution!" Vicky Pryce is a Greek born economist and former joint head of the UK Government Economic Service. The updated edition of her book "Greekonomics" on the Eurozone crisis is currently being published by Biteback Publishing. THE HELLENIC TIMES international
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HRH PRINCE CHARLES and
I met HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, for the first time in June 1987 when he was playing polo in Windsor Great Park. He was in a team competing for the King Constantine Cup - in aid of the Hellenic College in London. It was a glorious day with a series of excellent polo matches and the event was a highlight in the rich history of the Greek community in London. By Martha-Maria Chrysomallis
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HIS SPIRITUAL QUEST After that event I was fortunate to meet the Prince again at other polo fixtures for the King Constantine Cup, as well as at events at St James's Palace, Hampton Court Palace, at a meeting, in London, of the British School at Athens, and other occasions. His presence invariably added an element of thrill to each occasion. Likewise, at all the polo matches at which he played in the team, a real sense of excitement was added to what has always been an adventurous game. However it was more recently, in June 2010 when I visited Highgrove Gardens, that I discovered that Prince Charles also has a profoundly spiritual side. I had heard that he talks to plants but I never paid much attention to the matter even though I'd found it intriguing, especially since his respect for the natural world was ahead of its time. I knew that in many respects he is the best prepared Crown Prince in the
world to become King and that he is a master in public speaking. I was further struck by his qualities and interests after a Buckingham Palace official gave a briefing to the London correspondents at a Foreign Press Association gathering and described the Prince's activities in detail, including something of his involvement in 400 charities and organisations of which he is either Patron or President.
The Visit to Highgrove 2010 The visit to Highgrove was organised by the London-based Society of the Friends of Mount Athos. The Prince is Patron of the Society and was hosting the event to mark its twentieth anniversary. First we had a guided tour in the gardens conducted by specially trained local volunteers. As we strolled along listening to the guide and looking around, I began
gradually to sense what a connection to heaven might be like. I felt my soul getting intimations from heaven, as it were, and that feeling actually persisted for several days, making me imagine that there must be some form of strong metaphysical energy in the gardens. Indeed, in the record of art, poetry, and dreams, heaven and gardens are perennially connected. Prince Charles has woven his soul into the making of this garden and the result is there, like a splendidly large oriental carpet depicting paradise, to savour and meander upon. I'd never experienced such a feeling before, even when visiting churches or holy places. Now whenever I hear mention of the Prince talking to plants this means to me that he greatly respects nature; and it is the case that if you respect nature, you bring harmony between Earth and heaven and the dimensions of reality that these represent. It is simple but true that for some a garden - if nowhere else - is a place The Carpet Garden
The apples trees are pruned in the shape of a crown. In the autumn, the apples ripen and look like the jewels of the crown
where such a harmony can be brought into being; and, as every gardener tells us, it's a completely living connection. Another thing that becomes obvious when you visit Highgrove is a sense of the Prince having a respect and understanding of the value of all religions and philosophies in the world. Spiritually speaking, this must transport the Prince, when he is in the Sanctuary of his garden, to a level of contemplation that is perhaps worthy of a soul that might qualify as one of the truly blessed people on this Earth.
The Sanctuary in the Garden Yes indeed, there is a very small "church" in the gardens opposite the Prince's house, arranged so 'that it can be looked at from
his home', explained the guide. We visitors weren't permitted to enter the Sanctuary, but the guide informed us that it had a very simple interior, there being only a few Byzantine icons, a few 'candilia', and a couple of chairs. We were told that the Prince spends hours praying there. And then the guide said, 'Do, please, encourage the Prince to visit Mount Athos; like this special place, it does him so much good.'
The Prince and the 'Miracle'! Another (anecdotal) sign, so to speak, that Prince Charles appears to... relate to heaven is the story that he has initiated a "miracle". I first heard the story in September 2004 during lunch by the sea on the island of Santorini with two
M. Chrysomallis, Prince Charles, Graham Speake at Highgrove, 2010
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prominent Athenian lawyers and a cousin of Spyros Latsis. We were attending a friend's wedding. When the Prince boarded the Latsis family's yacht to visit Mount Athos, the captain mentioned that his wife had no children. The Prince replied, "Next time we come here bring your wife as well". The captain agreed and on the Prince's next trip to Mount Athos the captain's wife was on the yacht. Women are not allowed to ascend the Holy Mountain, but Prince Charles invited the woman to come ashore and wait at the foot of Mount Athos. He then asked one of the monks to come down with the 'Holy Belt' (of the Virgin Mary which is kept at Mount Athos). The monk duly arrived, placed the Holy Belt on the woman's stomach, and said prayers. The next year the captain's wife became pregnant. When I had the chance to speak to Prince Charles during my visit to Highgrove I mentioned the story to him and he replied, "That is right, with the Holy Belt!"
Hilandar - Bridgewater House There was an event organised by The Friends of Mount Athos at Bridgewater House in aid of Hilandar Monastery, 2004. The main speaker on that occasion was the Ambassador of Serbia. Prince Charles, who also attended the event, was invited to speak off-the-cuff. The audience were quite entranced by his speech, which clearly came from the heart. An atheist friend of mine was so
Temple of Worthies, with a sculpted portrait of the Queen Mother by Marcus Cornish
impressed that she developed a lifelong interest in religious and royal matters; furthermore, she even came to accept with relief something that had previously upset her, namely that her only daughter had become a nun. The Prince of Wales' serious and extensive study of different religions and philosophies, together with his openmindedness, has enabled him to cultivate his inner self. Consequently he has developed the potential to become a significant voice that can stand for and mediate for what is the best in the human
spirit - an advocate of the like this world in these times we live in greatly needs. Now almost everywhere on Earth the human spirit is in danger of being crushed by lack of civility, by economic circumstances, at worst, by new instruments of a technological tyranny - or, at best, simply by an unkind technology. Now is particularly a time when there are few effective persons in prominent positions who are ready to encourage initiatives for a spiritual revolution of the kind that can establish a rapport between the world we live in and what is presently the
suppressed best of us - which is the ethics of heaven in us; that part which has been thrown out of that world city which has supplanted Eden. In creating his garden the Prince has been so bold as to re-establish a bit of Eden on the outskirts of one of the world's overpowering metropolis. And by demonstrating this answer he shows us the way to an initiative for a much-needed spiritual revolution to happen. He is on a mission - as we all can be, starting from our own little gardens and window-boxes, however humble any of these might be!
HIGHGROVE GARDENS An ecological Garden of the World In his own words, since he moved to his new residence in Highgrove, thirty years ago, Prince Charles has transformed it into a garden which delights the eye, warms the heart and feeds the soul. With the help and advice of various people and a dedicated garden staff he has created what could well be described as a marvellous quilt of gardened civilisations. Each section is punctuated by its own blend of plants and a classically proportioned architectural feature. In the Thyme Walk this is nothing less than a row of yews pacing down the avenue and clipped into eccentric shapes, somewhere between eastern hats once found along the Silk road and cones. In the Stumpery we find the Temple of
Worthies made of green oak and treated so as to give the impression of rusticated stone. The various units are accessed along leafy paths, cobbled surfaces or simply avenues of grassy lawn. A number of the sculptured items and quite a few of the more exotic plants were
gifts from around the world. The Winterbourne Garden has a stone bench from the Saints and Sinners Club of London. Other statues were from established and aspiring artists. The Bath stone doorway was carved by students from the Prince's Foundation for Building The Sanctuary
Cottage Garden
Community; it leads to the Kitchen Garden. There is a copy of an Egyptian carving and a little memorial to the Prince's Jack Russell Terrier. There is also a statue of Diana, the Greek and Roman Goddess of Hunting. The vast assembly of plants also serve practical purposes, providing herbs, fruit, vegetables and reminiscent of the vegetable garden around the Swiss Cottage at Osbourne House in the Isle of Wight. The Prince's ecological concerns and philosophy of ethically sound management mean that everything is organic and sustainable. So far he has proven that organic methods are not only sustainable, but also act to the benefit of man and nature. Though the gardens are open to the public, the Prince also holds meeting at Highgrove for the charities and organisations he supports. These take place in the Orchard Room, built in 1998 but harking back to older, rural times. The interior has inscriptions from the preindustrial poet William Blake who thundered against the dark message of industrialisation. Of course, no country home is complete without a terrace. At Highgrove, all the plants were chosen and planted by the Prince, they include Mexican orange blossom and 150 year old olive trees brought from Spain. Its stonework and walls are the work of Fred
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Highgrove House
Ind who has given thirty years of his life working at Highgrove. There is no doubt that from the gentle Classical rhythms of the House itself to the oak Chicken House with its shingle roof, and from the Golden
Column to the delights of the walled garden, Highgrove offers an instructive insight into the philosophy and values of the Prince of Wales.
"Harmony" Book Prince Charles' most explicit book on his spiritual and ecological beliefs "HARMONY" was published in 2010. It amounts to a call for a modern spiritual Revolution. For more than 30 years Prince Charles has been at the forefront of the ever growing ecological movement. At first his ideas, just like the need for a global awareness of our natural heritage was met, at best, with scepticism. In his book, the Prince has brought together his vast knowledge and experience to set out this philosophy, with the help of his two leading advisers, Tony Juniper and Ian Skelly. He describes how knowledge and perspectives now largely lost could help us meet today's seemingly insurmountable challenges, including those in the built environment, engineering, medicine and farming. The book is a wonderful way to appreciate how seemingly unconnected philosophies meet at a deeper, human level as well as connecting our Earth with the Universe. Below are extracts from the Book which show the Prince's amazing grasp of Ancient Wisdom and its relevance to the
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modern day: -Plato 428347BC held that the whole universe is a divine drama and that philosophy should be seen as a way of inner enlightenment. In this way the Platonic tradition, which informed classical learning, considered all education to be a reminiscence of immutable and eternal ideas. -The pull of the Moon is considerable. Not only does it move tides twice a day, it pulls on the Earth. Many gardeners and farmers are rediscovering the benefit of planting according to its phases, part of a profound knowledge neglected by modern techniques. -The Egyptian goddess Ma'at, tomb of Queen Nefertari 1300-1255BC. Ancient Egypt harboured a profound wisdom. The Egyptians considered the realm of myth to be where spiritual forces assume objective shapes to teach humanity universal realities.
The Prince of Wales and Mount Athos The Prince of Wales is Royal Patron of the Friends of Mount Athos, an international organization for everyone who shares a concern for the Orthodox monasteries of Mount Athos. Athos is the spiritual heart of the Orthodox Church, a peninsula in northern Greece where for more than a thousand years monks from all over the Orthodox world have devoted themselves to a life of prayer and worship. Athos is first of all a holy place, dedicated to the glory of the Mother of God, where ‘every stone breathes prayers’. It is also a place of great natural beauty, where dense forests and steep hillsides are penetrated by a network of ancient mule-tracks and footpaths which for centuries have provided the only link from one monastery to the next. Not surprisingly, Athos has attracted not only holy men and their disciples but also painters, poets, philosophers, musicians, and mystics. Prince Charles was first introduced to Athos by the artist Derek Hill. The two of them used to paint together and Derek, who had discovered Athos in his younger days, encouraged the Prince to explore for himself its unspoilt landscapes and its quaint buildings as ideal subjects for his art. The Prince took up the suggestion and after a few visits he found much more there than just subjects for painting. Athos is known as the Garden of the Mother of God. It is a spiritual meadow,
honoured by generations of monks, another Eden, a horticultural paradise. The Prince too is a gardener and he is rightly proud of the garden that he has created at Highgrove, his country house in England’s Gloucestershire. But for him Highgrove is far more than just a garden. He has spoken of his attempt ‘to create something that has a circular sense to it, so that it is, as it were, a journey from one atmosphere to another, something that has somehow come from within and sometimes even from my dreams’. He admits that he has always wanted ‘to try to create something that warmed the hearts and fed the souls of the people who visit the garden’. For him, as for countless others, Athos was clearly such a place, such a garden. The footpaths of Athos have also captured the attention of the Prince. It was a letter from a Greek pilgrim, concerned about the deterioration and neglect of the paths, that caught his imagination and inspired him to issue a challenge to the Friends of Mount Athos to do something about them. And it was typical of his concern for Athos that he should take up an issue such as this and not only ensure that action was taken but also participate personally in the project. Every year he would return in the spring to Athos, ‘as a kind of swallow’, to work alongside the team of volunteers, clearing the paths and doing their best to restore beauty and harmony to the Virgin’s garden. The buildings of Athos, not just the monasteries and sketes but also the simple hermitages and the functional Mount Athos
structures such as mills and fountains, have also claimed his attention. He willingly accepted an invitation to be Patron of the Friends’ Hilandar Appeal when that monastery suffered a catastrophic fire in 2004 in which it lost half of its buildings. But no less eagerly did he undertake the restoration of a humble building at Vatopedi, used for many years as a stable, to its original purpose as a chapel. The Prince’s views on architecture are well known: he minds about it because he thinks that the way in which we build anything in the landscape or in the townscape is in many ways a physical expression of the values that we hold. This too he has put into practice at Highgrove with the building of his Sanctuary, a little chapel in the garden that is constructed of earth and straw and wood and stone and plaster. It could be a hermitage on Mount Athos. Above all, the Prince is concerned about the lost sense of balance and harmony in our lives. A visit to Mount Athos, he believes, can open up a new dimension in our hearts and create an awareness of the inner path of the holy life that has an impact on the lives of all who come in contact with it. In his opinion most of us have managed to educate out this heart-centredness in our lives and to destroy that awareness of our intuition that is vital to leading a balanced existence. Contact with the perennial wisdom of the Athonite fathers enables us to start to retrieve that lost balance. Graham Speake Mount Athos
John C. Hadjipateras & Sons Ltd The first 60 years in London The Hadjipateras family is a traditional Greek shipping family which has been working the seas for generations. The family originates from the small island of Oinousses, near Chios, in the Eastern Aegean Sea.
John P. Hadjipateras and John M. Hadjipateras by the portrait of the founder John C. Hadjipateras
Captain John C. Hadjipateras was born in Oinoussai in 1888 and was the eldest son of Captain Constantinos J. Pateras (1856-1943). In 1894, Captain Constantinos Pateras was on a ship discharging in Haifa. He took the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and was baptised in the River Jordan; he then added the pre-fix 'Hadji' to his surname, becoming the first 'Hadjipateras' and thus inaugurating a new branch of the Pateras family. The family was based in Chios and later in Athens. The war years prevented Captain John C. Hadjipateras and his brothers from opening a shipping office in London, so they endured the years of the Nazi occupation of Greece, operating as best they could out of Piraeus. Despite the losses sustained during the war, Capt. JCH continued to pursue his plan to open an office in London, to be at the heart of the maritime world. From war-torn Greece, Captain John moved his family to Montreal in Canada. His eldest son, Costas J. Hadjipateras operated out of New York, whilst his other children, Marcos, Nicolas, Pantelis and Katie completed their education in Montreal and England. In 1952, the family began the transition to London. The newly'Archimidis'
opened John C. Hadjipateras & Sons Ltd (JCH & Sons Ltd) was initially manned by Costas and Marcos. A few years later, Nicolas and Pantelis joined, together with Captain John, who remained very hands-on and attended the office daily, until his death in 1979. For the past sixty years, the office has been based in the City of London, only a short distance from the Baltic Exchange and the Lloyd's Building. In the 1950's and until relatively recently, business transactions were carried out in person, so close proximity to these major institutions was very important. Costas (1920-2000) served on the board of the West of England P&I Club for over thirty years; For over forty years Nicolas (1932-2011) was a member of the Baltic Exchange and also served on the council of the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee. JCH & Sons Ltd maintain their presence in the London Greek shipping community through the third generation, who are contemporizing the traditions and values of their forefathers. Together with the extended Hadjipateras family, they continue to support several Oinoussian and Greek charities and remain closely involved with the wider Greek community in the UK. 'Kapodistrias'
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ENVIRONMENT AND SPIRITUALITY
Transforming Perspectives and Practices
Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis
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The Sixth Day of Creation Permit me to take you on a journey … back to what theologians call “the beginning.” Whenever we think of the Genesis story, we o en forget our connection to our environment. Whether this is a natural reaction or a sign of arrogance, we do tend to overemphasize our creation “in the image and likeness of God” (Gen. 1.26) and overlook our creation from “the dust of the ground” (2.7). Yet, our “heavenliness” does not overshadow our “earthliness.” Most people are unaware that we human beings did not get a day to ourselves in the creation account. In fact, we shared “the sixth day” with the creeping and crawling things of the world (1.24-26). We enjoy a binding unity with God’s world. The depth of Adam (haadam) is closely related to the topsoil of creation (adamah). It is helpful – and humble – to recall this truth. In recent years, we have been reminded – indeed, in a painful way – of this truth with the cruel flora and fauna extinction, with the irresponsible soil and forest clearance, and with the unacceptable noise, air, and water pollution. Still, our concern for the environment is not a form of superficial or sentimental love. It is a way of honoring our creation by God. It is a way of hearing the “mourning of the land” (Hosea 41.3) and the “groaning of creation”
(Rom. 8.22). My presentation is dedicated to the truth of that sixth day of creation. Anything less than the full story – any deviation from the fullness of that truth – is dangerous heresy. Speaking of “heresy” in assessing the ecological crisis is not farfetched. For whenever we speak (whether of heavenly or earthly things), we invariably draw upon established values of ourselves and our world. The technical language we adopt or the particular “species” we preserve, all depend on values and images that we promote, even presume. We tend to call our predicament an “ecological crisis.” Yet the cause of the problem is rooted in the paradigms that impel us to pursue a particular lifestyle. The crisis concerns the way we imagine our world. It is a battle over images, a battle over icons. In classical traditions, human beings regarded themselves as descendant from God, or from the gods. They looked upon the world as soul-ful, not soul-less; as sacred (like them), not subjected (to them). In their experience and memory, every flower, every bird, every star was holy. The sap of the trees was identified with their life-blood. Nature was not an object for experimentation or exploitation; trade was never at the expense of nature. Now the experience and memory of the Orthodox Church is also shaped by certain symbols and values. As an Orthodox Christian, THE HELLENIC TIMES international
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when I consider symbols and values, I think of the central importance of: • icons (as the way we view and perceive creation); • liturgy (as the way we celebrate and respond to creation); and • asceticism (as the way we respect and treat creation). The mystics recognize that “everything that breathes praises God” (Ps. 150.6); the entire world is a “burning bush of God’s energies.” When, as Isaac the Syrian says, “our eyes are opened to the beauty of things,” we can discern more clearly the “divine sparks scattered everywhere.”
I. The Iconic Vision of Nature Seeing clearly is precisely what icons teach us to do. The world of the icon reveals the eternal dimension in all that we see and experience. Our generation, it may be said, is characterized by a sense of self-centeredness toward the natural cosmos, by a lack of awareness of the beyond. We appear to be inexorably locked within the confines of our individual concerns – even in our desire to escape from this impasse – with no access to the world outside or around us. We have broken the sacred covenant, the symbolic connection between our selves and our world. Well, the icon restores; it reconciles. The icon reminds us of another way and reflects another world. It provides a corrective to our culture, which gives value only to the here and now. The icon aspires to the inner vision of all, the world as created and as intended by God. Traditionally, the first image attempted by an iconographer is the Transfiguration of Christ on Mt. Tabor. For the iconographer strives to hold together this world and the next, to transfigure this world in light of the next. By disconnecting this world from heaven, we have in fact desacralized both. The icon reminds us that there is no double vision or double order in creation. It speaks in this world the language of the age to come. This is why the doctrine of the divine incarnation is at the very heart of iconography. In the icon of Jesus Christ, the uncreated God assumes a creaturely face, a beauty that is “exceeding” (Ps. 44.2), a “beauty that can save the world.” And in Orthodox icons, faces – whether of Christ or of the saints – are always frontal, depicting two eyes that gaze back at the beholder. The conviction
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is that Christ is in our midst, Emmanuel (Mt. 1.23). Profile signifies sin; it implies rupture. Faces are “all eyes,” profoundly receptive, eternally susceptive of divine grace. “I see” means that “I am seen,” which in turn means that I am in communion. The icon converts the beholder from a restricted worldview to a fuller vision, where everything is reconciled “in him through whom all things live, move, and have their being” (Acts 17.28). So the light of the icon is the light of reconciliation. It is not the waning light of this world; it “knows no evening,” to quote an Orthodox hymn. Thus, icons depicting events that occurred in the daytime are no brighter than icons depicting events that occurred at nighttime. For example, the icon of the sorrowful descent from the Cross is no darker than the icon of Pentecost. The icon of the Nativity is no brighter than the icon of the Crucifixion. The luminous dimension in the Last Supper is no different to that in the Transfiguration. The icon presupposes – and proposes – another light in which to see things; a “different way of life,” as the Orthodox Easter liturgy sings. It provides another means of communication – beyond the conceptual, the written and the spoken word. This is the language of silence and of mystery. The entire world, then, is an icon. “Nothing is a vacuum in the face of God,” wrote Irenaeus of Lyons in the 2nd century; “everything is a sign of God.” And so in icons, rivers assume a human form, as do the sun and the moon and the stars and the waters. They all assume human faces; all acquire a personal dimension – just like us; just like God. And if the world is an icon, then nothing whatsoever lacks sacredness. If God were not visible in creation, then neither could God be worshiped as invisible in heaven.
II. The Liturgy of Nature What Orthodox icons achieve in space and matter, Orthodox liturgy accomplishes in song and time: the same ministry of reconciliation, the same anticipation and participation of heaven on earth. If we are guilty of relentless waste, it may be because we have lost the spirit of worship. We are no longer respectful pilgrims on this earth; we are mere tourists. At a time when we have polluted the air that we breathe and the water that we drink, we are called to restore within ourselves a sense of awe and
delight, to respond to matter as to a mystery of ever-increasing connections. By liturgical, however, I do not imply ceremonial. I mean relational. To develop further the concept of icons, we are to think of the world as a picture, an image: one requires every part of a picture in order for it to be complete. If we remove one part of the picture – whether a tree, or an animal, or a human being – then the entire picture is distorted. The truth is that we respond to nature with the same delicacy, the very same sensitivity and tenderness, with which we respond to any human person in a relationship. We have learned that we cannot treat people like things; we must now learn not to treat even things like mere things. Just as all our ecological activities are measured by their effect on people, especially the poor, similarly all our spiritual activities are judged by their impact on the world, especially our environment. Liturgy, then, is a commemoration of the innate connection between God and people and things, a celebration of the intimate relationship between everyone and everything. It is what in the 7th century St. Maximus the Confessor called “cosmic liturgy,” what in the same century St. Isaac the Syrian described as acquiring: A merciful heart, which burns with love for the whole of creation – for humans, for birds, for beasts, for demons – for all God’s creatures. In the early part of the 20th century, Fyodor Dostoevsky embraced the same idea in The Brothers Karamazov, relating forgiveness to compassion: Love all God’s creation, the whole of it and every grain of sand. Love every leaf, every ray of God’s light! … If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. And once you have perceived it, you will come to love the whole world with an abiding, universal love. Love the animals. Do not torture them, do not exalt yourself above them! … Kiss the earth ceaselessly and love it insatiably. Love all people, love everything. There is a dimension of art, music, and beauty in the world. This means, however, that whenever we narrow life (even religious life) to ourselves – to our menial concerns and our selfish desires – we neglect our vocation to reconcile and transform creation. Our relationship with this world determines our relationship with heaven. The way we treat the earth is reflected in the way that we pray to God. Humanity, we now know, is less than humanity without the rest of creation. We may even dare to suggest that this world is much
more than a mere reflection or revelation of heaven; it is a fulfillment and completion of heaven. Heaven is less than heaven without this world. Just as we are incomplete without the rest of material and animal creation, so too the kingdom of God remains – bold and scandalous though it may seem – incomplete without the world around us.
III. The Body of the World; or The World of Ascesis Of course, this world does not always look or even feel like the completion of heaven. And in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan a little over a year ago or BP’s oil disaster in America a year before that, it was admittedly difficult to perceive what Dostoevsky called “the divine mystery in things.” This is why, in his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul writes: Through him [Christ], God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, through the blood of his cross (1.20). Reference here to “the blood of the cross” is an indication of the cost involved. It reminds us of the reality of human failure and of the need for cosmic repentance. In order to alter our self-image, what is required is nothing less than a radical reversal of our perspectives and practices. There is a price to pay for wasting. The balance of the world has been shattered. The ecological crisis will not be solved with sentimental slogans or smiley stickers. It is the “tree of the cross” that ultimately reveals a way out of our ecological impasse by proposing self-denial as a solution to self-centeredness. In the Orthodox tradition, this translates into the way of renunciation or detachment, the way of liberation from egocentrism, the way of the ascetics. It is the way of assuming responsibility for one’s actions and one’s world. It is sometimes helpful to look in the mirror. It is sometimes helpful to ask ourselves questions. Is what I have what I need? Did I travel here on a plane to deliver my address to you? How is it my fault if the world’s thirst for oil is destroying the planet? It is compelling that the earth reminds us of – and even confronts us with – our denial. Still, we stubbornly refuse to accept that our THE HELLENIC TIMES international
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comfortable lives, dependent as they are on cheap energy, are in any way responsible for the Gulf of Mexico being polluted by millions of gallons of oil. Yet how can we, as intelligent human beings, believe that a century of pumping oil-fired pollution into the atmosphere has no ramification? Asceticism means being free, uncompelled by ways that use the world; characterized by self-control, self-restraint, and the ability to say “no” or “enough.” Asceticism aims at neither detachment nor destruction, but at refinement. Its goal is moderation, not suppression. Let’s take a familiar example of asceticism: fasting. We Orthodox fast from all dairy and meat products for nearly half the entire year, almost as if in an effort to reconcile one half of the year with the other, secular time with the heavenly time of the Kingdom. Learning to fast is learning to share; it is learning to give and not simply give up. It is breaking down barriers, recognizing in other people faces – icons, we might say – and recognizing in the earth the very face of God. And here, I think, lies the heart of the problem. For we are unwilling – in fact, violently resist any call – to adopt simpler lives. We have misplaced the spirituality of simplicity and frugality. The challenge is this: How do I live in such a way that promotes harmony and not division? How can I acknowledge – daily – “the earth as the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Ps. 23.1)? Returning, then, to the practice of fasting: to fast is to see more clearly the original beauty of the world. Fasting is moving away from what I want to what the world needs.
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Fasting is valuing everything for itself, not simply for myself. It is regaining a sense of wonder and being filled with a sense of goodness, of God-liness. It is seeing all things in God, and God in all things.
IV. The Sign of Jonah There is a profound iconographic depiction of this perception in an 18th-century icon at the Monastery of Toplou in Crete. The iconographer is Ioannis Kornaros (1745-1796). It is literally a theological statement in color. The icon derives its title from the Great Blessing of the Waters chanted each year during the Feast of Epiphany on January 6th and repeated in the Baptism of every Orthodox Christian: Great are you, O Lord, and wondrous are your works; no words suffice to hymn your wonders! At the far le of this image, created nature is portrayed as a woman, reflecting “mother earth” that indigenous peoples throughout the world (both Indians of North America and Aborigines of Australia) respected and retained for centuries. Nature extends her arms in a gesture of openness and embrace toward all people and all things (Ps. 85.1). The icon depicts urban life (with the cities of Samaria and Nineveh in the background) and agricultural life (with farmers tilling the slopes). We can see people and rivers and vegetation, while a vast rainbow reflects the eternal covenant between the Creator and creation. While the icon is abundantly rich in symbolism, two scenes
are particularly interesting. The first depicts Jonah being cast from the mouth of a large sea beast, as in the biblical story. This scene is a powerful and profound image of resurrection and the renewal of all things. One of the early symbols of Christ, whereby Christians recognized one another, was the fish – the Greek word being an acronym for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” The fish, then, is a soteriological statement of faith. Christ has been intimately and integrally identified with fish. Any abuse of fishing or over-fishing relates in a personal way to Christ Himself. The second scene depicts the slaying of Abel by Cain, a violent representation of the destructive impact of our current policies and practices upon future generations. We can no longer remain passive observers (or, worse, active contributors) to the merciless violation of the earth. Until we perceive in the pollution of our planet the portrait of our brother and sister, we cannot resolve the inequalities of our world. Indeed, until we discern in the pollution of our planet the face of our children, we will not comprehend the irreversible consequences of our actions.
Conclusion: The Way Forward Not long ago, my elder son and I paid a routine visit to the optometrist. Now Alex is not as meticulous as he should be with his eye care. So as he received his new prescription, I overheard his reaction: “Wow! That's what I'm supposed to see?” When we look at our world, I wonder what we see? For the way we view our planet reflects how we relate to it. We treat our planet in a god-forsaken manner precisely because we see it in this way. Unless we change the way we see the world, then we shall simply be dealing with symptoms, not their causes. In his now classic article entitled “The Roots of our Ecological Crisis,” medieval historian Lynn White Jr. (1907-1987) already suspected – although he did not elaborate on – this truth, noting that: The Greek saint contemplates; the Western saint acts. The Latins felt that sin was moral evil, that salvation lay in right conduct. The implications of Christianity for the conquest of nature would emerge more easily in the Western atmosphere. Far too o en, we are convinced that solving the ecological crisis is a matter of acting differently – more effectively or more sustainably. Let’s not forget, however, that it is our very actions that led us in the first place to the mess we’re in. The present ecological crisis is not simply the result of bad judgment or greed of some; it is also a consequence of considerable human effort and success, supposedly “for the benefit of all.” Paradoxically, ecological correction may in fact begin with environmental in-action or awareness. It is a matter of contemplation, of seeing things differently. First, we must stop
what we are doing. When we begin to understand that climate change is not just one in a long list of problems confronting scientists and politicians, we gain new “in-sight,” a new perception of our world. Peering through this lens, foreign policy actually looks different, while threats to security can be met by shipping technology to China rather than by shipping weapons to China’s enemies. Through this lens, the economy assumes a radically fresh outlook, where we abandon the urge for unbridled expansion and instead focus on the sustainability we so desperately need. Some years ago, Larry Summers – who served as President Clinton’s secretary of the treasury, World Bank economist, and President Obama’s director of the national economic council – declared he “cannot and will not accept any ‘speed limit’ on American economic growth.” Have we become so addicted to fantasies about riches without risk and profit without price? Do we honestly believe that our endless and mindless manipulation of the earth’s resources comes without cost or consequence? We are – as mystics taught through the ages – inextricably bound up with the history and destiny of our world. There is a profound connection between body and world, between the defilement of the body and the defacement of the earth. Already in the 3rd century, Origen of Alexandria believed: The world is like our bodies. It too is formed of many limbs and directed by a single soul. If the earth is our very flesh, then it is inseparable from our story, our destiny, and our God. For, as St. Paul says, “no one ever hates one’s own flesh.” (Eph. 5.29) Economy and technology are toxic when divorced from our vocation to see the world as God would. And if God saw the world as “very good” on that sixth day of creation, then we too can begin to sense in our world the promise of beauty and to see the world in its unfathomable interrelatedness. So the question is: How do we live in such a way that reflects spiritual values, that communicates generosity and gratitude, not arrogance and greed? Because if we don’t, then a significant patch of the Gulf Coast will have been lost in vain; and the Fukushima nuclear disaster precipitated by the tsunami will have gone unnoticed. But if we do, believe me, we will hear the ocean groan, and notice the grass grow, and feel the seal’s heart beat.
Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis is Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Throne and serves as ecological advisor to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. He completed his doctoral studies in Oxford and is a clergyman of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
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HISTORY
Letters of a deep friendship rekindled in a timely exhibition David Lloyd George
's hard to underestimate the importance of London in the life of Greek statesman Ele herios Venizelos in the early 20th Century. Likewise, it is impossible to underestimate his central role in the politics of the British Empire and in cementing Anglo-Greek relations.
It
A testament to this friendship is found in the correspondence between PM Venizelos and the Philhellene Prime Minister of Great Britain, Lloyd George. Both men came from the periphery of their respective countries, namely Wales and Crete and their personal friendship lasted a lifetime. At the end of World War I, Lloyd George had deep faith that, "the restoration of Greek civilisation in the Eastern Mediterranean would be a real contribution towards a sure peace." But when PM Venizelos lost the elections, he wrote to him assuring him of the sympathy and gratitude of the British people and that his name, "will always be honoured in this country as one of Britain's best friends and one of Europe's greatest statetsmen".
28 THE HELLENIC TIMES international
Ele herios Venizelos
George Lloyds' promise rang true when some of this correspondence with Venizelos was displayed at the residence of the Greek Ambassador in London, earlier this year. The exhibition was initiated by Lord Boswell and HE Ambassador Konstantinos Bikas. It is interesting to note that the ambassadorial residence had been donated by Mrs Elena Venizelos to the Hellenic state in 1920.
Lord Boswell spoke to the Hellenic Times on the occasion of the exhibition "I am so glad that the Greek Embassy in London has been able to mount such a fascinating exhibition on the friendship between Venizelos and Lloyd George, which I joined with the [Greek] Foreign Minister in opening on 4th June [2013]. I am grateful to all those from both the Greek and British sides who made this possible "This arose from a remarkable set of fortunate coincidences. First, my late father Eric Boswell did know Lloyd George
through his own personal friendship with Sir John Davies, who had worked with him as wartime Prime Minister. My father was not directly political, but was an expert horticulturalist who advised the elder statesman on growing his apple orchards during his retirement. Second, the Greek Ambassador and I discovered we both share a strong interest in archives and interwar history. Third, I happen to know that the Parliamentary Archives at Westminster hold the Lloyd George papers, and the Ambassador then set the necessary action in motion. It was a great opportunity to celebrate the abiding cultural and personal links between our two countries".
Lord Boswell of Aynho During the opening of the exhibition, Lord Boswell, in his speech, highlighted some cultural and personal encounters between Britain and Greece and the impact of Hellenic culture. He pointed out an article in the Financial Times quoting Thucydides to understand current aďŹ&#x20AC;airs
David Lloyd George
topics. He said how the "correspondent referred to his analysis of tension between the great power (Sparta) and the growing power (Athens) and applied it to the USA and China". He went on to state that, it is an interesting comment on British education that my own Greek stops at 404 BC, so I am happy to refer to Thucydides' description of his own work as a 'Ktima es aei' (Kτήμα ες αεί) and my own thoughts as an 'Autoschediasma es to parakrima',( Αυτοσχεδίασμα εiς το παραχρήμα) but sadly not to speak much contemporary Greek. On the letters he said that, the meeting of Lloyd George and Ele herios Venizelos first took place in 1912, under the auspices of the Greek Consul-General in London, Mr(later Sir) John Stavridis. Lord Boswell followed Anglo-Greek relations to the present day. He said, "from time to time there will be disagreements - I remember personally complaining about
Ele herios Venizelos
a potential risk to the site of the Battle of Marathon from works for the 2004 Olympiad, but on the other side I have played cricket in Kerkyra, and enjoyed the visit of the reconstructed Greek trireme to London". He stressed how, the sense of friendship and mutual respect carries us through difficult times. "We in London know that Greece is going through problems at present, but we have the hope and the confidence that you are emerging from them. You still have firm friends here".
HISTORY
Ambassador D. Kodelas, Captain Panagiotis Tsakos
Considering the importance of these letters, THE HELLENIC TIMES International can only express its hope that this exhibition will be repeated in the near future in a more public space. Cyprus High Commissioner Alex. Zenon, Lord Boswell
British Ambassador to Greece John Kittmer with former British Ambassadors to Greece, Sir David Madden KCMG(1999-2004) and Dr David Landsman OBE (2009-2012)
Lord Boswell, Greek Ambassador to UK Konstantinos Bikas
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NIKOS FOKAS A DRIVING FORCE
IN THE GREEK-HUNGARIAN DIASPORA Interview by Martha-Maria Chrysomallis
here is something inevitable about the flow of Greek traders towards the Danubian lands of Romania and Hungary. The Danube is a vast, majestic river flowing quietly into the Black Sea which, since ancient times, has been a magnet for Greeks to sail there and set up communities.
T
Nikos Fokas, the Greek Professor at the EOTVOS LORAND University, In Budapest
The old painting of the Greek Orthodox church of Pest by Franz Josef Sandmann, 1853
AGAINST ALL ODDS
n more recent times, the possibility for new Greek diaspora communities to take root in Hungarian territories was set by the Treaty of Passarowitz in 1718 which opened up borders and normalised relations between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy in central Europe. This coincided with the rise of a bourgeoisie with a taste for luxury goods such as oils, soaps, leather goods and fine cloths. An immediate impact of this was demand on the trade of cotton from Anatolia. The Greeks not only found themselves in the middle of these developments but they made a key contribution in opening new trade routes, finding producers for the new markets and establishing extensive networds for the safe movement of goods. Budapest, or rather Pest, was in a key geographical position to attract their acumen and their valuable skills. In this long diaspora line comes Budapest born Nikos Fokas. His family history and his passionate research into the Hungarian Greeks is a wonderful introduction to this significant community that transformed the dynamics of a major European capital but who history almost forgot.
I
But our story begins under the heavy clouds of a War. As a rule, during the Cold War few people willingly emigrated from the West to make a life behind the Iron Curtain, unless of course they were from the British upper classes working as Soviet spies. But as so o en in the past, it takes a Greek to break established rules. Professor Nikos Fokas was born in 1952 in Budapest because his father, a er an adventurous journey, moved there a er WWII. Nikos says, "my father was born in Constantinople, he attended at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris 1935. In 1945 he won again a scholarship from the French Institute in Athens to study architecture in Paris. He travelled there on the ship 'Mataroa' with a host of young Greek talent such as the sculptor Macris Agamemnon, the philosopher Nikos Papaioannou and psychologist Cornelios Castoriades. A er his studies, in 1949 and at the close of the Greek Civil War he arrived at the Greek border only to find it closed. So he stayed in Albania with remnants of Greek partisans, even though he was not a partisan himself. But he had to leave Albania and was transferred to Poland. In 1952 he was invited to Hungary to participate in the construction of a new Greek village for the Civil War political refugee families called now Beloiannisz (Beloyannis)." His mother is from the mountainous region of Euritania, in Central Greece. "Unlike my father, she took part in the Civil War because though she saw the Andartes (Communist partisans) take away the village doctor and teacher, she was convinced by their cause. However, when they lost at the end of the conflict she fled directly to Budapest via Poland."
The ship Mataroa
Sculptures by Memos Makris are found in many public spaces of Budapest
His parents met in Budapest in 1952 and, according to church records, they were married that year and had two boys, one became an economist and Nikos a renowned mathematician. They grew up in a family where politics and social issues were a daily topic of conversation. They also followed especially closely developments in Greece. A er finishing his studies he took up a position at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest eventually becoming head of department and doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
HUNGRY FOR GREEK HUNGARIAN RAPPROCHEMENT From 1980 he began a comparative analysis of Greece and Hungary. "I was interested in their different social structures and, from a scientific perspective, I was interested in the advantages and disadvantages of two social systems that belonged to different parts of Europe." Great changes followed the fall of the Iron Curtain in Hungary, including in the governance of the considerable Hungarian Greek
Wreath laying on 25 March 2005 in Budapest on the Chain Bridge
Some streets in Budapest were named a er prominent Greeks of Hungary
community which, due its centuries old roots in the country enjoyed special minority rights. In 2009 the 'Self-governance of Greeks of Hungary' founded the 'Institute of Research of the Greeks of Hungary'. "I became the director of the Institute while keeping my university position, in fact these two roles complement each other." Nikos has organised a number of conferences on the Greeks including 'First Greek Trade Diaspora in Austro-Hungary'. The conference explored the role of the Greeks in transforming Pest into the trade centre of Hungary from the late 18th and into the 19th century. At that time Buda and Pest were two different towns until Greeks contributed to uniting them into a single one by building the first bridge over the Danube . By the end of 18th century over two thirds of Pest traders were Greeks. The importance of the large Greek diaspora of professional people in Europe and its impact on European commercial networks have received scant attention. Nikos Fokas says that the most important family were the Sinas, over two generations. Georgios Sinas especially transformed the business inherited from his father into the largest enterprise of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The legacy can be
seen in civic building and, not least, in his role as a main financier in the first bridge over the Danube linking Buda and Pest and thereby turning them into one great capital city. In fact, says Nikos, it was privately owned until the state bought it out. Simon Sinas, son of Georgios, also turned his eyes to his ancestral land and financed the central building of the Academy of Athens. He also supported the largest museum in Hungary, the National Museum and was granted the title of Baron. It seemed appropriate to have a more permanent recognition of Simon Sinas, says Professor Fokas. He initiated the placing of a commemorative plaque in the Hungarian Academy and, with the cooperation of its Director, there is now also a coveted annual 'Prize Baron Simon Sinas'. A special chapter in the history of the Greeks in Hungary began a er WWII and the Greek Civil War. The Professor stressed that, "if there was no Greek in flux including Greek children brought by the Andartes we would not be in a position today to speak of a Greek diaspora. The reason is that the trade diaspora had to a large extent integrated socially as well as linguistically; it survived to some extent around the Orthodox Church. Due to the political system they turned to university education and opted for the scientific pursuits. Even
The Greek Orthodox church of Pest was erected in 1798 next to the Danube River. It came under the Jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow in 1950, though the matter has not been settled yet. The iconostasis of the Church was decorated by the Austrian painter Anton Kuchelmeister
Prof. Fokas at the scientific conference held in 2010 to celebreate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Greek magnate Simon Sina
though many had to learn what was for them a new and difficult language, they still made great achievements."
LAST BUT NOT LEAST... And today? "Today we live in a multi-party democracy and the Greeks who grew up in a tightly controlled society under Communism are now turning again to commercial activities. I hope we will see it reach again the heights of its 17th and 18th century Danubian ancestors. The Danube with its navigational links to the Black Sea is also an inspiration to Greeks of Romania." But there is also another element. "The Greeks who leave Greece, including the Vlachs, and the Sinas family had Vlach roots, do not cut their links with Greece something which is not the case with other countries. For instance, if a Hungarian decides to leave his country, something Hungarians and Czechs are reluctant to do, he does not return and neither does he form communities in his new country. I recently went to Athens via Munich and the Airbus was filled with Greeks from around the word; despite the crisis they maintain their links
with their homeland." The way Greek organise their community has also changed. "Today we have the third and fourth post-war generation and though it lacks personnel it no longer has the political identity which was stamped by the Civil War and by the political polarisation of Europe during the Cold War years. Today it has a Hellenic outlook in cultural terms. In effect, Hungarian Greeks now share the same characteristics of Greeks in general and rather like those of the first trading diaspora." A new chapter is now opening in the study of the Greeks of Hungary. Professor Fokas and his colleagues are starting a systematic research with the university. They are searching the archives but they also interviewed over 60 Hungarian Greeks who had written scientific papers. The results of this study will be published in both languages and are eagerly anticipated. In addition, with professors from the University of Athens, he recently formed a new research group at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest. It was granted by the Hungarian Academy of Science to analyse and compare the social and political impacts of recent economic crises in Greece and Hungary. Professor Fokas has many years of research ahead of him and this can only benefit our understanding of the still under-studied impact of the Greek diaspora.
The Academy of Budapest where the ceremony of the SINA AWARD takes place
Sina Award to Gedeon Richter pharmaceutical company,2007
Sina Award to Paks Nuclear Power Plant Ltd, 2008
Sina Award to Magyar Suzuki Corporation, 2010
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Coat of Arms of the Sina family
The Simon Sina Medal was established in honor of Greek philanthropist Baron Simon Sina, one of the most significant cultural patrons in Hungary in the 19th century, who generously supported the building of the seat of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Gianna Angelopoulou a life lived
“MY GREEK DRAMA: LIFE, LOVE, AND ONE WOMAN'S OLYMPIC EFFORT TO BRING GLORY TO HER COUNTRY” By Constantine Buhayer
G
reek men are usually quiet about their greatest asset and that is, Greek women. And it's not just that women own 48 percent of private property in the country. Greece has seen an exceptional number of influential women across the centuries. From ancient time there was Helene, Antigone, Aspasia, then came influential Byzantine empresses, there was the naval commander Bouboulina in the Greek War of Independence. And more recently Maria Callas, Arianna Huffington (nee Stasinopoulou).
But
her parliamentary seat after her marriage to Theodore Angelopoulos; family was her priority. But in 1996 the Greek Prime Minister appointed her to lead the country's campaign to host the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The other candidate cities were forceful in their campaign. But though Athens won, the real battle had only begun. In Greece, political squabbling, bureaucratic gridlock and profiteers had put Athens in danger of actually losing the Games which, as an emergency measure, would have gone to Seoul. So in 2000 she was invited to assume the presidency of the Athens 2004 Organising Committee and save Greece from its worst humiliation. The rest is history and in her book Gianna give readers a front seat to this epic battle, as well as writing her out of the ordinary autobiography. Former President Clinton describes the book as presenting "a useful guide for those who seek to transform lives, organisations, and even nations". As Greece goes through its worst social and financial crisis, many are remembering Gianna's skills and determination and see in her the necessary qualities to lead them to the road to recovery. For a closer assessment of those skills, her autobiography offers us valuable insights.
The art of influencing
allowed, but I hope that you and the Olympic Committee will forgive me; could you wait a second while I fetch it?’ So she would leave and return with a handsome envelope. The IOC guest would open it and find a copy of the New York Times, issued at the date of birth of the guest in question. This, inevitably, would really move him; the guest would take the newspaper to an adjacent office and spend some time reading the events that occurred on the day he was born. It was something unique in their lives, unforgettable, and certainly not a bribe.
if you are one of the billions of people who enjoyed what were arguable the best modern Olympic Games, then one name stands out, Gianna Angelopoulou. She was on a mission to accomplish what no male Greek politicians seemed committed to achieve; you could say she was driven, spirit, and soul, by the Ancients and nothing was going to stand in her way. And woe betide those who dared. It is worth remembering that until her arrival, bribes were a common and scandalous feature in gaining the necessary influence for winning the race to stage the Olympic Games. But once that was cut, then new skill, or rather a new personality was needed. But in this male dominated world, it was a woman, Gianna Angelopoulou, who re-invented the rules for staging the Games. This journey is described in her book, 'My Greek Drama: Life, Love, and One Woman's Olympic Effort to Bring Glory to Her Country'. It should be added that when London was bidding for the 2012 Games, it went all out to learn from the Greeks. You could say that London's victory was in many respects Gianna's victory. But this is another story for another book. At first it seemed that Gianna had withdrawn from the social scene. Indeed, she had given up her political career and resigned
How can you influence someone at a deep level without bribing them? After the Olympic bribery scandals were revealed between the candidate cities and the International Olympic Committee, in the 1990s, the strategy of the Greek Olympic bidding team faced a challenge. Under its leadership by Gianna Angelopoulou, a solution was found. She would invite members of the IOC Olympic committee (known as the ‘immortals’) to the relaxing grandeur of her home in Athens or London. There, she would tell them, ‘please allow me to give you a present, I know that presents are not
(Extract from Constantine Buhayer's book 'Greece - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture')
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The Lobby at The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort
A Peloponnesian dream By Martha-Maria Chrysomallis
Once upon a time, and this is a real story, a Captain had a dream. Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos was so inspired by the nature around Messinia that he decided to create a destination under the name Costa Navarino. He began buying the land piece by piece. The first resort covered 130 hectares. Now, with the future resorts, it will extend to 1,000 hectares and has become a dream destination!! The entrance of The Romanos Resort
Photos: Dimitris Panagiotidis
Inbi bar & restaurant
The Agora at Navarino Dunes
with Costa Navarino The location is none other than the southern Greek peninsula of the Peloponnese which has the diversity of a mini continent. From the shores of Achaia on the Corintian Gulf to its fortified villages of Mani dominating the Aegean Sea, it is one of the most sought after destinations for holiday makers and home buyers. However, for those wishing luxury home comforts with added service for a few days, there is the Captain's dream, Costa Navarino, a destination comprising of resort areas in Messinia, in southwestern Peloponnese. It deserves special merit for its respect of the ancient natural setting it occupies and its architecture
The Westin Resort Costa Navarino
inspired by traditional Messinian mansions. In this spirit, the materials that dominate are stone and wood surrounded by greenery, olive groves, private infinity pools and of course, the pristine beaches and sea. This purpose built resort areas comes with a choice of therapeutic activities, a spa, cinema, an on-site golf course. Full moon is a special time to be there and its fair share of VIPs from London and the US looking for relaxation. For those renting a car, they can reach out to the many local, affordable and exquisite tavernas even though the resort has its own places to eat and breakfast is reputed
The lobby at The Westin Resort
to be quite a feast. Local wines have a global reputation. A noteworthy added value is the number of UNESCO World Heritage sites near by, such as Olympia, the Byzanine village of Mystras, ancient temples and the Palace of Nestor.
A setting fit for movies The wide screen setting of the resort has even attracted two international productions which included it as a setting in their shooting. Filming was completed for "Before Midnight" by Richard Linklater starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, which follows Photo: Dimitris Panagiotidis
the indie hits 'Before Sunrise' and the Oscar nominated 'Before Sunset'. The second film is Yannis Smaragdis' historical true - life feature, 'God Loves Caviar'. It held its Premier at the Toronto International Film Festival; it is based on a true story of an eighteenth century Greek pirate turned businessman who makes his fortune selling caviar in Russia and fights for freedom throughout his life. In the spirit of healthy living, the resort will host the first international mountain bike race in the Southwest Peloponnese, hosting amateur and professional cyclists at 'Navarino Bike Festival'. It will be held under the auspices of Greece's General Secretariat of Sports. Pool area at The Westin Resort
Biking above Voidokilia beach The Bay Course
The Bay Course
The Dunes Course
The Dunes Golf Club
The Bay Course
The Agora at Navarino Dunes
The Dunes Course
The Westin Resort
People we Remember
GEORGE MOUSTAKI
CELEBRATION OF MEDITERRANEAN HERITAGES
Un Homme du monde
Edith Piaf, George Moustaki Edith Piaf, George Moustaki and Pierre Tchernia (TV0)
ance, Greece and Alexandria lost in 2013 one of their greatest chansoniers, Georges Moustaki. He was born Giuseppe (Iosif) Moustaki in 1934, in Alexandria where his parents had emigrated from Corfu. He adopted the name Georges out of respect for his mentor and singer-songwriter Georges Brassens. In his authobiographical book, Un Chat d'Alexandrie (A Cat from Alexandria) he explains how he rediscovered the Greek language first in 1958 when he saw the Cacoyannis film 'Stella' with music by Manos Hatzidakis. This continued in the 1960s in Greece where his friendship with Hatzidakis proved professionally productive; he translated some of his songs. The Greek rhythm and opening lines of the song that propelled him to fame in 1969, Le Métèque, are quite telling, "Avec ma gueule de métèque, de Juif
Fr
George Moustaki and his wife Annick "Yannick" Cozannec
40 THE HELLENIC TIMES international
errant, de pâtre grec, et mes cheveux aux quatre vents...". The song seems to owe something of its melody to 'Never on Sunday' by Hatzidakis. He moved to France from Alexandria when he was 17 and fitted in to the semi-bohemian life of Paris to the point of being shaped and defined by it. He became a great friend of Édith Piaf and wrote some of her hits. France was the foundation of his musical expression. He said, "we wanted everything right now, we wanted to live without limits and walk throughout the earth without coming across borders, we wanted the impossible". But he was also aware of man's nefarious impact, "the forest comes before humans and the desert follows in their wake". In his career he sang in French, Italian, English, Greek, Portuguese, Arabic and Spanish. But he described himself as having two motherlands,
George Moustaki, M. Chrysomallis, Paris 1992
Greece and France, "[I am Greek] in my heart and in my blood, in fact and in law and I have kept my Greek passport", and neither did he stop celebrating the kaleidoscope of cultures that defined him. On his life he wrote, "I was born 67 years ago. But I dont know my age. Like my native city that circles the centuries, keeps its secrets and memories only to release when it feels like it, thousands of years later, I ramble across time and space in search of the art of living, always re-invented". And in a sentence reminiscent of Kazantzakis' famous 'I expect nothing, I fear no one, I am free', Moustaki concludes, "I expect everything, I ask for nothing. Or vice versa." And what better way to conclude than quoting his famous song, My Freedom.
Ma liberté Longtemps je t'ai gardée Comme une perle rare Ma liberté C'est toi qui m'a aidé A larguer les amarres On allait n'importe où On allait jusqu'au bout Des chemins de fortune On cueillait en rêvant Une rose des vents Sur un rayon de lune
People we Remember
THATCHER REMEMBERED
Margaret Thatcher was a towering figure in the British political landscape. Many consider her one of Britain's greatest Prime Ministers, and an international stateswoman. Certainly, her influence is still felt. She passed away on April 2013. She was also known to have good relations with the Greek Cypriot Community in North London. A Cypriot activist remembers that day on 15 November 1983 when the north of the island occupied by Turkish troops, illegally declared its independence. No
state moved to recognise it but the dictator of Pakistan Zia announced that he would recognise it. Margaret Thatcher called him and asked him, "Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dare to do this", This was confirmed by the then President Kyprianou to people close to him as he was leaving Downing Street where he had visited the Prime Minister the following Saturday. She also enjoyed close relationships with Greek personalities like Captain John Latsis. Together they 'co-hosted' the July 1990 NATO Summit in London. Latsis had offered his palacial central London residence Bridgewater House to house the offices of the
various NATO member states. President Bush, Margaret Thatcher and other leaders were coming and going from the Latsis' Bridgewater House residence during the days of the Summit, as well as the world's journalists. One of those journalists was today's The Hellenic Times editor and then London corresondent MarthaMaria Chrysomallis. She remembers vividly the to-and-fro and the buzz of those London NATO days when the world was on the verge of changing for ever. Captain John Latsis, a fan of Mrs Thatcher, used to send flowers to Dowining Street every week and even offered her his apartments in Gstaad Hotel Palace. Ms Chrysomallis was not only in the thick of the so-called Thatcher years, attending the briefings by Sir Bernard Ingham every Monday at the Foreign Press Association, or covering all the Conservative Party Conferences, but she also lived the social life. She was invited at the Winter Ball, the Conservative Party Ball, at Grosvenor House Great Ballroom, where the dance floor saw her spin with all Mrs Thatcher's Cabinet Ministers. Needless to say all these events were attended by the ever watchful Denis Thatcher and the great lady herself.
Captain John Latsis, Margaret Thatcher, President George Bush, 1990 President of North Finshley Conservative Ass., the late George Antoniou, Margaret Thatcher, M. Chrysomallis, 1988
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Panorama of Corfu, Edward Dodwell (c. 1777-1832) and Simone Pomardi (1757-1830), 1806, Watercolour on four sheets. Packard Humanities Institute.
Colossal Lion near Hymettus, Edward Dodwell (c. 1777-1832), 1805, Watercolour over graphite, with bodycolour. Packard Humanities Institute.
Travel in time
to pre-liberation Greece
Turkish village on the Acropolis, Simone Pomardi (1757-1830), c. 1805, Watercolour. Packard Humanities Institute.
Capuchin monastery and garden in Athens, Edward Dodwell (c. 1777-1832) and Simone Pomardi (1757-1830), 1805, Watercolour. Packard Humanities Institute.
ave you ever dreamed of travelling back in time? An exhibition at the British Museum in Spring 2013 took visitors most graphically to the pre-liberation years of Ottoman Greece, courtesy of fellow travellers and artists Edward Dodwell (c.1777-1832) and Simone Pomardi (1757-1830).
H
Their meticulous work depicted in far greater detail than any camera could achieve, the country and its landmarks during their journey there in 1805-6. The settings are usually of the classical landscapes that boosted the Philhellenism of many Europeans and which were inhabited by Greeks and other peoples. Of these settings the panoramas le little to the imagination. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this exhibition was not so much that it provided visitors with the images that fed the classical revival
in architecture that is still with us, but we could faithfully reconstruct Greek Ottoman towns and neighbourhoods, if not in reality certainly electronically. Interestingly, the British Museum information sheet remarked that, in the years following the Greek War of Independence, many of the monuments recorded by Dodwell and his companions would change considerably as the new nation swept away the accretions of the late Roman, Christian and Ottoman eras and attempted to restore the purity of the classical remains. THE HELLENIC TIMES international
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A REGATTA WITH A
Spetses Classic Yacht Race 2013
A regatta with a royal flavour
Few experiences are quite as bracing as the sight of classic yachts racing majestically with sails swollen by the brisk Aegan winds. And if visions of "Cowes Week" of Isle of Wight fame, and royalty come to mind, certainly the presence of sailing Olympic gold medalist King Constantine can only add to it.
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Queen Anna Maria and crew SoďŹ a Bekatorou, King Constantine, Lijia Xu
The third Spetses Classic Yacht Race successfully took place last June 2013. From all over Greece, 65 boats left their ports and marinas to compete off the island of Spetses. They came from Andros, Syros, Paros, Mykonos, Nodas Lambadarios, K. Koutsolioutsou Crete and Corfu and were further joined by an increased foreign participation. It was organised by the Yacht Club of Greece. A highlight of the event was undoubtedly King Constantine's Afroessa traditional caique commissioned in 2006 and built in a Greek yard - it is of the type of that once traded across the Mediterranean. It was crewed by five
Thalis Pitoulis, Nikos Krithariotis, Stefanos Handakas
Olympic gold medalists from Greece and China and, of course, Constantine and Anna Maria. Time keeping was by Folli Follie who presented their specially designed Regatta watch with its chronograph dial. Part of its proceedings went to charitable causes supported by the local Agamemnon Club. Due to the nature of the event, journalists from China were invited by Folli Follie to cover the race and, by all accounts, returned to their country with a positive message for the attractions of Greece. Hospitality was provided by the Poseidonion Grand Hotel whose exceptional architecture stretching across the water front echoes the days of the Cote d'Azure and the elegant cosmopolitanism of days gone by. As Greece starts to gain a new foothold in the staging of prestigious events, Sailing enthusiasts eagerly look forward to the 2014 race.
SoďŹ a Bekatorou - Greek Gold Olympic Medalist Athens 2004, George Koutsolioutsos - CEO of the Folli Follie Group, Lijia Xu - Chinese Gold Olympic Medalist London 2012, Ketty Koutsolioutsos - Vice-President of the Folli Follie Group 'Regatta Watch' Folli Follie
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18
th Dinner Dance of the Hellenic
Engineers' Society of Great Britain Report by Martha-Maria Chrysomallis
Soprano Katerina Mina Alex Toutountzis and George Foustanos, members of the Committee with their guests.
T
A BALL WITH A GRANDIOSE OPERATIC FLAIR! he 2013 annual dinner dance for the Hellenic Engineers Society started with an exquisite performance from internationally renowned opera singer Katerina Mina. The Cypriot soprano entertained the audience with arias from popular operas. This gave a grandiose feel to this wonderful night. She was supported by pianist Craig White & tenor Shaun Dixon. A er the beautiful opening we were given the opportunity to
President Dimitris Monioudis and his daughter Ariana
witness Greek traditional dances by London Lykion Hellinidon. Later in the evening we were delighted to hear the music of Hellenic nights played by DJ Avgoustinos Galiassos, which we danced to in the stunning Ballroom of the Dorchester Hotel until the early hours. The 5 course menu as always at this event was exceptional ďŹ ne dining that had an international ďŹ&#x201A;avour. Including Teriyaki Cod, Steamed pak choi, Shitake in lemongrass & Ginger sage.
Gosia Kosciolek, Andreas Papadakis
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Constantin Corniciuc, Isabela Corniciuc
Mr and Mrs Niko Yamanoue
John M. Hadjipateras and his wife Xenia, George J. Lemos
Dr Kirsi Tikka and Guests of American Bureau of Shipping
Cream of asparagus soup with truffle essence. Roasted beef sirloin with white mushroom ravioli & bordelaise sauce. Each dish le the taste buds feeling ecstatic. The Society’s President in his address to the audience expressed pleasure with this year’s proceedings “we are even more proud of our close ties with our steadfast sponsors who are participating despite the historical Mr and Mrs David Kim lows being experienced by the global shipping industry". Mr Monioudis added a warm welcome to all new friends & well established organisations including Marshall Islands Registry, Exxon Mobile, Wartsila, Nippon Paint, ARIELLA COUTURE, Olympus Marine Group, LGR 103,3 FM (London Greek Radio) who supported the event for the first time. It is remarkable to see the potential of the Hellenic Engineers Society. Attracting distinguished people from the international shipping &
Dr Abdul Rahim and Guests of ClassNK
John Kyriakides, Director of LGR 103,3FM, Soprano Katerina Mina, Barry Levendis, Barnet Councillor
Stuart Wood, Nikki Wood, Dimitris Monioudis and his wife Camila
Giorgio D'Anna, Giuseppe D'Anna
finance world, making this very special event an exclusive night for London’s Greek community. Another success in the Society's calendar was a romantic cruise down the river Thames in June. Members and friends of the Society are looking forward to the end of the year annual luncheon at the Greek Taverna....which brings friends and family together in this wonderful festive celebration... The 2014 Dinner Dance will take place on Saturday 1 February at the Dorchester Hotel - Ballroom.
Hajime Maekawa, Tatsuya Saraike, Daniel Park
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Food diplomacy and Katerina of China
A
generous table unites those who share it, as long as their culinary traditions do not alienate each other. Mediterranean Greece and Asiatic China could not be further apart in their cooking. Furthermore, the most diplomatic press oďŹ&#x192;cers could never aspire to whet the appetites where great chefs fail. Enter Katerina Stai Failadis. She is married to Christos Failadis, Press & Communication Counsellor of the Greek embassy in Washington, but, until recently in Beijing. Mrs Stai Failiadis had made it her own mission to introduce a host of Greek dishes to her Chinese hosts and especially Greek olive oil. Her marketing tactics were based on seduction. Her study and understanding of the Chinese diet persuaded her of
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the wisdom to appeal to their sense of healthy foods. She managed to combine the usage of olive oil in the preparation of many Chinese dishes. This was a diďŹ&#x192;cult task considering oil, let alone olives are a great stranger to their dishes. More over, Katerina also succeeded in making it as a contributor on one of China's most famous TV food programs hosted by Han Ping. Greece is the third largest olive oil producer in the world and it is reckoned to be the ďŹ nest in the world. Now this imaginative lady is in Washington with her husband, engaging her skill for the good of her country and, by all accounts, providing Greek olive oil with even stronger roots in the world's biggest market. Meanwhile, the seeds she planted in China are growing.
Through a ''time-machine'', the Press & Communication Counsellor of the Greek Embassy in Beijing, Christos Failadis, was honoured during his farewell reception with the presence of historical figures from recent Chinese history, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and other personalities of the age!!!
The ''time-machine'' Press Counsellor!
I
t's not everyday that a Press Officer is given a time machine farewell when completing a tour of duty. But that was the honour bestowed to the Press & Communication Counsellor of the Greek Embassy in Beijing, Christos Failadis during his farewell reception. He was surrounded with the presence of historical figures from recent Chinese history, during a reception organised by none other than the CCTV. However, Mr Failadis' groundbreaking initiatives in Beijing are not a thing of the past. He re-organised the Press Office into a fully functioning conduit from Greece to China enabling Hellenic priorities to fall on fruitful Chinese ground. At first he created easily accessible original material on paper or in social media in
the Chinese language rather than the usual material in English. He multiplied media information sources and made headway into the Chinese media. Finally, he was an added-value for the communication policy of the Greek Embassy in Beijing! However, the work of an embassy does not rest only in office work. His staff and himself were forever present in his Embassy's events and organised a number of them. By all accounts he is missed in Beijing and now much appreciated in his new home, the Greek Embassy in Washington. But his work has ensured that his successor has moved into a smooth, functioning office at a time when Greece needs every opportunity to make its presence felt and boost world confidence in its renewal.
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www.hecucenter.ru
RUSSIA - GREECE and the Ηellenic Cultural Center
A CASE OF A MILLENNIA OLD MUTUAL ADMIRATION
Dr Dora Giannitsi
T
he Greek world has seen Russia grow over the centuries from the days when Byzantium nursed the newly born Kievan Rus as a statelet opening its eyes to the world, to the present role of Russia as a world power. And Greeks have always been there. For over 1,000 years since the foundation of Russia as a Christian Orthodox state that traces its apostolic succession through the Patriarch of Constantinople, Russia's relations with the Greek world and Greece have thrived. Before then, Greek colonies and traders spread along the northern Black Sea and le a living Hellenic presence and heritage that can be witnessed to the modern age. When perestroika Russia celebrated its millennial anniversary as a Christian Orthodox nation in 1988, Greece organised a major symposium, 'Hellas-Russia one thousand years of bonds'. The symposium noted that, 'Greeks have a unique advantage over other Westerners in dealing with Russians, they are both naturally at ease in communicating and working with one another'. A new dimension was added in 2005 with the establishment of the 'Hellenic Cultural Center' in Moscow (HCC). It organises a rolling series of programs. Its staple diet consists of courses in the Greek language
in various institutions of the capital, lectures on Greek history, Greek dances, a Greek choir. Most of its audience are members of Russia's ethnic Greek population and especially Russian philhellenes. But also business men and officials. It is reported that over 1,200 Russians have expressed interest in attending Greek language lessons, but the current infrastructure has yet to accommodate such numbers. A noteworthy initiative of the HCC is in publishing. All its exhibitions and events are accompanied by a book or a catalogue, thereby keeping a public record for posterity. Its tireless director is Dr Theodora (Dora) Giannitsi who move to Moscow in the late 80s. Indeed, a brief sample of the HCC's list of activities will highlight both the range of interests covered and the irrepressible initiatives of Dr Giannitsi. In its long list of lectures, the study of Orthodox hagiography, theology and history find fertile ground. Whereas in London or New York such lectures attract an interested though more specialised audience, in Moscow the lectures reach out to the city's grass roots. It's a home topic. Certainly the economic crisis has triggered Russian interest. A solution to the Greek economic crisis was well served in February 2011 with a rounded campaign targeting the Russian consumer to boost
Greek products and the Hellenic isles as a favourite destination. In April 2013 guests attended the prizes of a competition called 'Discover your Greece' and which was organised with Moscow's Central Library. The list of bi-lingual publications in Russian and Greek offer an insight into the nuts and bolts of this millennia old relationship. Constantine Papoulides' 'The Greeks of Saint Petersbourg' touched a little known chapter that blossomed under Catherine the Great. Theoharis Malkides published 'The Genocide of Pontic Greeks' that saw the extermination of 3,000 year of Hellenism in the early 20th century, thousands sought refuge in Russia. The Orthodox presence was highlighted with Eugenia Zoukova's 'The Legacy in the Correspondence of the Greek Enlightener and Russian Metropolitan Nikoforos Theotokis, 1769-1783'. Theotokis was a native of Corfu and gained a reputation not only as a theologian but also as the author of many textbooks on physics and mathematics. He died in his adopted Moscow. Certainly, the 'Hellenic Cultural Center' in Moscow is a trailblazer under its director Theodora Giannitsi and Greece has found a worthy platform to project its past, its present and its future in Moscow, one of the world's greatest capital cities.
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Aluminium fit for a Palace
Callas and Kelly transformed at the Tsartsyno Palace in Moscow
Artist Nicos Floros
D
iďŹ&#x20AC;erent palace, unforgetable queens. Moscow's Tsaritsyno museum palace is hosting an exhibition by Greek-American sculptor Nicos Floros. But the true heroines of the exhibition are Maria Callas and also Grace Kelly, or rather their dresses and costumes
re-created from aluminium as sculpturecostumes by Floros and displayed in the grandest of ball rooms. Callas and Kelly not only shared a great friendship, they also ultimately shared the same fate and they have been re-united by Floros. The eďŹ&#x20AC;ect of his work combines pop art with surrealism and displays how the humblest of materials can be transformed into the most
expressive artform. Indeed, the creations stand their own ground and even complement their lush suroundings of ornate classical columns and old painting. The exhibition has already been to Washington, Vienna, Thessaloniki and Rhodes and it will be accessible to the Moscow public in the Tavrichesky Hall of the Grand Palace inTsaritsyno, until 1 March 2014. A must see for anyone visiting Moscow.
General Consul of Greece in Moscow Ioannis Plotas, Artist Nicos Floros, Minister - Counselor of Embassy of Greece in Moscow Gerasimos Davaris
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YANNI 2014 THE LONDON RETURN
Yanni by moonlight, Yanni of China, Yanni More to the point, Yanni and his exclusive orchestra So it's wise to anticipate and to be prepared spends lavishly on his panoramic Not only has it taken the equivalent of a small country's budget to plan and stage his epic concerts, not only months of preparation, but on occasion also teams of seismologists, environmentalists and even city planers to accommodate the needs of his vast technical and creative team. He once described his performances as proving that dreams come true. Certainly this has been the case for his audiences from Japan, to China, India, Greece, Britain and across to America where his music is o en heard in many households first thing in the morning to energise the body, and last thing at night to relax the mind.
He was born Yannis Chryssomallis(which means Golden Fleece) in Kalamata in Greece into an old family that escaped Constantinople a er it fell in 1453. Members of the family fled to Corfu and Anavriti near Sparta (later spreading to Mani and Kalamata) in Greece. From 9th century to present day many members of the Chryssomallis Family have distinguished themselves in the Arts and Letters. His brother is a leader in scientific research in America with his own team. But the background of Yannis himself stands out. He was a Greek swimming champion at the age of 14, then he studied psychology at the University of Minnesota but decided to follow his musical Muse and spent some
WORLD TOUR
of the YANNI PHENOMENON the peace maker, Yanni casts his spell over the Taj. are finally returning to London's Albert Hall in March 2014. because this Greek-born musician from America concerts and on his audiences. years struggling to find his voice. He certainly found it. To this day he has sold over 12 million records and CDs around the world. He also produced elaborate videos of his concerts which have hit record high sales across 65 countries. His breakthrough album that made him a global star was "Yanni Live at the Acropolis" which became the second best selling Home Video in the world. It has also been seen in the US on PBS television many times, and by more than a half a billion people in over 65 countries worldwide. His music has been described as therapeutic and as such has been played in surgeries, psychiatric clinics and schools. Many clips have
accompanied major sports events and some of the more memorable advertising campaigns. During Pope John Paul II's visit to the US, President Reagan commissioned a production about His Holiness's life; Yanni wrote the music and was a guest at the Vatican and the White House. The India and China tours are particularly outstanding. They took place in 1997-1998 when it was just about impossible for outsiders to undertake music spectaculars in those countries, especially in China. But he did it. He was the first musician allowed to stage a concert at the Taj Mahal. The Wall Street Journal headlined it as, 'New Age Meets
Yanni with his mother Filitsa and the wife and mother of the Governor of Uttar Pradesh during his concerts in India 1997.
Yanni's mother, the late Filitsa, was a charismatic lady remembered for her radiant smile. Her energy and dedication kept the family united whatever the difficulties. Yanni later composed a special instrumental piece dedicated to his mother and named a er her, ‘Filitsa’, which he plays at every live performance he gives. the 17th Century'. Due to the site's near holy importance and the fragility of the marble monument dedicated to a man's love for his departed wife, it took a hard fought over court ruling to grant him access. The latest technological advancements in loudspeakers were used to avoid soil vibrations from his huge symphonic orchestra and rock band. For one Indian commentator, the immortality of the Taj resounded with the animalism pulsating from Yanni, holding the audience spell bound. He was seen as an Icarus, a Zorba and as a second Alexander conquering India. His next stop was China. An even harder ground to break. But he was invited to play in the Forbidden City where he performed at the steps of the building. At the time, China was waking to the world and the Chinese
Yanni's brother George, mum Filitsa, sister Anda Forbidden City, May 1997
had their eye on winning the Olympic Games. Yanni combined everything they wanted to be associated with. Though his Greekness gave that ancient, classical appeal, his American side meant that he understood how to stage a spectacular event and see it through successfully. The China Daily wrote that his music expressed the finer things in life, sweetness, unity, consistency, harmony and balance. It then noted this was probably because Yanni did not write music when he was in pain. A surprising conclusion for an atheist country was that though it was the month of May it did not rain for the Yanni concerts. This led some to muse that he must have been close to God for the rains to stop. It remains a mystery why music critics have paid so little attention to him. This no doubt goes to prove that for some composers blessed with
Y A N N I : A self-taught musician with perfect pitch, he has become highly regarded as a musical icon and one of the great composers of our time.
Yanni's father, the late Sotiris, was a banker and a keen philosopher. When his children were ready for further education, he sold his own house to send them to the top universities in the US. Once he joked that selling his family house was nothing since his children would buy him many a er they graduated. As a young man, Sotiris wanted a violin but there was no money for such luxuries, so he made one himself from scratch! He was also a self-taught painter and the portraits of his children and other paintings have remained in the family.
Yanni and Martha-Maria Chrysomallis a er his performace at MCI Center, Washington DC, 31.1.1998
unusual genius, the public takes the lead while the critics stay outside the picture wondering what is happening. His last appearance in London was in 1995. To say, check it out on Youtube would be like asking someone to experience the bountifulness of the four seasons simply by looking at a post card. Even so, the power and enthusiasm of Yanni is inescapable. He impressed the audience at The Royal Albert Hall by using the historic Organ (for the ďŹ rst time by a modern artist); combined with his Orchestra it felt like he opened up the skies! So what to expect in 2014? In describing his music, Yanni says that the musicians in his orchestra represent a great many of the world's nations and religions, and schools of thought, of philosophies and music. Their instruments and traditions challenge each other, blend, pull away and reunite on stage to tell a marvellous story about our cosmos!
A single thought "Everything great that has ever happend to humanity has begun as a single thought in someone's mind. And if any one of us is capable of such a thought, then all of us have the same capacity and capability, because we're all the same". Yanni
The historic Taj Mahal was lit for the ďŹ rst time for Yanni's concerts
Yanni and Martha-Maria Chrysomallis in the Forbidden City, between rehearsals during his concerts, May 1997
CHINA, October 2011 Santorini The Panda In October 2011, global music star artist YANNI was honoured Yanni at the Chengdu Panda Center by the people of China with the adoption of a two-month old giant Panda cub. Adopting a Panda is an honour that is reserved almost exclusevely for nations, not personalities or individuals, and YANNI is the first artist ever honoured with this gi . The Chengdu Panda Research base offered this gi to YANNI because they feel that the essence of YANNI's music is harmonious with the nature of the Panda. A er careful consideration affectionatelly named her "Santorini". Within the name is the word "Irini", which means "peace" in Greek. Santorini is also one of the most beautiful islands in YANNI's native Greece - appropriately naming her, "the beautiful panda of peace". Santorini is also one of YANNI's most well known compositions. The experience moved YANNI deeply and has led him to collaborate with World Wildlife Fund to elevate awareness and increase support for giant panda protection. There are only 1600 panda in the world. Join YANNI and WWF in helping to save this inspirational, endangered species.
"There are few modern-day composers with a unique sense of music and style which is truly their own. To compare new - age music with classic rock is a stretch, but for Yanni, it is possible. This Greek composer marries contemporary new age spirituality with today's pop attitudes and delivers a unique sound. Yanni has employed musicians of various nationalities, and has incorporated a variety of instruments from around the world from an Australian didgeridoo to a Perouvian charango, to perform with his classical orchestra, rock rhythm section, and electronic keyboards. His music has been described as "an eclectic fusion of ethnic sounds, from Native American chants to African rhythms and Asian harmonies".
Greek Ambassador to Hungary Dimitris Giannakakis and American Ambassador to Hungary Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis
Howie Grapek - The Palm Beach Post's PBPulse
Budapest 28 March 2013 - SPORTARENA A er the show, YANNI was greeted by US Ambassador to Hungary Mrs Eleni TsakopoulosKounalakis who rendered him with the Ambassador's Award for CULTURAL DIPLOMACY, naming him an ‘Ambassador to the World’.
NOTABLE DISTINCTIONS among others: - Yanni was honored to be the first non-Chinese artist to participate in CCTV's Spring Festival Gala 2013, broadcast to over 1 billion people around the world. - Yanni has become a spokesperson for NASA and has entered into a first of its kind collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund, aimed at raising awareness of giant panda conservation. - He has sold out an incredible 10 consecutive shows at the historic Radio City Music Hall in new York. - After his performance in SPORTSARENA in Budapest, on 23 March 2013, YANNI was greeted by US Ambassador Mrs Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis who presented him with the Ambassador's Award for CULTURAL DIPLOMACY naming him "Ambassador to the World".
DISCOGRAPHY 1984 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991
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Optimystique Keys to Imagination Out of Silence Chameleon Days Niki Nana Reflections of Passion In Celebration of Life
1992 1993 2000 2003 2009 2010 2011
-
- In 1997, Yanni was bestowed with an Honarary Doctorate in Humane Arts from the University of Minnesota. - As a multitalented composer and performer, in 1996 Yanni added 'motivational speaker' to his existing credits. He participated in a ground-breaking music seminar at Interlochen Centre for the Arts in Michigan, where he addressed several hundred music students while simultaneously video-conferencing worldwide with students. The entire pioneering interaction was recorded as an educational program and later shown on PBS television in the US, and many other countries. His students were driven by many of his concepts such as, "I believe that having an open mind is one of the most important qualities we can possess. Once our minds close, we stop evolving."
Dare to Dream In My Time (Piano Music only) If I Could Tell You Ethnicity Yanni Voices (English) YanniVoces (Spanish) - Mexicanisimo - Truth of Touch
VIDEOGRAPHY 1994
- Live at the Acropolis
1995
- Live at Royal Albert Hall
1997
- Tribute
2006
- Yanni Live! The Concert Event
2012
- Live at El Morro
NEWS EVENTS ROYAL STRIKE for women and against cancer
The prevention and treatment of gynaecological cancers received a welcome boost from Prince Nikolaos of Greece and his wife Princess Tatiana. The Prince is a vice-patron of the Eve Appeal for gynaecology cancer research together with people like Nigel Havers, Dannii Minogue and Joe Brand. In this role the royal couple were invited to join the Eve Appeal to open trading on London Stock Exchange, on 27 September 2013. The Eve Appeal funds research into the five gynaecological cancers focusing on risk prediction, early detection and improved screening – with their core research unit based at the University College London.
Honorary Fellowship to artist and philhellene Nicholas Egon
his personal relationship with Greece. The book puts to great effect the extensive Greek historical sources as well as much unpublished material.
Kokosalaki's Olympian cat-walk for 2014 From Coco Chanel to Kokosalaki, it takes a masterful understanding of the ever youthful classical line to make it feel at home in the ever shi ing whims of the modern world. Sophia Kokosalaki is the name of a sought a er brand named a er its Greek-born, London-trained and based creator. Her trademark style weaves classic Grecian draping with hancra ed elements, knitwear and leather. But, as revealed in Vogue magazine, Kokosalaki's 2014 range offers many departures - delicate separates; structured, bell-skirted minidresses; feather-light, fairy-like chiffon gowns. Ten years ago she designed the astonishing ceremonial outfits for the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2014 her versatile elegance is likely to set the tone from "the bridal to the pret-a-porter pieces that one can wear again and again". Hellenic Times looks forward to following this talent as it sets the tone in the world of fashion.
Order of the Phoenix to British Professor King's College London has bestowed the title of Honorary Fellowship to Nicholas Egon, the artist and supporter of Greek studies. He received the title at a ceremony in London's Southwark Cathedral. The eulogy was made by academic and author Roderick Beaton. Mr Egon was praised as the annual founder of the Runciman Lecture at King's College and as one of the people who supported the foundation of the University's Centre for Hellenic Studies. Together with his wife Matti Xyla-Egon of the eponymous shipping family from Chios, they have enriched London's academic life with their donations, dinners and receptions.
Βyron's War Romantic Rebelion Professor Roderick Beaton's latest book, 'Byron's War - Romantic Rebellion, Greek Revolution', comes in a long line of books on the bard. It explores Lord Byron's life and literary output through the prism of
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The Hellenic Republic bestowed the Order of the Phoenix to LSE academic and advisor to the Greek government Professor Kevin Featherstone. It was presented to him during a brief ceremony in London, at the house of the Greek Ambassador's residence by H.E. Konstantinos Bikas, in September 2013. Professor Featherstone was advising the Greek government as the country was entering its financial crisis. He holds the Ele herios Venizelos Chair in Contemporary Greek Studies and is Professor Featherstone with the HO team, Director of LSE's Dr Vassilis Monastiriotis, Mrs Ismini Demades & Dr Spyros Economides Hellenic Observatory.
NEWS EVENTS An excellent ἰδέᾳ!
CLASSICIST BETTANY HUGHES' BOX OF SUPRISES 'The Ideas That Make Us' is a new Radio 4 series which explores the history of ten of the most influential ideas in the story of civilisation; ideas which continue to affect us all today, ἰδέᾳ. In this colourful radio broadcast, ‘the archaeology of philosophy’, the awardwinning historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes begins each programme with the first, extant evidence of a single word-idea in Ancient Greek culture and travels both forwards and backwards in time, investigating how these ideas have been moulded by history and their impact on our history and our human experience. In the first programme, Bettany investigated the idea of 'idea' with neuroscientist Professor Faraneh Vargha-Khadem, classicist Professor Paul Cartledge, historian Dr. Stephen Pigney and specialist in intellectual property law, Professor Tanya Aplin. Other ideas examined in the first series are desire, contest, fame, and justice. Psyche, comedy, liberty, peace and guest-host friendship will be explored in January 2014.
Crisis fosters new charities in the diaspora The crisis in Greece and the humanitarian suffering it leaves in its trail has fostered new and older members of the Diaspora to start up charities in aid of people in Greece who need it. The latest one took shape from Greek professionals who moved to London to work in the City. It is called Hellenic Hope and is a UK registered charity. It was established in 2012 with its first presentation taking place at the Hellenic Bankers Association UK Dinner and Dance at Claridges, in May 2013. The Charity core team consists of - among other - financiers, bankers, lawyers and marketers who all work on a voluntary basis across three countries. The non-governmental sector in Greece has never really taken off and service provision is under pressure from increased demand and reduced funding. The goal of the charity is to help children at risk in Greece to survive, cope and prosper in their lives. It has already done some work in the
homeland and supports front line not for profit organizations in the most socio-economically deprived areas of Greece. Hellenic Hope has already completed a number of projects in Greece with organisations such as Schedia, Kentro Agapis Elefsinas, Ena Paidi, Enas Kosmos and their work continues including their fundrasing efforts.
Messinians from Mars to planet Earth unite
Prof. Pericles Papadopoulos and the Greek Team of NASA
The Messinian Amphictyonic League (MAL) is a much homelier organisation than it might sound at first. In the dim past of Greek history and before the rise of the Greek polis, neighbouring Greek tribes organised themselves in amphictyonies (αμφικτυονία), which is a 'league of neighbours' centred round a religious site. These eventually gave rise to what we undestand as the 'polis'. Today, the term has been adopted by some diaspora organisations, including by this ambitious Hellenic organisation. The MAL brings together local and diaspora Messinian communities from Greece and around the world. At first this meant from Messinia itself as well as American and Australia but it grew. Now member organisations have also sprung up elsewhere in Europe including in Britain. The highlight of this busy year was a a speech by NASA scientist and San Jose State Univ. Professor Dr Pericles Papadopoulos who guided the Curiosity Rover to landing on Mars. His dream and now his project is to establish the area around Kalamata airport as the first space launch pad in Europe. In effect he hopes to transform it to a Space portal and Centre for Space Studies. The ground has been found suitable for such a venture and, furthermore, it is surrounded by sea. The MAL gave its full support to Dr Papadopoulos and honoured him at its tenth global meeting which drew 220 attendees from 37 organisations. Obviously this is an organisation worth keeping an eye on. THE HELLENIC TIMES international
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NEWS EVENTS GOCO London's grandest Charity Dinner and Dance Angelica Kavouni, MD FRCS and her husband Lucian Ion, FRCS (Plast)
One of the oldest and grandest traditions of the London Greek community is the Annual Dinner Dance organised in aid of the Greek Orthodox Charity Organisation. It is held as near as possible to the national day of the Greeks, 25 March in honour of the outbreak of the 1821 Greek Revolution that led to the independence of the country from the Ottoman empire. It took place at the Grosvenor House Ballroom. It is usually a black tie event but this year (2013), ties were also accepted. Though numbers have dropped in recent years the glamour and excitement has not and it remains the smartest and most stylish in the Greek calendar, attracting people from as far as Athens and New York. The tables were decorated with baskets bedecked with spring flowers and the guests served with excellent wine and food. Of course the most important aspect was none other than the money raised for the good causes of GOCO which for nearly 50 years has been served by volunteer ladies offering their time and skill. Its mission has been to provide necessary help for the sick and people hospitalised. In recent years a new dimension has been added in providing financial help for students doing their Masters Degree. The next Ball will take place on Saturday 22 March 2014, at Grosvenor House Hotel. It remains a unique opportunity to meet the London Greek community and its English friends at their best.
Achilleas Constantinou ,CEO ARIELLA COUTURE and his daughter Lana
For bookings, Maria Hadjipateras, tel.:07986 245 930, maria@hadjipateras.co.uk. Tickets £130.- per person. The Hellenic Times will be there in force and hopefully so will you and your friends and family
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Marisa Psaros, Alexander A. Tsavliris
Models presenting Tsiamas' Jewellery at the Runway at Earl's Court in London
Î?icoletta Tsiama A Greek jewellery maker at Earl's Court
Gr
eece has one of the longest traditions of jewellery design in the world, as attested in museums around the world. So it was only natural for a leading Greek designer, Athens based Nicoletta Tsiama to take part in London's prestigious International Jewellery exhibition at Earls Court, in September 2013. During those four days of the exhibition, the quality of her work lead to three pieces being chosen for the runway. Her stand was under her own brand-name The Scandal Ring, where she presented her new collection, Charisma. Scandal Ring was established in 2005 as a testament to her passion for the art and history of jewellery. At ďŹ rst she worked with leading companies in Greece and Europe before establishing her own brand. Her style is characterised by a restrained two colours scheme with silver and gold forming the building blocks of her pieces which are o en articulated
www.thescandalring-eshop.com
Nicoletta Tsiama at Earl's Court
with precious gems. Nicoletta's work is also inspired by ethnic references which she abstracts into shapes and lines to create modern, elegant pieces.
info@thescandalring.com
THE HELLENIC TIMES international
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Agios Dimitrios Village - Mani
FROM HIPPIE TRAVELLER TO BIGGEST EXPORTER OF HIGHEST QUALITY OLIVE OIL IN GREECE The Story of how Spirituality and Love for Nature led to Business Success! Interview by Martha-Maria Chrysomallis e land of Mani is proudly isolated in the south Peloponnese and until recently it could only be accessed by sea. Despite the region's aridity its produce are sought after around the world. Aromatic herbs are in abundance, fragrant olive trees that are considered to provide the best olive oil in the world. To those who know, there is clearly something magical in the air. Its inhabitants are known for their strong, independent character and this is even reflected in the name 'Mani' which comes from ancient times from the Greek word Μανία/Mania. It was in this enchanted land that a young Austrian traveller looking for a new meaning in his life arrived in the late 1970s. He settled down living like a hippie and soon built the largest olive oil export business in Greece. Today more than five hundred farmers have joined the scheme and over 300.000 olive trees have been involved in the Blauel project. Revenues recently reached 5,5m Euros.
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Fritz and Burgi Blauel tell us their story: Fritz came in 1978. It was the time of the counter culture movement and I had a dream like all the youth of the 60's & 70's of paradise on earth- & I found the perfect surroundings here. Also because many people had left for other countries or at least for Kalamata, Mani was receiving foreigners in general very hospitably. Also my previous dreams had come to zero. So I restarted here in Mani in this open space with open possibilities. I stayed here and basically meditated for the first four years, mainly using traditional meditation techniques. In order to support myself I was filling bottles with olive oil from larger jars ("kanates") I did this for a couple of years. Then we got together Burgi and I, had some children and then we made a business out of it. It took ages in the beginning to get the export permission. We have had, for the last few years, a weekly meditation group. So we meet for meditations & discussions about spiritual subjects. There are seminars on either yoga, meditation or New Age. The teachers come with their groups from Athens, they do a summer retreat here.
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Burgi he concert venue is just a side effect of the seminar house. First we built the seminar house and then we had this place and we used it for making music. And that's how the concerts started. They say they have never seen a place with such an energy before. Teachers who have travelled all over the world they come here and feel clear healing energy. And they want to come back because they are starting the healing process when they are here. That's why it's so beautiful when they have the concerts here.. And we also feed people with our produce, with the vegetables from our garden. So we have a quite a holistic situation here. Every Friday we say... what is in the garden?... that is what we cook for the next buffet. We cook it in the style of the musicians so next week we have French musicians so one of the French people will cook for us. Last time we had gypsy kind of food. Before that we had Austrian food because there was an Austrian guitarist. So we bring together the nationality & the style of the person there, who wants to cook for us or with us together with
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whatever we find in the garden. So the name of the place is called Sonnenlink which means to link everything. Sonnenlink is sun which brings sun to the heart. I received this name nearly 8 years ago. And then I called it this & now I see that things like that are really happening. So what happens there is that everything gets connected which brings relief & love to the heart .So it seems the name is working on the menu. Because it's really expanding very beautifully. Everybody that comes to this place is very open to this idea of being connected and they do it in different ways. We work with musicians on the psychological level; on the spirit & body, not only on the instrument. To help them to relax because being a musician you are very exposed: psychologically it's a very sensitive thing to be a musician. So what we do there is to work with musicians & to help them to heal traumas which they have from being a talented child or being on the stage. Last year I wrote about starting an integrated music academy and now it's happening. Next year I think we will have 4 or 5 very beautiful music academies which means playing, healing, being together, drumming, having fun. I'm playing in concert and in between we still have the yoga groups. People who come here are co creators; everyone is creating what is going on .We have 3 bungalows, 3 apartments and some tents which we keep full; and the apartments are 80 euros for 2 people and the big apartments are a little cheaper for each person and if there are groups then they get a special price. Fritz It just grew naturally, we had adapted very well to what was happening here, people were picking olives, they were pressing oil, producing oil : because it's liquid gold in a way and nobody was aware of that. So we gave it a name and we produced bottles with a nice appearance and nice labels, and we went to market which the farmers couldn't do themselves. So we had a very close cooperation with the local people, the local farmers and the rest is history as they say because it just grew and grew and it still growing. An olive grove. In the background is a Mani Tower, a characteristic architectural feature of the region
The amphitheatre at the Blauel Estate
Burgi You have to imagine when I met Fritz he didn't have electricity, he didn't have a toilet, he had the same house we are staying in now: no money, no telephone, no car and maybe once a week you could call him in the coffee shop in the village - and then he was filling bottles himself with a little plastic kanata 3 hours a day and then he went to meditate. Again he did everything on his own and he didn't own anything and he was living on 2000 drachmas per month; living on nuts and raisins and when I gave birth to our first child he still didn't have toilet or electricity or telephone and at that time we didn't have our own factory- we had just rented a little place: we borrowed some 2-3 barrels and a broken bottle-closing machine. I had studied medicine for a couple of years and I came from a top class restaurant in Austria, so I knew very well what was coming out of the tap when I saw it. And I immediately realised that this was missing from countries where they liked good food and high quality nutrition. Fritz And the rest was just "on-the-job" training, all these things were new and we couldn't afford anybody else to do it . After a few years we could delegate, we had employees, we had a fork lift driver, we had an accountant. We had a chemist and workers of course and we had a marketing department and a design department. We were very lucky and we also had very good talents, which helped each other to create. We have no certain goals of turnover or which markets to enter or anything like that. We go with the flow and our real goals are just ethical- we have an ethical vision of what we want to achieve and what manifests on a material level through that or in the meantime is fine with us: I only care about the quality of life and the quality of love among people; not just our family, our bigger family of workers: it also includes the farmers. it includes the customers.
Burgi From the point of view of "god " you could say through our meditation, knowing it or not, we were always in communication with god in that activity. We were reliable, we always did what we had to do; we didn't do anything to interfere; and we had in our system planted the seed of PAFSIS <Silence>. I think this was our great gift and what we did we were attracted to from meditation: we had the time and space to sit in this area with the beauty of the landscape. Actually it's a funny story isn't it- you only see afterwards you know you are magnetized to something; you are attracted to something. As far as I remember the first time I saw the house where Fritz lived, which is the commune house, it was an old Greek house with some small windows and they had put the 2 houses together: it had a huge roof and there was nothing else: 1 floor ,big roof and if you looked out the window you saw the sea and I was lucky: it was the first time I wanted to stay and not go anywhere anymore. I also didn't want to go home because there was so much space. Fritz Which is just good you know. The object of meditation doesn't matter whether it's a word or a thing or a thought: it doesn't really matter the point is to quiet the mind so the PAFSIS (silence) happens. The stillness of the space behind things and that's something. I want to connect it to the Christian tradition through Mother Theresa: she gave an interview and the interviewer asked whether she prayed and how did she pray? And she said "well I don't actually say anything- I listen to God." That's a good way to put this mysterious thing of the Pafsis with meditation. It's hilarious actually to build a business on these ideas, these principles you know you care more about.
MANI-SONNENLINK where you link to the sun ..
e Blauel Estate provides Holiday Rentals overlooking the crystal clear Aegean waters and a Seminar House. Its location is an inspired setting for dance, for the performance of musical excellency as well as fostering an integrated development of mind, body and spirit. It is also Feng Shui certified. The complex consists of three apartments for rental, each one is designed as a unique architectural entity with its own colour scheme. The rooms and furnishings are supplemented with their own modern kitchen, luxurious bathroom and not least the idyllic verandah with views reaching out towards different
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directions, the sea, the mountains. The quality of the materials add to the scheme with naturally-oiled wooden floors, Italian tiles, terracotta and radiating marble. The guests are offered a wide range of integral therapies. For those interested, they can also organize astrology sessions. Also available are physiotherapy, chiropractic, relaxation, massage, breathing therapy. The climax of the activities at the Blauel estate is the "Mani International Summer Music Festival", a unique experience in a setting where the beauty of nature combined with the music creates an unforgetable experience.
Notice
BOARD
DOCTORS Panagiotis Kallis, Heart Surgeon 88 Harley Str., London W1G 7HR Tel: 020 7255 1895
Dr Stavroula Nikitopoulou, G.P.
Cleanthis Cleanthous, Eye Surgeon 10 Montstreet Rd, London SW15 2 LA Tel: 020 8788 9455
Homeopathic Doctor HOLISTIC MEDICINE
Marios Kyriazis, G.P., Gerontologist
The Hale Clinic
25 Rose Tree Close, Telford Shropshire TF3 5DZ Tel: 07850 221 796
7 Park Crescent, W1B 1PF www.in-holistic-medicine.com
Eugenia Constantinides, Psychologist 33 Manor Rd North, Edgbaston, Birmingham B16 9JS Tel: 0121 454 0275
Vassilis Mouratoglou, Psychologist
Private Consultation is also available e-mail: snikitopoulou@gmail.com Tel: 07771 11 30 61, 020 7631 0156
D7 Marine Gate, Marine Drive, Brighton BN2 5TP Tel: 01273 887 823
Kypros Nikolaides Prof. Gynaecologist 137 Harley Str., London W1G 6BG Tel: 020 7034 3070
DENTISTS Angelos Alvanos, Orthodontist Hampstead Orthodontic Practice 4 Elm Terrace, Constantine Rd, NW3 2LL Tel: 020 7284 2827
MYTHOPOLIS R E S TA U R A N T & B A R
Mythopolis is your "Greek steki" in London either for a coffee, for dinner or for
the best GREEK MUSIC in town!! Check out Mythopolis' band every Friday and Saturday and keep an eye for all the events during the week. 277 City Rd., Islington EC1V 1LA Tel.:0207490 7867 www.mythopolis.co.uk
Victoria Kendrou 216A High Rd, Wood Green, London N22 8HH Tel: 020 8829 9990
Filippos Mavroskoufis, Cosmetic Dentistry 44 Harley Str., W1G 9PT Tel: 020 7580 5828
Dr. Christos Zervas Cosmetic Dentistry, Dentistry, Non-surgical Treatments Address: West London Dental Centres, Chiswick, London W4 1RX Tel: 0208 994 6202 Mob: 07920123216 email: christoszervas@yahoo.gr
One Stop Co ordinations Best catering in London for all occassions Best Managment, Best Presentation Best quality food whatever Traditional Cypriot or Greek or Continental
One Stop Weddings is our speciality!! Tel.: E-mail: Website:
020 8445 6720, 07802 266 841 info@onestopcoordinations.com www.onestopcoordinations.com
P A N T E L Music
A specialist guitar teacher but accomodates for any instrument you like to learn!!
Guitarist/Composer/Teacher
Book him on 07905 205 078 or at:
“One of the top 20 guitarists in the world”quotes the guardian
pantel.m@hotmail.com
by Panteleimon Michaeloudis
Enhance your receptions/corporate events/private parties/wedding receptions/barmitsvahs.
GET TAUGHT ENTERTAINED OR HAVE A PIECE COMPOSED JUST FOR YOU !!
Make your evening special with PANTEL!!
He has performed all over the world including to Royal Families and special Dignitaries.
A GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER for his film compositions.
w w w. p a n t e l e i m o n . c o m
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Delphi
was known as the "Omphalos" or "Center of the World" because it was believed you could speak to the Gods there directly
Photo by GNTO/London