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ktxDivani21x28.pdf 26/1/2009 2:00:29 μμ
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ACB MAG
Editor - in - chiEf
Giorgos Salamas
Editor
Nikolaos Dervenoulas
Art dirEctor
Angie Paragoulia
dESiGn dirEctor
Charalambos Andreanidis
covEr illuStrAtion
Evangelos Kaimakis
EditoriAl tEAM
Sakis DimitrakopoulosStavros Dioskouridis
PhotoGrAPhY
Gerasimos DomenikosDimitris KoilalousMarianna Verigaki
trAnSlAtion ProofrEAdinG
Danae Seemann
ATHENS TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
PrESidEnt
Aikaterini Katsampe
cEo
Panagiotis Arkoumaneas
dirEctor, AthEnS convEntion BurEAu
George N. Angelis
BuSinESS dEvEloPMEnt MAnAGEr
Natasha Kefala
PuBlic rElAtionS dirEctor
Kalliopi Andriopoulou
contAct 7 Xenofontos Street, Syntagma, 105 57 Athens, Greecet. +30 210 32 53 123, f. +30 210 32 16 653E. [email protected]
Production
LIVANIS PUBLISHING ORGANIZATION 98, Solonos Street, 106 80 Athens. T. 210 36 61 200, F. 210 36 17 791www.livanis.gr
©AcB mag. All rights reserved. neither this publication nor any
part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or trans-
mitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, pho-
tocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission
of the Athens tourism and Economic development company.
Where opinion is expressed it is that of the authors and does not
necessarily coincide with the editorial views of the publisher of
the AcB mag. All information in this magazine is verified to the
best of the authors’ and the publisher’s ability. however, the AcB
mag does not accept responsibility for any loss arising from reli-
ance on it.
thE AcB MAG iS A QuArtErlY PuBlicAtion of thE AthEnS touriSM And EconoMic dEvEloPMEnt coMPAnY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CITY OF ATHENSMAYOR'S GREETING5EDITORIAL7ATEDCO NEwS8BUSINESS NEwS 16
EvEntS cAlEndArUPCOMING CONFERENCES20
uPcoMinG confErEncES41ST IAPCO ANNUAL MEETING & GENERAL ASSEMBLY26
cASE StudiESGLOBAL FORUM ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT 28
cASE StudiESTHE FIRST wORLD CONFERENCE ON SCREENwRITERS32
cASE StudiESICCA SILENT AUCTION34intErviEWSPYROS CAPRALOS36
MuSEuMSTHE NUMISMATIC MUSEUM40trAnSPortAtionGREEK LIMO BUS44hotElSMETROPOLITAN HOTEL46
culturEwINTER CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS50dAYtriPSPETSES54foodMAKE ITCOSY!58
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The goal of the City of Athens, through the Athens Convention Bureau, and my
own personal goal as Mayor of Athens, is to establish Athens as a competitive
business destination throughout the year while providing high-level services to
all its visitors.
The Athens Convention Bureau is actively moving in this direction and its efforts
have already netted the first tangible results. Using modern marketing methods,
as well as new means of communication, the Athens Convention Bureau is pro-
moting and advancing our city in the demanding international conference and
company meeting market, serving any foreign organisation or business inter-
ested in staging conferences or events in Athens.
Through the pages of ACB Mag, we highlight the conference services available
in Athens and put forth interesting suggestions to accommodate the business
traveller in our city, while providing an abundance of useful information in a
modern, targeted mode of communication.
CITY OF ATHENSMAYOR'S GREETING
Nikitas KaklamanisMayor of Athens
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p/50 CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS
p/58 MAKE IT COSY!
p/44 GREEK LIMO BUS
p/46 METROPOLITAN HOTEL
p/20 UPCOMING CONFERENCES
p/8 ATEDCO NEwS
p/32 THE FIRST wORLD CONFERENCE OF SCREENwRITERS
p/40 THE HISTORY OF THE NUMISMATIC MUSEUM
77
Dear readers,
Mild temperatures, a busy city centre and a ceaseless joyful feeling in the air make Athens as vibrant and as ideal a place to visit as ever. winter in Athens offers the perfect opportunity to schedule your meeting in a city where business is closely linked with pleasure.
These are some of the reasons why Athens is geared up to become one of the ten most attractive conference destinations in the world (currently number 15 according to ICCA 2008 statistics). The Athens Convention Bureau, fully focused on this aim, has launched the ACB Membership Programme. The collaboration of the City with conference tourism stakeholders is essential for the consolidation of Athens as a strong player in the international market. In this issue, you will find detailed information on the presentation of the programme, which took place at the Numismatic Museum in the presence of Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis.
You will also learn more about the Numismatic Museum itself, the Iliou Melathron, as it is the work of famous architect Ernst Ziller and was the residence of Heinrich Schliemann.
Furthermore, in this issue you will be introduced to Spyros Capralos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Athens Exchange.
In addition, you will get to know the bistros of Athens and read about important events that took place or will be taking place in the city, such as the Global Forum on Migration and Development 2009 and the 41st IAPCO Annual Meeting and General Assembly set for February 2010.
Last but not least, we will take you to Spetses, one of the most picturesque and unique Greek islands, only 2.5 hours away from Athens.
we wish you a happy festive season and a prosperous 2010.
For more information, please visit our website
www.athensconventionbureau.gr
EDITORIAL Panagiotis Arkoumaneas
cEo / Athens tourism and Economic development company
8
ATEDCo NEwSThe Athens Convention Bureau
announces its Membership Programme
9
AtEdco nEWS
The activities and Membership Programme of the ACB were
officially announced on 23 November during a news conference
at the Numismatic Museum in the presence of Athens Mayor
Nikitas Kaklamanis.
10
In addressing the event, the Mayor of Athens referred to the tourism de-velopment strategy which has been in effect since 2007, with the Athens Economic and Tourism Development Company (ATEDCo) serving as lead agency, and emphasised the consider-able weight the City of Athens places on the city's tourism economy.
Mayor Kaklamanis reiterated that this is the first time that such a systematic and targeted effort to promote Athens in international tourism markets is be-ing made, emphasising the city's ad-vantages and using modern methods of marketing and new communication media.
Specifically referring to conference tourism, he stressed its particular sig-nificance and the considerable ben-efits it could have for a destination such as Athens. Finally, he described the ACB Membership Programme as a key venture and invited the tourism market to support it.City of Athens Councillor and ATEDCo President Dr Katerina Katsabe for her part discussed ATEDCo's efforts and diverse activities. She also stressed that, despite its short history of operation, the ACB has made its presence felt in the international market and has drawn positive feed-back on the way it is promoting Athens as a conference and event destination.
The ACB's Membership Programme was designed according to interna-tional models which have been ad-opted by similar organisations, par-ticularly in Europe and North America. It will involve an annual membership fee, depending on the category and size of each business, and will apply to hotels, conference centres, event venues, professional conference or-ganisers (PCOs), destination manage-ment companies and event organisers (DMCs), audiovisual equipment com-panies, travel agencies, restaurants, car rental businesses, airlines and ca-tering companies, among others.As an introduction to the programme, new memberships will be offered at a 20% discount until 31/12/2009.
Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis & ATEDCo President Dr Katerina Katsabe
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AtEdco nEWS
Businesses which register their mem-bership in the ACB will enjoy special privileges and services, including:• Immediate notification on requests for
offers for conferences and events from foreign clients.
• Continual and targeted promotion through the ACB's and ATEDCo's com-munications media, such as www.athensconventionbureau.gr and www.breathtakingathens.com, foreign lan-guage publications ACB Mag and Breath-takingAthens Magazine and monthly newsletters. These are targeted and sent to thousands of selected recipients abroad.
• Inclusion and prominent promotion in the official guide of the Athens confer-ence product (Athens Meeting Planner's Guide), which will be published in 2010 (in both print and electronic form) and will serve as the main marketing tool to promote the city in the international conference market.
• Support in pursuing conferences and events.
• Contribution to collective efforts to pro-mote the city, such as fam trips, site in-spections, international trade shows. etc.
It should be noted that informative ma-terial has been sent to about 2,000 busi-nesses in the greater Athens area.During the presentation, it was noted that in 2008, Athens gained 10 places on the list of world city-conference destinations, coming in 15th place.
Athens Convention Bureau (ACB) one of Meetings industry Marketing Awards sponsorsThe Athens Convention Bureau (ACB), the official conference tourism organisation for the City of Athens, was the sponsor in the category of "best website" at the Meetings Industry Marketing Awards 2009, which took place 16 October in London.
More than 250 business executives, in-ternational organisation representatives, journalists and others involved in the con-ference and company meeting market at-tended the Meetings Industry Marketing Awards to honour and present awards to the top professionals in the conference and company meeting market. In the "best website" category, of which the ACB was the sponsor, the results were as follows: Gold: JLASilver: etc venuesBronze: Barcelo UKFinalist: The Royal College of Physicians
world tourism DayAs part of the world Tourism Day celebra-tions, the Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company sponsored an event staged by the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (HATTA) which took place on 28 September at the New Acropolis Museum and at the Ionic Centre.As an official City of Athens tourism organi-sation, ATEDCo takes part in activities that promote the tourism product of metropoli-tan Athens. Having adopted as a guiding philosophy the need for developing constructive re-lationships with other organisations and associations, it invests substantively in domestic and international networking and in the promotion of Athens, while at the same time planning further actions in this direction.
Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis
ATEDCo CEO Panagiotis Arkoumaneas & ATEDCo President Dr Katerina Katsabe
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world Tourism Day is observed every year on 27 September, a date set by the world Tour-ism Organisation with the aim of highlight-ing the economic, cultural and social con-tribution of tourism in the progress of the international community.
AteDCo part of "tourism & travel in the Green economy" SymposiumUnder the initiative of the Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis, the Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company (ATEDCo) took part in the international "Tourism & Travel in the Green Economy" symposium, held 14 and 15 September in Gothenburg, Sweden. Also taking part was ATEDCo's sub-sidiary organisation, the Athens Convention Bureau (ACB), in its capacity as a member of the world Tourism Organisation.The symposium was staged by the Euro-pean Tourism Commission, the United Nations world Tourism Organisation and VisitSweden, with the support of the Unit-ed National Environment Programme and the Swedish government. The four main positions of the tourism sector were for-mulated during the symposium in prepa-ration for the Climate Change conference to take place in Copenhagen.
the positions are summarised as fol-lows:• Restriction of emissions, particularly by
transport and accommodation enter-prises.
• Adaptation of tourism enterprises and destinations to climate change.
• Implementation of existing and new technology aiming at greater energy ef-ficiency.
• Securing economic resources to help poor regions and countries.
The main goal of the symposium was to inform tourism organisations on issues re-lated to green tourism so that immediate action can be taken and contributions be made to discussions on how to address cli-mate change which are due to take place in Copenhagen in December.
The symposium's conclusions were based on the Davos conference on climate change and tourism, led by the UNwTO in cooperation with many other tourism organisations. The Davos messages were considered more timely than ever for the tourism industry: Adjustment, Limitation, Technology Improvement. The symposium also offered ideas and lines of action with regard to how tourism can benefit from initiatives that support a green economy.Key to the drawing of conclusions was the role and the network of National Tourism Organisations. The symposium was fea-tured on the Destinet Sustainable Tourism portal, a learning tool associated with en-vironmentalist tourism.The symposium was organised into four separate topic units: the first involved discussion of actions in the tourism sec-tor to reduce its negative impact on the environment. Initiatives being taken on national and international levels were highlighted, as well as the ways that the tourism industry can make a positive con-tribution to the process. In the second, ways that new technologies could be used to achieve more environmentally friendly results in the area of transportation were discussed. Examples of how airlines and railways are operating these days were presented.The third unit presented examples of tour-ism destinations that are endeavouring to combine various elements of sustainable tourism. The application of the Sustain-able Consumption and Production policy in the tourism sector, as well as actions that can be taken by the accommodation sector, were also discussed.The final unit focused on an action plan that National Tourism Organisations have an opportunity to adopt and examples of national organisations that are already ap-plying it, such as VisitBritain, were given.Among those to address those attending were the Swedish Deputy Prime Minis-ter Maud Olofsson, ETC President Arthur Oberascher and UNwTO General Secre-tary Taleb Rifai.
Director of Athens Convention Bureau George Angelis, ATEDCo CEO Panagiotis Arkoumaneas, ATEDCo President Dr Katerina Katsabe and Business Development Manager of Athens Convention Bureau Natasha Kefala
13
AtEdco nEWS
City of Athens earns special awardThe City of Athens was awarded the Special Host Prize for its support and or-ganised presence at the 74th Thessaloniki International Fair. The prize was awarded 13 September by the Helexpo administration at the City of Athens' exhibition stand, which stood out with its strong presence and flawless operation at this year's TIF.At the City's specially designed stand, vis-itors had the opportunity to obtain infor-mation about the activities and interven-tions of the City of Athens with regard to "green" development through a wealth of printed publications and a large pro-jection screen. Visitors were also given a small potted olive tree as a gift.The Athens Tourism and Economic De-velopment Company (ATEDCo.) had as-sumed responsibility for the coordination and organisation of the City's participa-tion in the 74th TIF.
City of Athens at the 74th thessaloniki international FairAthens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis inaugu-rated the City of Athens exhibitor stand at the 74th Thessaloniki International Fair.This year's central theme at the City of Athens' specially designed exhibitor stand is "Green Development and Projects". The theme aims to highlight environmental issues, especially after the recent devas-tating fires, and also to present the green projects the City of Athens has imple-mented over the past 2.5 years, since Niki-tas Kaklamanis has taken office.The exhibitor stand was visited this morn-ing by the Metropolite of Thessaloniki Anthimos, ministers, Thessaloniki Mayor Vasilis Papageorgopoulos, the Kifissia Mayor and Chairman of the Association of Communities and Municipalities in the Attica Region (ESDKNA) Nikos Chiotakis, Egaleo Mayor and Chairman of the Local Union of Municipalities and Town Coun-cils of Attica (TEDKNA) Dimitris Kalogero-poulos and the Peristeri Mayor Andreas Pahatouridis. 13
14 AtEdco nEWS
At the launch Mayor Kaklamanis made the following statement:"The City of Athens and Athina municipal radio 9.84 FM are once again in Thessa-loniki, participating in the 74th Fair. I am very pleased because I was convinced that last year's success could not be repeated. But as you can see, all those who visit our exhibitor stand are happy to come over to us and wish us a good morning.This fills us with happiness and it shows the love the Thessaloniki citizens feel for Ath-ens and the love Athenians feel for Thessa-loniki. A city where I have lived - it was the city of my university years - and I always remember with love and memories".At the City of Athens exhibitor stand visi-tors were informed on the actions and in-terventions of the municipality in regards to green development through informa-tive brochures and a large screen and they also received a potted olive tree as a gift.Athina 9.84 FM once again has a dynamic presence at this year's Thessaloniki Inter-national Fair. Through a specially designed studio installed within the exhibitor stand, Athens municipal radio station will keep citizens informed with interesting reports and interviews from Thessaloniki.
AteDCo part of Destination Market-ing Association international Lead-ership ForumAs part of the City of Athens' strategy for tourism development in Athens and given the city's strong presence in the interna-tional tourism market, the Athens Tour-ism and Development Company (ATEDCo) took part in the European Leadership Fo-rum of Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), which took place in Glasgow 14-16 October.
During the forum, the European Union's decision-making process was outlined in detail, as well as the way in which the EU's central services and structures operate. Emphasis was placed on the mechanisms through which major policy directions in critical sectors and issues, such as the environment, transportation and agricul-tural economy, are formulated.Of great interest to tourism profession-als was the announcement that just days before, the European Union had proposed a 20% reduction in business travel and its replacement by teleconferencing. This recommendation is included in the measures being promoted by the Euro-pean Union to reduce pollution and to increase renewable energy resources by 20% by 2020. DMAI members expressed their concern about the recommendation, stressing that if adopted, even in part, it will have a significantly negative impact on local tourism economies, which have already been hard hit by the economic crisis.On the other hand, according to the findings of a study carried out in North America for DMAI, every dollar a company invests in business travel corresponds to $12.50 in additional revenues. The study also showed that according to upper-level and management executives, 28% of this year's annual company turnover will be lost if business trips and personal meet-ings do not take place.
In addition, the most recent data on the course of hotel performance in the world market were presented by the STR com-pany. According to the data (sampling 38,000 hotels) during the nine-month pe-riod January to August 2009, the Revenue per Available Room for hotels in Europe showed a reduction of about 19.4%, with 18.8% in the USA and 28.4% in Asia.Also examined during the forum was the rapidly growing preference for new media and electronic distribution networks, as well as the increasingly important role of social networking media (facebook, twit-ter, etc.) in information, promotion and destination marketing. with regard to so-cial media, a typical indicator is that 61% of meeting and conference planners have a profile on facebook.As it was generally noted, turnover in on-line travel booking in 2010 is expected to exceed 43% of the total market in Europe, while advertising expenses on electronic media over recent years have increased dramatically (+26% in 2009, estimated at +23% for 2010).It should be noted that among those tak-ing part in the DMAI Europe Leadership Forum were officials of European destina-tion management organisations and Con-vention and Visitors Bureaus.
50SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 255INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
760UNIQUE SOCIAL EVENTS77.256PARTICIPANTS37.200ABSTRACT PAGES
17.800INVITED SPEAKERS210.000SQ. M EXHIBITION SPACE520MEDIA ACTIVITIES
4.000ACCREDITED JOURNALISTS100SKILLED PROFESSIONALS
01. ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT
02. PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISER
03. EVENTS & DESTINATION MANAGEMENT
04. STRATEGY & COMMUNICATION
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BUSINESS NEwS
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BuSinESS nEWS
Olympic Air begins flyingOlympic has left behind the Olympic Air-lines name and begun operations as a new company created after its privatisation, Olympic Air. The first scheduled flight us-ing an Airbus 320 travelled to Thessaloniki. Flying on board were Marfin Investment Group President Andreas Vgenopoulos, company executives and news reporters.Passengers of the former company who hold tickets for flights scheduled after 29 September will be served by other airlines, including Olympic Air, as per agreements already drawn up and without additional charges. Those who do not wish to fly with another airline are entitled to a full refund of the cost of their ticket.Olympic Air will operate domestic routes from Athens to Thessaloniki, Kavala, Alex-androupoli, Limnos, Mytilene, Chios, Sa-mos, Kos, Rhodes, Syros, Mykonos, Santo-rini, Iraklio, Chania, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Preveza, Ioannina and Corfu. During the transition period, it will also serve the less productive destinations of Skyros, Skia-thos, Ikaria, Kalymnos, Leros, Astypalaia, Kastelorizo, Kasos, Sitia, Paros, Naxos, Mi-los, Kythira and Kalamata. Its network abroad will include flights to London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Bel-grade, Bucharest, Vienna, Milan, Rome, Istanbul, Larnaca, Beirut, Cairo, Alexan-dria, Sofia, Tirana and Tel Aviv. Under the same code and in cooperation with other companies, it will also fly to New York, To-ronto, Montreal, Australia, Johannesburg, Atlanta and Abu Dhabi.For more information, passengers may contact local Olympic Air offices or phone 210 3550500, 801 801 0101.
Athens international Airport earns airport marketing awardThe Athens International Airport was once again given the best airport mar-keting award for an airport in Europe at "ROUTES 2009," the largest world meet-ing of airport and airline companies, held 12-15 September in Beijing. Athens International Airport was named the best airport in Europe in terms of air-port marketing based on votes of airline companies from all over the world ac-knowledging the continuous and dynamic support it provides to airline development efforts and programmes.The Athens International Airport was the only large European airport in 2009 that managed to increase its scheduled ser-vices, as its support programmes have so far this year brought in12 new airlines (Air Arabia, Baboo, Cimber Sterling, Libyan, Lvov, Transavia, Atlant-Souyz Airlines, Athens Airways, Etihad, Pegasus, Hellenic Imperial and Sun Express) as well as eight new international destinations (Nice, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Tripoli, Benghazi, Casa-blanca, Krasnodar and Izmir).
Pegasus Airlines: new schedule from Athens to izmirStarting on 2 October, Pegasus Airlines will include direct flights from Athens to Izmir, Turkey, in its schedule. The Pegasus Airlines schedules will be operated three times a week (Monday, wednesday and Friday) on Flight H9 806, departing Athens at 12:10 and arriving in Izmir at 14:00.
The flights will be operated in cooperation with its subsidiary IZAIR, Izmir's airline. The collaboration between Pegasus Air-lines and IZAIR has a history of more than 20 years and seeks to offer passengers the highest level of service, comfort, safety and punctuality, using a new fleet of air-craft of 13 Boeing 737-800s, two Boeing 737-400s, three Boeing 737-500s, Airbus A319s and Airbus A320s. Through Izmir, Pegasus Airlines connects Athens with services to Ankara, Adana and Istanbul us-ing Airbus A319s and Airbus A320s.
Classical King George Palace wins sig-nificant distinctionThe "palace" of the Greek Classical Hotels chain, the Classical King George Palace, has added another distinction to its name. A deserving member of Leading Hotels of the world, the unique luxury boutique hotel-legend Classical King George Palace was the only Greek hotel (regardless of City & Resort hotel rating) to be included among the best 20 hotels in Europe, Asia and the Russian Federation by English travel maga-zine Condé Nast Traveller (the most au-thoritative travel magazine in the world) in its October 2009 issue. The magazine's readers did the voting and included the crème de la crème of luxury hotels in Europe, Asia and the Russian Federation. Also featuring in this category were: the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze; Ho-tel Splendido, Portofino, Italy; and Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Istanbul, to name a few. The awards were presented by Condé Nast Traveller following voting by readers. The Readers' Travel Awards 2009 were pre-sented in the October issue of the maga-zine. The Classical King George Palace is the jewel of the Classical Hotels chain and a part of Athens history. Since 1936, it has accommodated kings, princes, presidents and legendary personalities from all over the world.
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Madrid, and Vienna are Aegean's new destinationsAegean Airlines is expanding its network by adding scheduled flights from Athens to Madrid and Vienna. The service to Madrid begins 1 December and to Vienna on 10 De-cember. Aegean will launch one daily flight to and from Madrid 1 December. The flight will leave Athens at 9:15 am and return from Barajas Airport in Madrid at 12:50. The ser-vice will use brand-new Airbus A320/321 air-craft, with 168 and 195 seats respectively. Their cabins have been comfortably divided into Economy and Business Class and pro-vide in-flight entertainment. The schedule has been planned to enable connections from the rest of Greece.Meanwhile, starting 10 December, Ae-gean will add Vienna to its network. The airline will connect Athens to Vienna with five flights a week using Airbus A320 168-seater aircraft.
Metro airport service back in operationThe Athens Metro service to Athens Inter-national Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" has been resumed as of September 2 with the completion of work at the Nomismatoko-pio (State Mint) Station. Nomismatokopio Station is now open to the public and can be used by passengers travelling on the Airport line, stopping at stations in between (Halandri, Doukissis Plakentias, Palini, Paiania/Kantza, Koropi, Airport). Nomismatokopio Station is ex-pected to serve 30,000 people daily. The journey to Syntagma takes 10 minutes. A new station at Holargos is expected to open in December.
More than half a million visit new Acropolis Museum during its first two monthsVisitors to the new Acropolis Museum numbered more than half a million dur-ing the first two months since its opening. Specifically, 523,540 people, of whom 60% were from abroad, visited the museum between the date of the grand opening and August 26. During the same period, 409,000 in-dividual Internet users from 180 coun-tries visited the museum's website, www.theacropolismuseum.gr.
An exhibition with the theme "Pericles Xanthippus" will take place at the end of autumn as part of the museum's special exhibits featuring as its centrepiece the bust of Pericles from the Pergamon Mu-seum in Berlin. The goal of the exhibit is to present Pericles' construction plans for the Acropolis and its induction into the public life of classical Athens.At the same time, the museum's exhibit will be enhanced by new models of the Acropolis to improve services for visitors.Finally, it should be noted that the mu-seum already has a physician available for staff and visitors. In addition to the physi-cian's surgery, a baby and child care room is soon expected to open on the first floor of the museum.
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BuSinESS nEWS
Aegean Airlines to fly to HeathrowAs of October 25, Aegean will begin two daily non-stop flights to London's Heath-row airport. The flight departure and ar-rival times are ideal for both business and leisure travellers. The flight schedule has been designed to allow for excellent con-nections with Aegean's domestic desti-nations. The flights will depart daily from Athens to London at 09:10 and 17:20 and from London to Athens at 12:45 and 20:20. The flights to London's Heathrow will be operated with a brand new Airbus A321 in dual class configuration, offering a full meal and an in-flight entertainment sys-tem with six music channels and a movie for all passengers without extra charges. Business class passengers will be able to enjoy improved seat comfort, a choice of meals, as well as espresso or cappuccino.
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UPCOMINGCONFERENCES
DECEMBER-FEBRUARY
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thEAtErEvEntS cAlEndAr
17th OSCe Ministerial Council1 December - 2 Decem-ber, Hellinikon Complex (Olympic fencing centre)
The 17th OSCE Ministerial Council will take place on 1 and 2 December in Athens. The Ministerial Council is the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE. The meeting, held annually, provides the foreign ministers of the 56 OSCE participating States an opportunity to re-view and assess the Organiza-tion's activities during the past year and offer national view-points on security matters.
The Ministerial Council is host-ed by the country which holds the annually rotating Chair-manship of the Organization.
epidemics²: Second international Confer-ence on infectious Diseases Dynamics3 - 5 December, Ledra Marriott HotelFollowing the highly successful inaugural Epidemics Confer-ence in Asilomar, USA, in 2008, the organisers are pleased to announce a second conference in the series to be held in Ath-ens in December 2009.
Attendance at this second Epidemics conference will enable you to:
• Identify new research and developments in the field of infectious disease dynamics;
• Hear from leading experts at the only dedicated confer-ence in the field;
• Present your latest findings as an oral or poster presen-tation;
• Network with an interdis-ciplinary group, including academics and researchers from both a modelling and field-based background and representatives from public health and governmental agencies.
1st Greek-Chinese Forum on the environment3 - 4 December, electra PalaceThe Technical Chamber of Greece is staging the 1st Greek-Chinese Forum on the Envi-ronment on 3 and 4 Decem-ber. The Forum is within the framework of the Chamber’s collaboration with the Beijing Association for Science and Technology (BAST). Greek and Chinese scientists and experts in the field will be making pre-sentations.
4th Musicological – Psaltic Congress: theory and Practice of the Psaltic Art8 -11 December, "Parnassos" Literary Society BuildingThe 4th International Confer-ence is being hosted by the In-stitute of Byzantine Musicol-ogy this year on 8-11 December in Athens under the general title of "Theory and Practice of the Psaltic Art".This year’s meeting and its thematic content is being or-ganised in collaboration with the Federation of the Asso-ciations of the Hieropsaltes of Greece (OMSIE), with the sup-port of the Synodal Committee on Ecclesiastic Art and Music, and with the benediction of the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, Hieronymos II.
As in the previous three con-ferences, this Conference maintains its dual character, emphasising both musico-logical and psaltic-artistic aspects. This event is open to all scientists and psaltes-musicologists, as well as all psaltes-artists, and allows the selection of four or five choirs from Greece and other Ortho-dox countries.Under the main thematic axis, “Theory and Practice of the Psaltic Art” the goal of the pres-ent Conference is the explora-tion of the specific theme: "The Genera of Hellenic (Byzantine) Rhythmopoeia" and current psaltic issues.
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Distance Selling & e-commerce Conference15 December, OteAcademy AmphitheatreThe aim of the conference is to serve as a base for mutual ex-change of opinions, commen-tary and knowledge among all organisations and businesses in the field for the first time in Greece.In addition, new and tried-and-true methods, innova-tions, technological solutions and current trends from the international market will be presented, which will boost Distance Selling in Greece even further.Finally, the conference seeks to help interested businesses to formulate an integrated and effective strategy which will help the entire sector in the long term.The Distance Selling & e-Com-merce Conference is directed at all businesses in Greece which are already active, plan to be-come active or supply other businesses in the Distance Sell-ing sector.All top-level executives special-ising in marketing, business development, IT systems, cus-tomer service, procurement, e-commerce, multichannel marketing, direct marketing, logistics and market research in the sectors listed below are invited:• Retail • Tourist Services • Hospitality• Transport / Postal Services • Banking Services • Telecommunications • Electronics / IT • Events• Internet
7th Annual international Conference on History: From Ancient to Modern28 - 31 December, AthensThe History Research Unit of the Athens Institute for Edu-cation and Research (ATINER) will organise its 7th Interna-tional Conference on History in Athens on 28-31 December. The conference will be held in downtown Athens, within walking distance of the Acrop-olis (Parthenon) and other his-torical sites of Athens.
Special sessions will be or-ganised in the following areas: Ancient Greek and Roman His-tory, Cultural History, History of Religion, Arts History, Eco-nomic History, Political and Social History, Sports History (History of Olympic Games), History of Sciences, History of Philosophy, Intellectual His-tory, Modern American His-tory, Latin American History, African History, Asian History, European History, Personali-ties in Philosophy and History, Interactions of Civilizations (East-west & North-South), Historiography, Historic Pres-ervation and the Future of Historical Studies. Selected papers will be published in a Special Volume of the Confer-ence Proceedings. Participants may serve as panel organisers, presenters of papers, chairs of sessions or as observers.
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2nd international Sym-posium on “renal Dys-function and Cardiovas-cular Disease 2010”16 January, evgenidion FoundationThe Symposium “Renal Dys-function and Cardiovascular Disease 2010” is an effort to enhance the interchange of emerging information on the pathophysiological and clini-cal interrelationships between the kidneys, the heart and the vasculature. During the Sym-posium, there will be an op-portunity to attend sessions with the participation of world experts who are pioneers in the field of cardiovascular re-search. Through lectures, and round table discussions, the Symposium offers an out-standing scientific programme featuring both state-of-the-art knowledge and innovative ap-proaches to patients with renal impairment and cardiovascular disease. It is anticipated that this Symposium will be valu-able both in terms of everyday clinical practice and advanced research.
Financial times - the Fu-ture of Banking in Greece21 - 21 January, Grande Bretagne HotelThe Banker, in association with FT Global Events, is pleased to present a unique conference focused on the steps that need to be taken to reshape the fu-ture of banking in Greece.
Bringing together leading speakers from government and the financial sector, this event will be a forum for debate and dialogue on key issues includ-ing: • Analysing new government
approaches to supporting the banks and their role in restoring liquidity – is more assistance required?
• Evaluating the role that re-vised banking supervision will play in restoring investor confidence in the financial sector;
• Reviewing credit criteria to balance the risks and rewards of lending in the changing economic environment;
• Identifying and assessing key sectors for future growth, in-cluding retail finance, wealth management, project fi-nance, shipping finance and SMEs;
• Rethinking the strategy for international expansion in the changing economic envi-ronment.
Who should attend
Leading with our unparalleled editorial expertise, this agenda has been tailored to meet the needs of senior executives and institutional investors from:• Investment Banks • COOs • Corporate Sector • CEOs • Investment Companies & Funds • Retail Banks • Multilateral Organisations • Stock Exchanges • Rating Agencies
Within these organisations, the following individuals will form our main audience:
• Asset Managers • General Managers from Com-
mercial Banks • Managing Directors and
Finance Directors from Banks and Corporations
• Arrangers, Lead Managers • Heads of Fixed Income &
Capital Raising • Regional Heads • Heads of Emerging Markets • Heads of Strategy • Credit Analysts • Banking Analysts
3rd Athens international Forum on SecurΙΤy: Chal-lenges and Opportunities for the new Decade27 – 28 January, Hellenic American Union Conference CentreThe Athens International Fo-rum on Security (AIFS) is an in-dependent information secu-rity conference in Greece that delivers vendor-neutral exper-tise to proactive IT profession-als. AIFS provides a fresh, in-depth look into information security technologies, policies, techniques and best practices, and helps all parties involved -- from front-line IT personnel to policy makers -- gain valu-able insights into key informa-tion security issues. This year’s forum brings together world-class experts to examine secu-rity challenges that organisa-tions will face in the coming decade and introduce opportu-nities for successfully overcom-ing them.why attend
AIFS is a value-for-money event for four main reasons:
• Theory and practice: all key-note presentations, topics, workshops and case studies organised within different tracks have been selected to address hot information secu-rity issues at different levels.
• Even more learning opportu-nities: a new section, “Learn-ing Community”, provides you with articles, surveys, white papers and reports on key se-curity issues from around the world.
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• Vendor-neutral content: Key-note presentations and topics do not include product presen-tations, but valuable informa-tion and advice. Leading indus-try practitioners and security experts will share their knowl-edge and experience to help you better understand how you can plan for, head off and deal with security challenges.
• Networking opportunities: you’ll have the chance to culti-vate new business through di-rect contact with decision mak-ers and prospective clients.
• Vendors’ Exhibition: you can discover and evaluate prod-ucts and services offered by different vendors throughout the conference.
Who attends
IT support professionals, IT ex-ecutives, network and system administrators, engineers, analysts, IT auditors, IT project managers, network managers and CIOs from all industries can benefit from the conference.Around 200 delegates attend the AIFS: 19% are IT Managers/Section Heads; 15% are System/Network Administrators; 12% are IS Auditors; and 12% are Se-curity Officers / Managers. The participants come from such industries as IT Services (27%), Banking/Insurance sector (22%), wholesale/Retail Trade (13%) and Telecommunications (9%).
24th international Con-gress of HSiOirS 20104 February - 6 February, Athens Hilton HotelThe 24th International Congress of HSIOIRS will be held on 4-7 February 2010, at the Hilton ho-tel in Athens. A rich and innovat-
ing program, focusing on Cata-ract and Refractive surgery will be presented, including lectures by international faculty, round tables, free papers, clinical in-structional courses, high com-munication wet labs, live sur-gery and video presentations.The Congress will attend well known and distinguished oph-thalmologists from Greece and abroad, participating in Round Table Discussions, Instruction Courses, High Communication wet Labs, Lectures as well as Live Surgery.
4th international Course of experimental Vascu-larised Flaps Dissection in Living tissues with Clinical Applications in Limb reconstruction4 – 6 February, eLPenThe 4th International Course of Experimental in Living Tis-sues with Clinical Applications in Limb Reconstructive Sur-gery will be held 4-6 February at the ELPEN facilities. The course is being hosted by the Hand Surgery-Upper Extrem-ity & Microsurgery Unit at the KAT hospital in Athens and the ELPEN Research-Experimental Centre, in cooperation with the Romanian Reconstructive Microsurgery Society, the Cuj-Napoca University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Romania and the Microsurgery Department of the Orthopaedic Clinic in To-rino, Italy.
3rd Conference of Art Libraries5 – 8 February, Benaki MuseumThe 3rd Conference of Art Li-brarians will focus on issues concerning "Digitisation and
Implementation of New Tech-nologies in the Field of Libraries, Museums and Art Archives.". Following on from proceed-ings that took place during the previous conference, where the Community of Libraries and Art Archives in Greece was formed and the need for a common policy and collaborative prac-tices in the application of digi-tal technology by organisations in possession of cultural objects was outlined, the Art Libraries and the competent authorities are called upon to present the results of these applications, as well as methods of publishing and making their collections available over the Internet.
6th international Meetings & incentives Conference (iMiC2010) - Creating and Managing Successful Prod-ucts and Powerful Brands 10 - 11 February, Megaron Athens interna-tional Conference CentreMeetings, conferences, and in-centives are highly valued and thriving sectors of the industry. They concern all those involved with them, whether corpora-tions, planners, buyers, suppliers or national and regional promo-tion bureaus. Operating year-round, the MICE industry (Meetings Incentives Conferences Events) makes a major contribution to society and business through research, education and cultural under-standing. It is high yielding and sustainable and it helps to re-generate urban and resort areas while stimulating inward invest-ment and export earnings for the destinations. From the top organiser down to the coach drivers, we should
all be concerned about how to better serve our clients and cre-ate high quality, memorable events for them. This can only be achieved with continued educa-tion on today's client needs, a bet-ter understanding of the industry requirements for tomorrow and networking among peers.
Once again, IMIC will bring together the best experts in the industry that:
- will offer new ideas;- will increase our expertise;- will enable us to be successful.
Top quality speakers, moderators and panellists will discuss, explain and answer burning questions on:
• Surviving in an Ever-Changing Marketplace;
• The How-To's of Product De-velopment;
• Branding Meeting Destina-tions, Meeting Venues and Meeting Service Providers;
• Improving the value chain: Helping businesses maintain their competitive edge;
• Marketing Your Business on a Tight Budget;
• And many other key issues.
the 2010 Athens tourism Symposium (AtS 2010) 10 - 11 February, Megaron Athens interna-tional Conference CentreThe 2010 Athens Tourism Sym-posium aims at providing a forum for researchers, educa-tors, students and profession-als to explore the trends that are shaping the present and the future of the tourism economy, both at the entrepreneurial and the policy-making level.
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Organised in parallel with IMIC, a well-established industry event held since 2004, the 2010 Athens Tourism Symposium will include joint sessions and round table discussions with lead-ing tourism, hospitality and meeting professionals.The programme of the Athens 2010 Tourism Symposium comprises key-notes as well as presentations of sub-mitted double-blind refereed research papers. The organisers welcome con-tributions that cover – but are not limited to – the following congress topics: • Planning for sustainable tourism
development by managing its envi-ronmental, social and economical impact;
• Educating and developing human re-sources in tourism;
• Utilising technology in tourism;• Identifying current trends in hospi-
tality management;• Managing transportation trends;• Managing travel distribution trends;• Managing hospitality industry
trends;• Managing visitor attractions;
• Conducting marketing research in the tourism market;
• Developing marketing strategies for the tourism market;
• Developing niche markets in tourism;• Developing products for the tourism
market;• Communicating and selling in the
tourism market;• Organising the destination manage-
ment and marketing task;• Operating national and local tourism
organisations;• Facilitating cooperation among public-
and private-sector stakeholders and the local population;
• Setting up business clusters in tourism;• Planning for the future of tourism.
41st iAPCO Annual Meet-ing and General Assembly18 - 21 February, Hotel Grande BretagneIAPCO’s General Assembly and Annual Meeting is planned to bring together its members in order to exchange ideas, evaluate and develop its current guidelines and procedures.
the 3rd world Congress on Controver-sies in Urology (CUry)25 - 28 February, Athens Hilton HotelThe purpose of the 3rd world Congress on Controversies in Urology (CURy) is to disseminate information and to dis-cuss and debate controversial issues in the continuously evolving field of Urol-ogy. The Congress promises innovative approaches in communication with substantial discussion and debates.Each year, new advances in research and medical technology in the field of Urology and in related fields raise new controversial issues which should be addressed. The 3rd world Congress will highlight many of these key new issues in order to reach ultimate state-of-the-art solutions and to provide cli-nicians with conclusive recommenda-tions and reliable solutions, all based on current up - to - date knowlwdge.
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41st IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly18-21 February 2010
Athens, GreeceHotel Grande Bretagne
2010
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thEAtEruPcoMinG confErEncES
ATHENS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Athens takes centre stage in 2010 as the venue for the 41st edition of the prestigious Annual Meeting & General Assembly of IAPCO (International Association of Profes-sional Congress Organisers) to be held at the Grande Bretagne Hotel, 18-21 February 2010.
The official host of this prestigious event, AC&C International, a member of C&C In-ternational Group of Companies and active member of IAPCO, boasts of having won the bid against some extremely strong competition from other equally attractive destinations by presenting a very competi-tive and quality-driven proposal.
The IAPCO Annual Meeting & General As-sembly plans to gather its members to-gether to discuss the business of the Asso-ciation, but most importantly the current issues facing the industry today. Commit-ted to its strong environmental responsi-bility, IAPCO will once again offer carbon offset possibility to all delegates traveling to Athens as well as recycling options in or-der to reduce the event’s carbon footprint.
Apart from the notable industry pro-gramme, the 41st IAPCO Annual Meeting & General Assembly plans to offer an in-spiring mix of leisure and sight-seeing to its participants along with a taste of Greek gastronomic delights.
At the same time, the Grande Bretagne Hotel promises to ensure a unique and memorable experience to its guests, with breathtaking views of the famed Acropolis and Parthenon, regal Syntagma Square and the Parliament, lush Lycabettus Hill and the original Olympic Stadium.
For further informationvisit www.iapco2010.gr.
ABOUt iAPCO: Meeting QualityIAPCO, founded in 1968, is the worldwide association representing professional con-gress organisers. with over 100 members, IAPCO organises its annual meeting and general assembly in a different city each year and plays a leading role in the promo-tion of the professionalism of congress or-ganisation throughout the world (Annual wolfsberg Academy, Regional Seminars, political actions). IAPCO also publishes a number of docu-ments including a code of ethics, a diction-ary of technical terms (now in 15 languag-es) and working brochures. IAPCO is a member of the Joint Meetings Industry Council [JMIC] and the Conven-tion Industry Council [CIC].
Plenary Sessions“2020 Future Vision”“ The CVBs’ new era: future challenges and key drivers”
“ Procurement Departments: Enemies? Allies? Friends?!”
“The war for Talent”“ The Life Cycle of an Association-Effects on the PCO Business?”
“ Pharmaceutical Companies and Legal Issues”
working Groups / think tanks / Seminarsworking Groups▶ Co-operation with hotels▶ Dictionary update▶ Bidding for a Congress▶ Pharmaceutical CodexThink Tanks▶ Social Communication▶ Future TrendsSeminars▶ Quality Seminar “Sustainability”
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Integrating migration policies into development strat-egies for the benefit of all
Global Forum on Migration and Development Athens 2009
The Secretary- General of the UN Ban Ki-moon, President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister George Papandreou
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On 16 December 2008, Greece assumed the twelve-month presi-dency of the Third Global Forum on Migration and Development, the annual meeting of which took place in Athens from 2 to 5 No-vember 2009 under the overarching theme “Integrating Migra-tion Policies into Development Strategies for the Benefit of All”. This meeting consisted of two parts: Civil Society Days on 2 and 3 November, and the Government Meeting on 4 and 5 November. More than 900 people from all over the world attended these meetings, including delegates from over 140 member-states of the United Nations and, 30 international organisations, over 300 representatives from a cross section of NGO’s active in the migra-tion or development field, as well as representatives of migrants and diasporas, trade unions and the private sector who partici-pated in Civil Society Days.
SUPPOrtinG FrAMewOrKThe Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) is a recent initiative of the international community. Its aim is to ad-dress the migration and development interconnections in practi-cal and action-oriented ways. It marks the culmination of more than a decade of international discussion on the growing impor-tance of these linkages, and the progressive acknowledgement of the need to address the policy implications and responses within a multilateral framework. Conceived as an informal, multilateral and state-led process, the GFMD is intended to add value to the current debate on inter-national migration and development by fostering international cooperation, enhancing inter-state dialogue and discussing and promoting new policy ideas with respect to migration and its in-terrelation with development.
Through a well-prepared, participatory and sustained dialogue between developing and developed countries, the Forum seeks to arrive at common and evidence-based understandings on those areas where migration policies have the greatest potential to contribute to development, and where development policies take greater account of migration and its potential benefits for development. The Forum also intends to make explicit the grow-ing recognition that international migration is a critical element in the development process. On 4 November, the GFMD govern-ment meeting took place at the Megaron Athens International Conference Center, chaired by the GFMD Athens 2009 Chair-in-Office, Deputy Minister of Interior, Decentralization and E-Gov-ernance Theodora Tzakri, in the presence of His Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs George Papandreou, who took the opportunity to outline the migration policy agenda of his newly elected government. The opening ceremony was attended, among others, by Secre-tary-General of the UN Ban Ki-moon, who made a very inspired statement and concluded that the GFMD broadly influences the global debate on migration and development. Members of the Hellenic Parliament and numerous government delegations, many of them headed by a Minister or Deputy Minister, also attended the meeting. European Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot, responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security, made an interesting statement on recent proposals of the Com-mission on migration, among others on a code of immigration guaranteeing equal rights for all migrants equivalent to those recognised for European citizens.
The GFMD sessions consisted of three parallel roundtable discus-sions concentrating on the efforts of governments to continue working in the direction of policy coherence in relation to migra-tion and development, including the identification of practices and research that can support these efforts. Furthermore, govern-ments re-examined regional and inter-regional processes and their contribution to fostering the development impact of migration. The first roundtable focused on the relationship between migra-tion and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. It looked at how to integrate migration considerations into de-velopment policies and how migration can contribute to develop-ment, identifying which strategies and instruments contribute to these objectives.
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The need for policy coherence and coordination at a national level between ministries and agencies was stressed. Migration should therefore be integrated into national development plans and poverty reduction strategies. A practical tool was proposed for policy-makers of both developing and developed countries: the creation of migration profiles, which could function as mi-gration- and development-related policy instruments.
Participants also discussed how to engage diasporas and mi-grants for the benefit of the development of both host and home countries on the basis of a proposed roadmap. A key recom-mendation was the creation of a “handbook” providing a toolkit for interaction between governments and diaspora. It was also agreed that necessary support should be given to diaspora or-ganisations and institutions working for development. Finally, there was a special session dedicated to the root causes of migra-tion in light of the current economic crisis, which among others, stressed the need for policies guarding against xenophobia and social exclusion, but also for preparing for the post-crisis chal-lenges in connection with migration and development.
During the discussions of the second roundtable on "Migrant In-tegration, Reintegration and Circulation for development," the need was underlined that we need to revisit the existing integra-tion and reintegration policies in light of new forms of mobility. Emphasis should be put on the policies that enhance the human development of migrants and their social skills through which they contribute to the development of their country of origin. The countries came out with some concrete proposals for ac-tion, such as the undertaking of comparative research on social protection policies for migrant integration, as well as the pro-motion of a pilot project on a bank/non-governmental program for low-cost pre-departure loans to migrants aimed at covering their migration costs.
Lastly, the noteworty proposal for the creation a database of best integration practices on the GMFD website, which will serve as a source of inspiration for other countries as far as their policy- planning is concerned, was put forward.
The third roundtable referred to issues of policy and institutional coherence, data and research, but also to Regional Consultative Processes on Migration (RCPs) and inter-regional forums. It was proposed that the GFMD should continue to pay attention to is-sues of policy and institutional coherence, data and research. At the same time, RCPs and inter-regional forums should enhance their inter-level communication with the GFMD process as well.
The special session on the future of the Forum, which was at-tended by the Heads of delegations, proved to be a very inter-esting one. It was based on a discussion paper that the Greek Chair had prepared for this session and which was well received and drew a large consensus. Delegates stressed that the Forum should continue to be a state-led, informal, non-binding process that brings governments together and works as a platform for the exchange of ideas, best practices and, in particular, non-binding but forward-looking policy recommendations. They also underlined the need for broad-based expertise to be brought into the process to represent different angles and different parts of the world.
Organising the Third Global Forum on Migration and Develop-ment required a tangible commitment and effort on the part of both successive Greek governments, but the event in the Mega-ron Athens International Conference Center, ably presided over by Deputy Ministry of Interior, Decentralization and E-Governance Theodora Tzakri, concluded on a successful note. The presidency of the Global Forum on Migration and Development has been handed over to Mexico, which has already started preparations and will organise the meeting in 2010.
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THE FIRSTwORLD CONFERENCE
OF SCREENwRITERSThe first World Conference of Screenwriters, which took place in Athens Nov. 6-7, marked
a historic event as it brought together all of the member guilds and unions of the
Federation of Screenwriters in Europe – whose president, Greek-born Christina Kallas,
initiated the project – and the members of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds,
including the Writers Guilds of America West and East.
More than 200 representatives of more than 20,000 writers from more than 30 guilds at-tended the meeting. they con-sidered the growing impact of the digital revolution, distri-bution and behaviour of the multi-national conglomerates and discussed what a common response from writers and their representatives might be. they debated and planned a com-mon response to global devel-opments in film and television production and distribution.
Countries represented included Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bel-gium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germa-ny, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mex-ico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States of America.
The conference reflected the soli-darity of writers for the screen who came together around the world to support their colleagues and friends in the writers Guilds of America dur-ing their successful 100-day strike in 2007. The event was built on the success of the First Conference of European Screenwriters when more than 120 screenwriters from all over Europe met in Thessaloniki in No-vember 2006 to discuss the state of the industry.
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The writers had then pointed out that the solution to the problems of the European film and television industries lies in improv-ing the conditions for writers in order to improve the quality of scripts in order to improve the quality of films.They committed to campaign for the im-plementation of a manifesto (issued in 19 languages so far) which defined the role of the screenwriter in the 21st century, as agreed at the conclusion of the meeting.The European Screenwriters Manifesto was discussed all over the world. To quote from the Los Angeles Times, “It is about as direct, succinct and no-nonsense as they come. Its first three planks are like sharp gunshots across the bow of the filmmak-ing industry:
• The screenwriter is an author of the film, a primary creator of the audiovisual work.
• The indiscriminate use of the possessory credit is unacceptable.
• The moral rights of the screenwriter, es-pecially the right to maintain the integ-rity of a work and to protect it from any distortion or misuse, should be inalien-able and should be fully honored in prac-tice.” (Jay A. Fernandez, “European writ-ers issue a manifesto,” in SCRIPTLAND, Special to the LA Times, Feb. 21, 2007.)
The world Conference of Screenwriters was hosted by the Greek Ministry of Tour-ism and the Greek Film Centre/Hellenic Film Commission, with the collabora-tion of the Hellenic Audiovisual Institute (I.O.M.).
VenUeThe world Conference of Screenwriters took place at the offices of the Secretariat General of Communication – Secretariat General of Information (SGC – SGI), lo-cated in a new building on Fragoudi Street and Alexandrou Pantou Street – opposite the Panteion University – in Athens.The Secretariat General of Communica-tion operates on a permanent basis and offers services to Greek journalists, for-eign press correspondents and journalists who cover official visits of foreign heads of state and governments, as well as visiting foreign journalists It also offers support to journalists who cover conferences and other related events.
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Porto Carras Grand Resort
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ICCA SILENT AUCTION
the international Congress & Convention Asso-ciation once again run its popular Silent Auction within the framework of the 48th iCCA Congress & exhibition held in Florence, italy, 7-11 november 2009.
Part of the ICCA Education Fund, the Silent Auction is an inspired ICCA initiative to help raise funds to further promote educational opportunities for Young Meetings Professionals.
The record-breaking ICCA Congress 2009, attracting nearly 1,000 participants from 71 countries, was an ex-cellent platform for the financial support of the ICCA Education Fund. The wonderful prizes that ICCA & ICCA member companies from all over the world had donated, including leisure packages, free registrations to various ICCA events and gift items, were auctioned during the Congress raising a total of €14,500.
AC&C International, Professional Congress Organiser, member of C&C International Group of Companies and active member of ICCA, contributed to the auction by donating two impressive accommodation packages with the kind support of two of its valued suppliers: Nafplia Luxury Hotels & Porto Carras Grand Resort.
A top class initiative for Young Meetings Professionals’ educational support
Nafplia Palace Hotel & Villas
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Since 10 February 2009, Spyros Capralos has been President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. The veteran Balkan swimming champion and interna-tional water polo player for Olympiacos and the Greek national team has also been the Chairman of the Athens Exchange S.A. since 2004. He was one of the leading figures behind the success of the Athens Olympic Games, serving as a member of the Bidding Committee, as Executive Director of the Olympic Organising Committee and as Deputy Chief Operating Officer. In March 2004, the Prime Minister appointed him General Secretary for the Olympic Games in the Ministry of Culture and he was designated City Manager for the duration of the Games.
Six years after the Olympic Games that es-tablished Greece high in the estimation of the global community, what do you believe is the legacy that has been left to the Greek people?
I believe that the Olympic Games were a catalyst for change in the city of Athens. Significant im-provements to infrastructure were undertaken and projects that might have taken decades to complete were finished very quickly. we continue to enjoy the results of some of these projects on a daily basis, such as the road network, mass trans-portation, student housing, hotels, hospitals, the renovation of some parts of the city and of the port of Piraeus. But there are also some improvements that, though they are not visible, still contribute significantly to the betterment of the quality of our lives, of telecommunications, of energy, of safety and of technology. On the other hand, we cre-ated vast, permanent sports facilities, which cost a great deal to maintain, though they were not essential for the athletic needs of Greece. In addi-tion, we did not take advantage of the experience and the extensive exposure that resulted from the Games. Greece came out of the Olympic Games with a very good name worldwide because few inside and outside the country believed we could
AN INTERVIEw wITHSPYROS CAPRALOS
intErviEW
Chairman, Athens Exchange S.A.
CEO, Hellenic Exchanges Group
President, Hellenic Olympic Committee
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faultlessly stage Games and that boosted the prod-uct called Greece a great deal. There was a lot of mo-mentum after the Games, but I think we could have made better use of it. Unfortunately, the necessary attention was not paid to post-Olympic utilisation, both of the sports facilities and in general the legacy left us by the Games.
Do events like the Olympic Games benefit the event location and, if so, in what ways?
The Olympic Games are the most important athletic event in the world. At the same time, it is an impor-tant opportunity for development in the city and the country hosting them. Although the necessary invest-ment is often quite large, the long-term benefits for a city could be very significant on the condition that the Games are not seen as an end, but as the begin-ning of development in the city. whether the Olympic Games result in a positive legacy for the host country depends mainly on the goals that have been defined in advance and on the corresponding planning. And such planning has to be undertaken not just during the 16 days of competition, but it should be associated with the development needs of the country for a long period following the Games. The Olympics legacy is dynamic and variable over time and it is influenced by a variety of factors. It has a clear influence on ar-chitecture, on urban planning, on the marketing of the city, on the economic and tourism development and naturally on the public's attitude. In addition, it is important to mention the intangible legacy, such as the generation of ideas and cultural values, the cross-cultural experience, the education, the archives, the collective effort and volunteerism. As a member of the Olympic Family, what is the outlook for the Olympic Games institution and how do you think this very significant institu-tion will evolve in the coming years?
In the past and until 1984, there were grave concerns about the viability of the Olympic Games, mainly be-cause of the financial obligations they created. The introduction of television and sponsors, however, changed the economic parameters and that is why we see so many large countries and cities fighting in every way possible to win the bid for the Olympic Games. Of course there are still problems, mainly related to the burgeoning numbers of facilities, competitive events, athletes, visitors to the Games, in addition to increased substance abuse, commer-
cialisation and the questionable service and promo-tion of the Olympic ideals. In recent years, the IOC, recognising this growth, has made decisions to limit to the absolute minimum the services provided to accredited visitors and to reduce the exaggerated de-mands for services to IOC members, to journalists, to sponsors and television rights holders, as well as to the International Athletic Federations. In addition, with regard to marketing, very strict reg-ulations have been imposed so as to avoid excessive commercialisation of the Olympic Games in order to preserve the unique character of the Olympic Games, to preserve the Olympic image and the Olympic ide-als. Nevertheless, the Olympic Games remain the top athletic event, the dream of every athlete and the focus of attention of spectators for 17 days. I believe that this institution, which is essentially the bridge, the point of contact and the link between different worlds, different cultures, different attitudes and dif-ferent ages, will remain so with the passing of time.
You have visited many cities throughout the world. what advantages does Athens have, particularly in the area of major events and conferences?
I believe that Athens has a series of advantages, such as modern transportation infrastructure, an up-graded urban environment, quick access to the sea and a particularly worthwhile historical centre that resulted from the unification of archaeological sites. In addition, as most areas in Greece, it has the ideal climate, an exceptional cuisine, top-level hospitality, a vibrant nightlife and a unique cultural and histori-cal heritage. And of course, we should not forget easy access and the numerous alternatives available in terms of hospitality. If we utilise and promote all this in the right way, we can turn our city into one of the most important conference destinations.
what do you think Athens is missing in this area?
I think that Athens should develop a specific commu-nication identity that will showcase all of its compet-itive advantages and that all those who are involved in promoting it as a conference destination should acquire the necessary expertise through participa-tion in international tourism organisations.
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intErviEW
Have you visited the Athens Convention Bu-reau and the breathtaking Athens websites? what are your impressions?
I visited them recently while looking for some in-formation and I have to admit I was impressed, as I think this is the first time that such a systematic and targeted effort is being made to promote Ath-ens in international tourism markets, using state-of-the-art marketing methods and new means of communication. These days, when the greatest proportion of consumers who travel turn to the In-ternet, I believe it is essential that a large tourism destination like Athens have a serious and respect-able formal presence on the Internet. I believe that both sites are useful and qualitative, giving a sense of high aesthetics and providing a wide range of current and reliable information about Athens.
would you share one or two of your secrets about Athens with our readers, like a favou-rite spot, a walk, an activity?
My favourite place for a walk is the Panathenaic Sta-dium. Perhaps you already know that, in my capac-ity as President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, I established a goal at the beginning of my term to reopen the Panathenaic Stadium, where the mod-ern Olympic Games were revived, to the public. we want the stadium not only to become accessible, but to become a "favourite spot" for tourists and Athenians alike, as it is a unique monument in the centre of Athens and can be easily combined with other sights in the city's historical centre. I should also tell you that we are planning to install an au-tomated guide system in the immediate future so that visitors can learn about the history of the sta-dium.
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THE HISTORY OF THE NUMISMATIC MUSEUMOne of the oldest state museums in Greece, the Numismatic
Museum was established in 1834, in the same year as the National
Archaeological Museum.
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The love for antiquity, prevalent at the time in Europe, and the recent found-ing of the modern Greek state created the conditions necessary to preserve the national cultural heritage. The history of the museum has been directly connected to the history of the modern Greek state, the social circumstances and cultural directives, as well as the personality of those who have been in charge of it.
In 1843, the museum was housed, to-gether with the National Library, in a room at the University of Athens. Since 1856, Achilleas Postolakas was appoint-ed numismatic expert of the museum and laid the foundations for its organi-sation and development. The main con-cerns of this first numismatist included the classification, recording and updat-ing of the museum’s collections. In 1890, the museum was transferred to the re-cently completed building of the Acad-emy of Athens so that its potential could be developed. The first coin exhibition was created on those premises under the guidance of the energetic director Ioannis Ν. Svoronos. The museum re-mained in the Academy of Athens until 1940. Irene Varoucha, director at the time, undertook the transportation of the collections to the vaults of the Bank of Greece for safe-keeping during the world war II.
In 1946, they were transferred to the first floor of the National Archaeological Mu-seum and in 1956, the new exhibit was completed. After 1964, under the directorship of Mando Economides and with few mem-bers of staff, the museum continued to expand and very important steps were taken to manage its collections. In the 1970s, the conservation of coins was added to the concerns of the museum and a conservation lab was set up. The reconstruction of the ancient Greek hoards kept at the museum in order to be included in the Inventory of Greek Coin Hoards, edited by an international committee, testify to the participation of the ΝΜ in new scholarly research. In the 1980s, the first educational pro-grammes were developed. Following a decision by the Ministry of Culture, the museum acquired its own premises in the Iliou Melathron mansion.In 1994, with Ioannis Touratsoglou as the director, the museum’s collection continued to expand and the number of publications increased. The NM began to participate in European programmes and to use digital applications, while its website was designed and created. In 1998, following time-consuming res-toration and conservation efforts, the Iliou Melathron was ready to house the new exhibition of ancient Greek coins on the first floor.
In 2003, under new directorship, the col-lections were moved to Iliou Melathron. A greater emphasis has been place since to publications as well as on the attempt to open up the museum to the cultural and social life of the city through lectures, events, activities and daily educational programmes. In 2007, the exhibition on the history of coinage was completed on the second floor of the Iliou Melathron.
the exhibitionIt is the first time in its history that the museum has acquired its own premises in the Iliou Melathron, the residence of Hein-rich Schliemann, and has the opportunity to develop a new permanent exhibition. The building itself is a monument and one of the handsomest in Athens, worthy of being showcased in its own right.Since the first exhibition in the Acad-emy of Athens in the late 19th century and one in the National Archaeologi-cal Museum in 1956, many things have changed. The number of coins has been increased, the knowledge of them has been enriched, the role of the museum in modern societies has been updated, the construction and exhibition materi-als have been improved and new tech-nologies have been introduced.
MuSEuMS
The new museological approach is try-ing to introduce, in an educational and enjoyable way, the history of coinage and especially of the coins issued or circulated in Greece as well as of coins from mostly the western world. The target groups of the exhibit are the Greek and foreign gen-eral public and those who have a special interest in the subject. The constructions, small and unobtrusive and made of trans-parent and light material, do not rival the building. The explanatory panels and visu-al material are limited and in hues that are absorbed by the colours on walls, thus the building remains coherent and its decora-tion intact.
On the first floor, one room is dedicated to the monument itself and its owner. The emphasis is given on coins of the ancient Greek world. The themes presented here include the invention and spread of coin-age, the coins of ancient Greek cities and monarchs, the circulation of coinage, the international strong currencies and the symbolism of their iconography. Another room is dedicated to the donors of the mu-seum. The topics portrayed on the second floor are the numismatic system, the issuing authority, the purchasing power and the ideology and symbolism as these are de-picted on coins of the Roman, Byzantine, Medieval and Modern periods. weights, lead seals and stamps complement each period while items on long-term loans from other museums, on display in all rooms, convey the atmosphere of each era. The use of coins as traditional objects, most commonly jewellery, is unfolded in every room.
The coinage of the modern Greek state con-stitutes a distinct unit. Moreover, certain monetary phenomena present through-out history, like strong coins, devaluation, forgery, debasement and inflation, are referred to. Furthermore, the relation be-tween people and money, as this is evident in literature, painting and cinema, is also addressed. Medals from the Renaissance to the present are on display in a special room. In its new environment, the Numis-matic Museum is seeking to preserve its tradition, while at the same time it is trying to find its place and participate in the new reality that is being created.
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the buildingThe Iliou Melathron is located in down-town Athens. It was designed by the Ger-man architect Ernst Ziller as the residence of the Schliemann family and was built in 1878-1879. Its name, meaning the Palace of Troy, was associated with the discovery of the ancient city by Heinrich Schliemann. It is an impressively decorated, two-storey building. The Iliou Melathron is consid-ered one of the most remarkable of Ziller's works . It follows the neoclassical style in-corporating elements of the Italian renais-sance, such as the two balconies on the facade that add lightness and elegance to the building’s bulk. Technological in-novations were applied to the building, like the ventilation system with pipes installed behind the perforated plaster acanthus moulding which runs through the ceiling of each room, the gas heating system and fire protection using wood only in doors and windows. The construc-tion work was supervised by the engineer Vasileios Drosinos, Schliemann’s personal friend. The project cost 439,650 drachmas, a considerable amount for the times. The inauguration of the luxurious residence was celebrated with a grand reception on January 30, 1881.
Mail address: Iliou Melathron, El. Venizelou (Panepistimiou) 12, GR-106 71 Athenstelephones: +30210 3612 519, +30210 3612 190Fax: +30210 3635 953email: [email protected], [email protected]: http://www.nma.grOpening hours: Monday closed, Tuesday-Sunday 08.30-15.00Holidays (closed): January 1, March 25, Orthodox Easter Sunday, May 1, Decem-ber 25-26 tickets: Full: €3, Reduced: €2Access to Museum: Metro stations: Sintagma, Panepistimio - Trolleys nr.: 2, 3, 4, 11, 13People with Disabilities: A lift is available for persons who are mobility impaired
the Museum ShopThe Museum Shop operates on the first floor of the Iliou Melathron and is open daily during the museum’s visiting hours. Here, exact copies of ancient Greek coins and jewellery, cards, notebooks and games are on offer, as well as digital publications and books of numismatic interest, includ-ing the museum’s publications addressed to both specialists in the field and to the general public.
the café The café operates in the garden of the Iliou Melathron, a small green oasis in down-town Athens. The 800m2 garden, con-tains numerous examples of Greek flora and is decorated with copies of ancient Greek statues. The visitors to the museum and others who spend time in the area can enjoy a pleasant break for coffee or light lunch in a serene and cool environment.
MuSEuMS
Have you ever thought about having a meeting while driving around the historical sites of Athens?
GREEK LIMO BUSA unique idea for unique corporate meetings
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trAnSPortAtion
Or why not give your pre-sentation as you are cruising along the amazing Athenian coastline or maybe you just want luxury in every aspect of you business trip and the comfort of your office. well, all of the above and much more can be provided to you by the Greek Limo Bus.The Limo Bus is a luxurious coach and a moving con-ference center with state-of-the-art technical equip-ment. It is a world exclusive creation that was designed and manufactured at the VDL BOVA factory in The Netherlands on the orders of the Greek company, Greek Limo Bus, which was found-ed in April 2006 and is based in Athens.The Limo Bus idea emerged following a thorough and detailed analysis of the Greek market which found that there were additional needs in the field of VIP transpor-tation and transfer services. Limo Bus has been developed to fulfill important needs ob-served in the Greek tourist product. The Limo Bus is a multi-seat limousine, with all the lavish-ness that comes with such a superb vehicle. Its creators aimed at introducing a mov-ing conference center of the highest standards, which will cover the specific needs and demands of its special passengers.Limo Bus is directed toward all professionals, not only those connected exclusively to tourism but also to the vast majority of the corpo-rate market, such as com-mercial companies, banks, conference organisers, deci-
sion makers, company in-centives etc., as well as to governmental organisations and the public sector.It is also aimed at those who pay attention to detail and who seek excellence, to the people that attach equal importance to both the trip and to the destination!
FACiLitieS - eQUiPMentLimo Bus offers uncontested luxury and functionality ex-ceeding all possible specifica-tions. It has 29 commodious leather armchairs instead of the 62 seats prefigured for its interior design.
• Conference CenterThe meeting table accom-modates up to 10 people and it is surrounded by state-of-the-art technical equipment, such as: main computer (server), four LCD 23”screens, printer/scanner/copier, lap-tops, color fax, video and tele-conference infrastruc-ture (webcamera), fixed and wireless microphones, wiFi internet access, wireless telephone device with direct external line, etc.The equipment at the re-maining seats allows all participants to follow the subject being presented and discussed at the meeting table simultaneously.
• Passenger AreaFor all company meetings requiring a trip to a world of luxury, Greek Limo Bus of-fers equipment and comfort especially designed to serve and fit the needs of its pas-sengers. Some of those are air conditioning with an individual PSU and line Ra-dio CD for every passenger, surround sound systems, 9" passenger monitors with an eight-channel selector and
headphones that enable trav-elers to watch TV and DVD, TV receivers, Internet routers, workbenches the passengers can work on and satellite an-tenna providing connection with approximatly 1,500 TV channels.
• Kitchen - BarThanks to a 1.60-metre-long wood-paneled kitchen-bar, the trip on the Limo Bus becomes a delightful op-portunity for business and pleasure. It is fully equipped with refrigerator, microwave oven, warm chamber, freez-er, coffee machine (filter and espresso), icemaker and plen-ty of storage space, as well as cold and hot water tap and mineral water tap.Special selected delicacies for all tastes, as well as bev-erages, are served by a well-known outside catering ser-vice during the entire route.
• Chemical Restroom It is not only comfortable but also homelike, since the restroom provides all the necessary supplies, such as: towels, private brushes and toothbrushes etc., to make the journey an easy-going one.
• Moreover…During the design phase of the Limo Bus, special empha-sis was put on both the qual-ity of its technical specifica-tions as well as the security of its passengers. The Limo Bus is equipped with su-preme security systems and technological equipment exceeding even the highest standards of its category, like an automatic pilot or naviga-tion system and a panoramic camera at the front. It is equipped, amongst other things, with cameras, sound insulation systems, a specialised laser control sys-tem at both entrances and electronic access cards for every individual passenger. It also provides a specially designed cloakroom in the luggage compartment.
• Personnel The personnel of Greek Limo Bus is very efficient and com-plies with the entire service package offered by the com-pany. High level training, ex-perience and specialisation are its three main character-istics. The company is sup-ported on a permanent ba-sis by the sales, conference and meeting organisation departments, the consult-ing services as well as other specialties required for the organisation of diverse and unique "excursive meetings".INFO: www.greeklimobus.gr
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METROPOLITAN HOTEL
hotElS
With a view of both the Acropolis and the Aegean Sea and sit-uated in front of the Faliron Olympic coastal park, the newly renovated Metropolitan Hotel is ideally suited to both leisure and business travellers.
Located only 15 minutes from the city cen-tre and the port of Piraeus, the Metropoli-tan Hotel offers a unique cosmopolitan atmosphere that combines traditional hospitality and luxury in central Athens.
HOteL FACiLitieSroomsAll 374 rooms have been completely refurbished to the highest international five-star standards and include the latest four-pipe individual air conditioning system, advanced fire safety sprinklers, conveniently placed modem ports for high-speed internet access, 24-hour room service and multi-channel satellite TV. The spa-cious executive rooms and suites offer separate dressing rooms and comfortable living rooms in addition to an electric trouser press, LCD televi-sion, entertainment centres and the very latest in telecommunication capabilities.
Guest room Facilities & in-room Services• Individually controlled air conditioning• TV, video on demand• Satellite TV channels• Broadband internet
connection• Direct dial phone ISDN line, voicemail• Radio, minibar, hairdryer, digital safe• Working desk, phone with data ports• Marble bath• Individual trouser press• Smoke detectors & sprinklers• Iron & ironing board available• 24-hour room service• Non-smoking rooms• Fax machine (on request)• PC and fax machines connection• Digital safe deposit boxes• Hi-Fi stereo music (in Suites and Executive
rooms only)• Coffee/Tea making facilities (in Suites and
Executive rooms only)• Contemporary TV sets (30'' Plasma Screen in
suites and executive rooms)• Massage on call• Doctor on call• Babysitting on request
48 hotElS
Guest Services• Valet service (Dry cleaning, laundry & pressing)• Free shuttle bus from/to
Athens centre• Wake-up service• Currency exchange• Mobile phone rental• Wheelchair access and facilities• Post office box• Daily newspaper (on request)• Free garage and open-air parking located in hotel• Valet parking• Gift shop• SIXT car rental• Translation/Interpreting services• Limousine & taxi service
Hotel Health and FitnessThe sun deck is ideal for relaxing beside the heated rooftop pool, while the fitness centre offers a wide array of cardiovascular and weight training equip-ment under the supervision of qualified staff.
• Supervised hotel fitness centre with CYBEX car-diovascular & strength equipment
• Marble steam bath• Outdoor heated swimming pool• Beauty salon• 18-hole golf course 10km from hotel• Tennis courts 5 km from hotel• Jogging path across the hotel; sailing 4 Km; horse riding, 15 km
DiningLe Trocadero restaurant is the newly renovated chic restaurant of the hotel that offers fine Greek and European cuisine. The sumptuous breakfast and lunch buffets as well as candlelight dinners over-looking its own garden are all exceptional.
The naturally lit Atrium Café, located in the lobby overlooking a beautiful garden, serves light meals both indoors and outdoors and will tempt you with its selection of coffees, pastries or sushi combina-tions.
The rooftop La Veranda restaurant serves refined Mediterranean gastronomic specialties beside the pool at lunch or at night beneath a starlit sky. with a calm atmosphere, the added charm of live mu-sic and the breathtaking view of the Saronic Gulf, guests can enjoy their lunch or dinner during the summer months.
Meetings And eventsNine business meeting conference rooms, fitted with the most modern equipment and accommo-dating up to 500 people, are available for: business congresses, seminars, business meetings, confer-ences, product and services launches, exhibitions, parties, receptions, cocktails and business lunches. Providing the latest in display equipment, our nine other meeting rooms can be arranged in theatre, classroom or board room style, while benefiting from an eclectic food and beverage service.
Upgraded services, renovated conference and meeting rooms, equipped with the most advanced technological facilities and the expertise of the ho-tel that "adds value" to every sophisticated event, the Metropolitan Hotel is the ideal choice for your event.
Business Meeting equipmentIn addition, the new Business Centre provides full secretarial services.• PC with scanner and printer• Translation - Interpretation• Telefax• Photocopies• Bookbinding• Technological equipment for hire• Mobile phone services for hire• Internet - e-mail
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Intensio Ballet Gala
Big Sam's Funky Nation
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CULTURALHIGHLIGHTS
Winter 2009-2010
culturE
Curtis Fuller Quintet - A jazz trombone legendThe description of trombonist Curtis Fuller as "prolific" falls short of the mark. with a presence among top jazz musicians of over 47 years, he has released 32 personal albums and taken part in 110 albums and 25 anthologies. He continues to record and appear in concert with his own orchestra, the Curtis Fuller Quintet, with which he will be appearing in Athens from 15 to 21 January at the Half note Jazz Club.Big Sam's Funky nation - new Orleans funk tromboneBig Sam is a unique figure in music; he has an amazing sense of urban rhythm, a fact that makes funk jump right out of his trombone. Big Sam's Funky Nation's unique style is right off the streets of New Orleans and invariably gets audiences on their feet dancing, unable to resist their call. They are a talented group of musicians trained in jazz with an improvisational style that combines jazz and the "horn-heavy front section" of major funk bands. They have an indisputably intense musical presence and the unique ability to calm the sprit. they will be appearing at the Half note Jazz Club from 19 to 25 February.▶ Half Note Jazz Club ▶ 17, Trivonianou st, Mets District ▶ Tel: +302109232360 ▶ How to get there: Tram Lines 1,2 Leoforos Vouliagmenis station
▶ Buses: A2, B2, A3, B3, A4, B4, E2, E22, 103, 106, 108, 111, 126, 134, 135, 136, 137, 155, 206, 208, 237, 856 ▶ Trolley - buses: 2, 4, 11
Dalibros at the Cervantes instituteThe Cervantes Institute in Athens will present an exhibition dedicated to Salvador Dali and his lesser known relationship with books from 13 November to 30 January. The exhibition will focus on the artist as a writer and a reader and on how books served as a source of inspiration and knowledge, as well as a point of reference. In this particular universe, it is essential and desirable to include Gala, his wife and muse. The show includes a series of retrospective photographs covering both time and topics related to Dali, Gala, Gala and Dali together and, either directly or indirectly, the common element of books. These are books from their library, many of which bear Dali's artistic stamp. The photos, the basis and point of departure for this show, help us delve deeper into a private world. They also reveal a more public world where Dali is seen to be searching for the perfect angle and to pose in such a way in front of the lens so as to draw full attention to himself, a Dali who is acting and would like to chal-lenge us.
▶ Cervantes Institute ▶ 23 Mitropoleos Str., Athens ▶ Tel: +302103634117 ▶ Nearest Metro Station: Syntaga, Lines 2-3
48 Hour film project go green A new tradition begins in Athens in 2009 aiming to spread to the rest of the world: the 48 Hour Film Project Go Green! Following on the heels of the successful 48 Hour Film Project in Greece first held in 2008, Frencesco Vitali and Just Productions now present 48 Hour Film Project Go Green Athens 2009, a new and original festival featuring short films with an environmental dimension. The main award for the winner of the 2009 first prize will be direct participation in the Cannes Film Festival 2010. Revenues from the showing of the festival's winning films will be given to the non-profit environmental protection organisation, wwF Hellas. The 15 best films of the 48 Hour Film Project Go Green Athens 2009 are scheduled to travel around the world to be shown as part of national 48 Hour Film Project 2010 festivals. At the same time, they will be released as a collection on DVD.▶ Danaos ▶ 109 Kifissias Av & Panormou st ▶ Tel: +302106922655 ▶ How to get there: Nearest Metro Station: Panormou, Line 3
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tribute to edith Piaf Fans of Edith Piaf will be able to enjoy a tribute at the Megaron, Athens Concert Hall on 31 January, as the life of the French singing legend is presented through a musical theatre performance that has swept Paris. This unique dramatisation of a musical biography, filled with Piaf 's immortal songs, will recreate her life in a manner that is entertaining and at the same time moving. Jacques Pessis, journalist, author and music historian, recalls Piaf 's career by focusing on key points in her life in an entertaining way.▶ Athens Concert Hall, Megaron Mousikis ▶ Vas. Sofias & Kokkali Street, Athens ▶ Tel: +30 210-7282333
▶ Closest Metro Station, Megaron Mousikis (Line 3)
Gogol Bordellothe troubadours are back!Gogol Bordello, the “multi- phyletic” band from New York which won audiences over with its unique gypsy punk music in Europe and the United States, returns to Athens for another infinite feast!. Their theatrical appearance – influenced by the Cabaret of Brecht – and their explosive movements on stage transform the atmosphere into an endless party. Their goal, as they claim, is to stimulate the audience and lead it to new sources of authentic energy. Gogol Bordello, the troubadours of the new-positive movement, is ready to give us the most energetic performance we have ever seen. Don’t miss them on 17 December at the Olympic Fencing Hall, Helliniko, Athens.▶ Fuzz Club ▶ 1 Patriarchou Ioakim Street - Pireos str & Chamosternas Junction ▶ Tavros ▶ Tel: +30 210-6980044
Holiday on ice – MysterySanta Claus is coming on ice skates to take part in the biggest ice show in the world for the whole family. Accompanying Santa will be the Dervishes, Alice in wonderland, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and many other characters from our beloved childhood storybooks. Strange creatures from the East and gothic figures from the dark forests of Northern Europe meet up in the spectacular Christmas Holiday on Ice show titled Mystery. Mysterious gypsies and exotic heroes from snowy fairytales flow like silk over the ice to make this year's Christmas an even bigger celebration. See it from 11 to 20 December at the Faliro Pavilion, Paleo Faliro (tae Kwon Do).▶ Tae Kwon Do Stadium, Olympic Properties, Paleo Faliro ▶ Tel: +302108840600 ▶ TRAM Lines: Aristoteles 4: Syntagma Square - SEF
▶ Thucydides 3 : SEF - Asklipio Boulas ▶ Station: Aghia Skepi ▶ Tel: +302108840600
intensio Ballet Gala Twelve dancers, internationally known stars in their respective countries as well as for the companies they dance with, will be appear-ing in an all-new ballet gala from 11 to 13 December at the Pallas Theatre in Athens. The Intensio gala, whose name combines the words "intense" and "intention," is being organised by American Ballet Theatre's Daniil Simkin and is slated to be a multi-media event.The show's variety is evidenced by the numbers. The featured stars have often made special guest appearances and represent 10 differ-ent companies from both sides of the Atlantic. The programme includes 15 dance numbers, duets, pas de deux, solos and ensembles. The 12 choreographers include Jean Coralli, Jules Perrot, Roland Petit, Vasily Vainonen, Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, John Neumeier, Mats Ek, Aleksandr Gorski, Gerald Arpino and of course gala director Daniil Simkin. The ballet will be danced to the music of 12 composers, from Bach to Massive Attack, from Mozart to Adams, from Tchaikovsky and Charlie Mingus to Chopin and Fleshquartet, from Adam and Masne to Myaskovsky and Jacques Brel.Don't miss the new intensio Ballet Gala 11-13 December at the Pallas theatre.
▶ Pallas Theater ▶ 5 Voukourestiou St, Syntagma ▶ Tel +302103213100 ▶ Syntagma Metro Station, Lines 2,3
THE NEw FACE OF ATHENS ON THE wEB
www.athensconventionbureau.gr
www.breathtakingathens.com
Enjoy the best of Athens with us
All you need to know about your business trip in Athens
Gogol Bordello Edith Piaf, Alain Delon Holiday on Ice – Mystery
THE NEw FACE OF ATHENS ON THE wEB
www.athensconventionbureau.gr
www.breathtakingathens.com
Enjoy the best of Athens with us
All you need to know about your business trip in Athens
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Iason Orlandos Multimedia Art www.iasonorlandos.com
Iason Orlandos Multimedia Art www.iasonorlandos.com
Iason Orlandos Multimedia Art www.iasonorlandos.com
dAYtriP
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SPETSESOne of the most picturesqueislands in the Saronic Gulf where cars are prohibited and only horses and carriages are allowed
The pine-covered island of Spe-
tses is one of the Saronic Gulf is-
lands and lies at the entrance to
Argolikos Bay, south of Hydra. It
was the home of Bouboulina, a
heroine of the Greek Revolution-
ary War of 1821. Life here is quiet
and cosmopolitan, with pictur-
esque beaches, interesting his-
torical and archaeological sites
and a well-kept Spetses secret.
Journey to the pastHuman presence on Spetses dates back to 8000 BC, when the island was still joined to the Argolida coast opposite at Kosta. Findings in the areas of Agia Ma-rina and Agii Anargyri indicate the pres-ence of settlements from the late My-cenaean period (13th and 12th centuries BC). References made to the island by Stravonas during the 1st century BC and by Pausanias during the 2nd century AD called it "Pitiousa," meaning "pine-for-ested," because of the many pine trees. The island's modern name comes from the expression "Isola de Spezzie," mean-ing "fragrant island," which was a name given by the Venetians due to the many aromatic herbs and wild greens which grow on the island's slopes.
when the Greek Revolution broke out in 1821, Spetses was the first of the Greek islands to raise the revolutionary flag, on 3 April 1821. The Spetses fleet, consisting of the island's merchant ships which had been refitted into war ships, played a significant role in the struggle for independence. After the war, Spetses fell behind in maritime de-velopment and its trade and economic domination waned. It saw an upturn with the advent of tourism. The island has several fishing villages, but most residents live in the capital which con-sists of many small neighbourhoods. The villages are called Analipsi, Kasteli, Kounoupitsa and Baltiza.
the pine forestOne can walk into the beautiful forest of Spetses from many points. One route continues past the Kasteli area, where many small chapels can be found, to the Panagia of Tzila. Along the same road, you will come to the "Hunters' Retreat." The view looking toward the Peloponnese, the Dokos islands, Trikeri and Hydra, as well as the island's popu-lated areas, is breathtaking. There are paths and roads that lead to all the pop-ular beaches on the island, and while walking, visitors may stop and admire the unique view toward the open sea, the Peloponnesian coast, the surround-ing islands and the limitless pine forest with its forest fragrance.
where to go:Spetses retains its special historical character through its many preserved mansions. The main point of reference is Dapia, the tourist and trade centre with a view to the port, dominated by the statue of Laskarina Bouboulina. The Old Harbour, where you will still find canons from the 1821 Revolution, retains its picturesque character today. The Spetses Museum is housed in the Hatzigiannis Mexis mansion; he was one of the first noblemen of the island during the Revolution.
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The mansion was built between 1795 and 1798. The exhibits represent more than 4,000 years of the island's cultural history and include vessels from the Protohelladic and Classical periods, sculpture and coins from Roman and Byzantine times, post-Byzantine icons and other religious arte-facts, traditional costumes and items of every-day use, as well as the Revolution-ary flag, Laskarina Bouboulinas' bones, weapons, portraits of Spetses naval he-roes, watercolours and oil paintings of ships from the Revolution and ship's fig-ureheads. Sotirios Anargyros' mansion is a two-storey neoclassical structure built in 1902-04 as the residence of this national and local benefactor. The church of Pa-nagia of Armata, near the lighthouse, was built by the I. Koutsi family in memory of the naval battle of Spetses (8 September 1822). One can also see the Church of Agia Triada (1793) at the highest point in the settlement, the Church of Agios Nikolaos, once a monastery and now the island's metropolitan church, and the Hotel Posi-donio, built in 1914 by S. Anargyros. The hotel was reopened this year, reminding visitors of the island's heyday. There is also the cave of Bekiris at Agii Anargyri (the cave of filmmakers and lovers). Finally, there is the Bouboulina Museum, found-ed in 1991 to popularise the history of the Greek Revolution and highlight the life of war heroine Laskarina Bouboulina. The formal sitting room features an intricately carved wooden ceiling, while there also many secret crypts that served as shel-ters to hide from the Turks. The museum includes heirlooms of the times in their authentic state and can be visited on daily tours run by Bouboulinas' descendants.
where to stay and dine:Spetses offers a vibrant life, relaxing beaches, good food and exquisite options for accommodation. An overnight stay at the Orloff Resort (tel. 22980 75444-5) will more than reward you for choosing it. It is the Orloff family mansion, which has retained its original character while func-tioning as an impressive accommoda-tion. The Kastro (Castle) is in the centre of the island, to the right of Dapia port (tel. 22980 75152). Villa Nika, at the organised beach of Agia Marina and behind the Old Spetses Harbour (tel. 22980 73430), and the Melivoia Resort (tel. 210 2752264) in Kounoupitsa are just 10 minutes from Dapia and offer many of the comforts of a private residence. You can savour Medi-terranean flavours at the Maestro restau-rant (tel. 22980 73155) at the Old Spetses Harbour, and you will find equally good food at Exedra (seafood, Greek cuisine, tel. 22980 73497) and at Liotrivi ((Medi-terranean cuisine, tel. 22980 72269) at the Old Harbour. For fresh fish, go to Patralis, where the entire island gathers for its lobster pasta specialty (tel. 22980 72134/75380) in Kounipitsa (10 minutes by horse and carriage from the port and an enjoyable ride around the town by night).
How to get there: the island of Spetses is 4 hours from Piraeus (2.5 by hydrofoil). the Central Port Authority (tel. 210 4147800) and the Hellenic Seaways company (tel. 210 4199000) can provide information about regular schedules (every two hours) by boat. Access is also possible on local boats from Kosta, located op-posite the island on the Peloponnese mainland. Cars are not permitted on Spetses; transportation is possible by horse and carriage, fishing boats and water taxis. there is also a bus that runs to and from the main beaches and villages. two-wheeled modes of transport are permitted.
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p h o t o s b y _ w w w. i a s o n o r l a n d o s . c o m - I a s o n O r l a n d o s M u l t i m e d i a A r t
Iason Orlandos Multimedia Art www.iasonorlandos.com
Iason Orlandos Multimedia Art www.iasonorlandos.com
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Canteen
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MAKE IT COSY!
Athens has nothing to fear from Paris any more. it has its own bistros offering a glass of fine wine, light dishes, laid-back lounges and interesting patrons in a relaxing atmosphere. they are usually found near the centre and serve as a meeting place for those who want to enjoy a flavourful bite to eat in an often theatrical setting.
American styleThe Canteen was opened recently in Gazi by the owners of Soul & Soul Kitchen and its presence has already been dubbed a success, judging by the large groups of people gath-ered around its long tables in the evenings. The relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of an American-style bistro, its small but substantive menu and most of all, its powerful beat, the cheer in the air (through the course of the evening, the various patrons become a uni-fied whole), its plates of appetisers and delicious pasta are all reasons to visit.(wHere: iakhou and evmolpidon streets, Gazi, tel. 210 3451508)
in the heart of AthensFormerly a dry-cleaner’s – hence its name – the Launderette was turned into a French-style bistro in the most “French” area of Athens. Voukourestiou Street is a busy road lined by jewellery shops and frequented by well-dressed pedestrians. A rather small bistro, the Launderette has a few tables on the pavement where, like in Paris, they are protected from the cold by etched glass panels, making it the perfect place for a quick meal after a stroll or shopping spree. The décor and the fine cuisine make it unique.(wHere: Voukourestiou 34, Kolonaki, tel. 210 3390750)
So near and yet so farIf you would prefer to get away from the centre and see another side of the capital, take the road to Paleo Faliro, where Le Petit Sommelier (“The Little wine Steward”) will wel-come you for a truly unique taste treat. with the French idea of bistro-wine restaurants proving quite popular, Le Petit Sommelier wins over every guest by offering a select wine list (under the charge of Giorgos Loukas and Konstantinos Thireos), a tasteful décor, creative dishes combing fine wine with carefully prepared entrées. The basement cellar houses more than 400 wine labels and you are sure to be rewarded by the relaxing inte-rior and unique combination of wine and food.(wHere: Zaimi 6, Paleo Faliro, tel. 210 9842344)
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The Launderette
Le Petit Sommelier
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Designer bistroYou will find Scala Vinoteca on a quiet corner of Kolonaki. One might call it more of a wine bar than a bistro; it has an extensive wine list, while the interior design, bearing the signature of architectural team Andreas Kourkoulas-Maria Kokinou, give it a unique style. Two bars, where most patrons gather, dominate the bistro’s interior, though the area featuring tables and Eiffel chairs by Charles and Ray Eames are a favourite. The menu includes many artful dishes, a rich variety of exquisite cheeses and deli meats, all accompanied by white or red wine (the wine list features more than 80 Greek and foreign labels). The wide range of salads are the perfect accompaniment to a meal (worthy of note is the salad of rocket, spinach, Kea salt-dried pork, figs and Cretan xynomizithra, a soft curd cheese). The menu is executed by chefs Christoforos Peskias and Theodoris Kyprianidis.(wHere: Sina 50 and Anagnostopoulou, Kolonaki, tel. 210 3610041)
A touch of artThe ambience at the Black Duck, with the photo exhibitions in the gallery, its unique name and Hitchcock’s Birds à la Black Duck give you plenty of reasons to visit this English-type gastropub. winter is the perfect season for this establish-ment, where it is definitely worth dropping in. The Black Duck is located in the heart of Athens, in an area known for its cafés, clubs and commercial traffic, near the old Parliament building. It is enjoying great success these days. The menu of-fers many options, making it difficult to know what to choose. The seafood mousaka with tomato coulis and fresh basil, or chicken fillet stuffed with vegetables, soft white Domokos katiki cheese and tarragon sauce are excellent choices. The later hours call for an irresistible cocktail.(wHere: Christou Lada 9a, Syntagma, tel. 210 3234760)
Scala Vinoteca Black Duck
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For dinner and dessertThe small but cozy Voutadon 48, is reminiscent of a French bistro and will enliven your mood instantly. The earthy tones, the comfortable sofas and red chandeliers are a testament to good taste and a visual approach. The updated wine list, the exceptional desserts and the fine Mediterranean flavours featuring both hot and cold plates are hard to resist. what makes the difference is the ethnic music that raises spirits from the moment you enter. The chocolate fondue you will share with your friends will prove to be the ultimate in relaxation.(wHere: Voutadon 48, Gazi, tel. 210 3413729)
the minimalThe minimalist décor and ambience of tO, with its European overtones, is ideal for a special night out. The interior design is German-inspired, featuring an open kitchen and huge glass enclosure that dominates the establishment. The service is exceptional and discrete and the international cuisine with Mediterranean influences and innovative offer-ings make for a powerful combination. The extensive cellar with more 120 wine labels can be combined with a variety of cigars available at the restaurant. The menu is frequently renewed, though stand-out dishes include chicken stuffed with scampi on a fyllo pastry bed with linguini and lamb fillets with couscous and sauce Marocaine. For dessert, try the apricot tart with fresh, handmade lavender ice cream.(wHere: triptolemou and Orfeos 43, Gazi, tel. 210 3452052)
TO
“Technopolis” of the City of Athens provides: Access to the disabled, Coffee bar, 20 WC, nearby parking.
Operating hours: Weekdays and Weekends 10.00-22.00. (Operating hours may be modified without notice)
Access: Trolley: Line 21 (from Omonia Square),OASA Busses: 035, 049, 811, 815, 838, 914, B18, ?18, 731, 031.Train: Station “Thision”.Metro: Station "Keramikos".Contact:Technopolis City of Athens, 100 Piraeus Str., 11854 Gazi, AthensTel: 210-3461589 and 210-3467322, Fax: 210-3413228http://www.cityofathens.gr/dimotikoi-foreis/texnopolis-dimoy-athinaionMail: [email protected]
Technopolis hosted hundreds events from May 1999 to present such as:Visual Art - Photography - Technol-
ogy - Sculpture -Conferences - Seminars, International Festivals - Concerts - Theatrical and Dance
Events- Business Forums -Educational Programs -Product presentations
Concert Alkistis Protopsalti
Dance Festival
ARTS Exhibition Athens Video Art Festival
BABEL Comics Festival
Íikitaò Êaklamanis
CITY OF ATHENS
CITY OF ATHENS
CULTURE TO THE NEIGHBOURHOODS
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“Technopolis” of the City of Athens provides: Access to the disabled, Coffee bar, 20 WC, nearby parking.
Operating hours: Weekdays and Weekends 10.00-22.00. (Operating hours may be modified without notice)
Access: Trolley: Line 21 (from Omonia Square),OASA Busses: 035, 049, 811, 815, 838, 914, B18, ?18, 731, 031.Train: Station “Thision”.Metro: Station "Keramikos".Contact:Technopolis City of Athens, 100 Piraeus Str., 11854 Gazi, AthensTel: 210-3461589 and 210-3467322, Fax: 210-3413228http://www.cityofathens.gr/dimotikoi-foreis/texnopolis-dimoy-athinaionMail: [email protected]
Technopolis hosted hundreds events from May 1999 to present such as:Visual Art - Photography - Technol-
ogy - Sculpture -Conferences - Seminars, International Festivals - Concerts - Theatrical and Dance
Events- Business Forums -Educational Programs -Product presentations
Concert Alkistis Protopsalti
Dance Festival
ARTS Exhibition Athens Video Art Festival
BABEL Comics Festival
Íikitaò Êaklamanis
CITY OF ATHENS
CITY OF ATHENS
CULTURE TO THE NEIGHBOURHOODS
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