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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Καλά Χριστούγεννα! Merry Christmas!

Hellenism & Christmas- Classic & Bling
Athens International Airport
Christmas 2012


Ευχόμαστε σε όλους Καλά Χριστούγεννα & Καλή Χρονιά!

Ας είναι το 2013 η χρονιά που θα σηματοδοτήσει την  ανάπτυξη και την αλλαγή  προς το καλύτερο για την Ελλάδα μας

Wishing everyone in our Global Greek World a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Peaceful and Successful New Year!

For our beautiful Greece, may 2013 be the turning point for a new and positive beginning!



At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows! 

© GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Let's Give our Children the Real Meaning of Christmas: Father Alex Karloutsos




We liked what we read in one of Gregory Pappas Status updates on Facebook earlier and thought we would share with you the rest of Father Alex Karloutsos' Christmas address. 

For all our good intentions we really do need to heed the warning bells and step on the brakes.In the mad rush to give our children the best of everything, we often forget what's important, really important. Let's all think about what we can offer our children to equip them for living and becoming the best possible citizens.

Thank you Father Alex. 

Merry Christmas!

2012 Christmas Letter of Father Alex

 On


Dear Friends,

I greet you in the name of the Prince of Peace Whose name these days is so purposefully overlooked that the very celebration of His birth, the Christmas Advent, now begins on a Black Friday shrouded by empty salutations of happy holidays and season’s greetings. We are so caught up in our consume-or-be-consumed society of self-indulgence, as Dostoyevsky points out, that we actually “judge others and ourselves by the quantity and quality” of the Christmas gifts we give and are given. Rather than following the star to adore “the King of Angels” as did the wise men before us, we have foolishly become like Pontius Pilate, as we wash away any reference of Christ’s birth as Messiah, Lord and Savior. (Please read Mark 8:38)

Why is it, I ask, that we insist on giving our children everything our parents could not afford to give us and yet desist from giving them the priceless things of value that our parents did give us – - – our faith, culture and legacy? We buy them apps, but not aptitude for living; we give them toys, but neglect to give them life’s tools; and we give them the best of cars, but without giving them the best road to travel through life. Surprisingly and sadly, out of our abounding love we’ve given our children an entitlement mentality as opposed to a gratitude mindset!

Speaking the truth in love, and in light of tragedies like Sandy, I ask you to make the time to tell the people you love that you truly love them. Tell them that God’s blessing of health is the greatest wealth and that everything else is fool’s gold. Tell them the real story of Christ’s birth and the Season’s reason for Santa Claus, bright lights and wrapped presents under Christmas trees. Take them and yourself to Church for Christmas and at home read Luke 2:1-20 around your dinner table or fireplace.

Xanthi, Yiayia, our children and 8 ½ grandchildren join me in offering you this simple Christmas prayer: May the Bethlehem Child increase in you His grace; and multiply your days with many, many years; and bless you throughout those years with a joyous and happy life.

Christ is born — glorify Him,

Fr. Alex Karloutsos

Active and dynamic, Global Greek Father Alex Karloutsos, Protopresbyter at Kimisis tis Theotokou, Hamptons, New York, is former Executive Director of Leadership 100, an endowment fund established under the guidance of the late Archbishop Iakovos,  spiritual advisor of the Order of St. AndrewPublic Affairs Officer of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and acting Executive Advisor of Faith: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism - a national organization, whose sole purpose is to fund the National Ministries and Institutions of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.



 At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!

 © GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Monday, December 17, 2012

Global Greek Families - Bringing them Home for Christmas - Greek Style!


The Greek father calls his son a couple of days before Christmas, really upset, and says, 

"Niko, I hate to ruin your day, but I must tell you that your mother and I are divorcing - forty-five years of misery is enough."

"Baba, what are you talking about?" Niko screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer, We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister Toula and let her know."

Frantic, the son calls Toula, who explodes on the phone.

"No way are my loving parents getting divorced!" she shouts.

She calls her Dad immediately and screams at him -

"Patera, No way are you getting divorced! Don't do anything until we get there. I'm calling Niko back and we'll be there tomorrow. Do you hear me?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Endaxi, he says, they will be home for Christmas and what's more they will be paying their own way." 

That's Global Greek Families for you! 



At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!

© GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Rediscovering the Best of Athens with Athens Daily Secret

 Athens' Acropolis isn't secret but it is magical...

Wondering what to do for Christmas and the New year? 

How about rediscovering Athens, beautiful, enchanting and full of secret charms?

Thanks to our friends at Daily Secret for sharing this amazing video
  

Check out all 685 Athens Secrets here 


At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!
© GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Monday, December 10, 2012

Support Greece-Buy GREEK for Christmas this year! Στηρίζω την Ελλάδα! Φέτος στις Γιορτές Επιμένω ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ!

 
Design by Sophia Georgaki
Many thanks for the great design, Sophia!


Welcome to the 2nd year of our Buy GREEK for Christmas Campaign on Facebook!

After last year's successful beginning, we decided to make this an annual 'event'.

One of our traditional sayings goes 'If you don't praise your home it will fall and crush you...' what else is Greece but our collective home and one of the most beautiful in the world?

By Buying GREEK wherever in the world you are over the holidays...you are actively adding your support and solidarity to the efforts of the people in this beautiful country to start the economic recovery process from the grass roots level, by helping sustain Greek jobs and businesses.

Being part of our campaign does not imply that you need to be anywhere on any particular date... all it means is that you too are going to buy or maybe make something Greek - kourambiedes, taramosalata, olives, feta, yoghurt, a piece of chocolate, eat at a Greek restaurant, download a Greek song, buy a book, a theatre ticket, a DVD or CD, buy a bottle of Greek wine, olive oil or ouzo, visit a Museum, or an on-line Museum Shop, book your holiday in Greece, take the Metro to Monastiraki and have a souvlaki or catch a ferryboat to one of Greece's beautiful islands.

If you or your company gives corporate or client gifts, include some of Greece's great wines, olive oil or unique handmade silver items.

Even if you cannot buy something GREEK, you can still support our campaign!

Just click on the link and share, share, share - tell your friends, tell the world, that you are proud to be one of those who support Greece - proud to be part of the Buy GREEK movement!

We really liked what one of our friends, John Lewis, wrote this on the event wall:  


Western Christmas shopping is about 1 trillion USD and if one in 100 people bought something made in Greece this X-mas, that would add 10 billion to our GDP pulling Greece out of recession and into marginal growth. It would add 100,000 manufacturing jobs which would ripple out to a 5% reduction in unemployment. 1 in 100.  

Will you be one?

Let's go! Let's show our solidarity with Greece!


Στηρίζουμε Ελλάδα! Φέτος στις Γιορτές Επιμένω ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ! 

Αν δεν παινέψεις το σπίτι σου, θα πέσει να σε πλακώσει... Η Ελλάδα δεν είναι παρά ένα συλλογικό σπίτι και ένα από τα πιο όμορφα του κόσμου!

Φέτος για δεύτερη χρονιά συνεχίζουμε την εκστρατεία μας Buy GREEK for Christmas - Φέτος στις Γιορτές Επιμένω ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ! 

Με την δική σας βοήθεια βεβαίως, λέμε να το καθιερώσουμε.

Δεν χρειάζετε να είμαστε κάπου συγκεκριμένα, η συμμετοχή είναι απλή... δίνουμε το παρών και λέμε ΝΑΙ στα Ελληνικά προϊόντα!

Πολλά μπορείτε να κάνετε. Αγοράστε μιά σοκολατίτσα, ένα βιβλίο, ένα CD, ένα σουβλάκι, επίσκεφτείτε κάποιο από τα καταπληκτικά μουσεία της Ελλάδας. Εάν δίνετε επιχειρηματικά δώρα διαλέξτε από τα καλύτερα της Ελλάδας, Ελληνικο κρασί και ελαιόλαδο, χειροποίητα Ελληνικά γούρια σε ασήμι... πολλά μπορείτε να βρείτε.

Μοιραστείτε την εκστρατεία μας με τους φίλους σας.

Στηρίζουμε τα Ελληνικά προΐόντα για να διατηρήθούν θέσεις εργασίας και να στηρίξουμε την οικονομία της Ελλάδας.

Πείτε στους φίλους και γνωστούς ότι αγοράζοντας Ελληνικά, στηρίζουμε όλοι την Ελλάδα μας και τους δικούς μας ανθρώπους - ΣΤΗΝ ΠΡΑΞΗ!
 
Πάμε! Αγαπάμε την Ελλάδα και το δείχνουμε!




 At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!

 © GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Monday, December 3, 2012

Global Greek Andrew Liveris, Founder of the Hellenic Initiative Awarded Capital Link Leadership Award 2012

 Capital Link President Nicholas Bornozis with
Andrew Liveris
Founder of The Hellenic Initiative
President, Chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company and Greek Ambassador to the USA, Christos P Panagopoulos,

New York's prestigious Harvard Club was recently the venue for a very special event for Hellenism.

Prominent Global Greek Andrew Liveris, President and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company and co founder of The Hellenic Initiative, was honoured with The Capital Link Leadership Award for 2012 at the dinner marking Capital Link's 14th New York Investor Forum 'Building a New Greece'.

In a moving and inspiring speech from the heart, Andrew Liveris stressed the pivotal role the diaspora can play if we all come together to help Greece, the main concept behind The Hellenic Initiative's Oloi Mazi Campaign... All Together.

Andrew Liveris emphasised the need for the everyone in the diaspora to join together to help Greece rebuild, echoing what we have been saying for a long time - the same concept that is behind  Global Greek World and our project Global Greeks for Greece .

Greece's dynamic and resourceful diaspora, a pretty well untapped and underutilised asset, coming through for our homeland... 

Greece needs every single one of us right now, and every little bit that we can do to help counts -  no matter how small it is and from whichever part of the world that that help comes.


The Hellenic Initiative is a global non-profit, non-governmental secular organization that aims to provide critical funding to inspire entrepreneurship, business development and investment in Greece. By mobilizing and engaging Greek diaspora and philhellenes from around the world, they hope to make a lasting impact and to help empower the Greek people toward long-term prosperity.

The Hellenic Initiative  was officially launched on July 22 in Athens, at an event attended by President Bill Clinton, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, members of the Greek government, and representatives of the global Greek diaspora and philhellenic community. 

Recently, The Hellenic Initiative founded the annual Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award in partnership with The Libra Group,  to provide interest-free start-up funding, expert mentoring, and business support services to experienced and budding entrepreneurs in Greece. Read more about how the award works and how to apply.


 
 Andrew Liveris
Founder of The Hellenic Initiative
President, Chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company

About Andrew Liveris

Born in Darwin, Australia, to Greek immigrant parents, Andrew N. Liveris currently serves as President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Dow Chemical Company, a $60 billion global specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics company based in Midland, Michigan.. During his tenure as CEO, Mr. Liveris guided the company through the widespread economic crisis in addition to creating unprecedented periods of progress and expansion.

Liveris' 37-year Dow career has spanned roles in manufacturing, engineering, sales, marketing, business and general management. He began his Dow career in 1976 in Australia, and has spent a large proportion of his career in Asia where his formative roles included 14 years in Hong Kong, general manager for the company's operations in Thailand, and president of all Asia-Pacific operations. Liveris became a member of Dow's Board of Directors in February 2004, and was named CEO in November 2004. He was elected as Chairman of the Board effective April 1, 2006.

An advocate for the criticality of manufacturing to the long-term health of a nation's economy, Liveris is the author of Make It in America, a book which presents a comprehensive set of practical policy solutions and business strategies that outlines the Company's vision for an 'Advanced Manufacturing' economy (updated in paperback January 2012), and served as co-chair of U.S. President Obama's Advanced Manufacturing Partnership in the United States. In recognition of his efforts in this area, Liveris has been honored with the Distinguished Performance Award for Excellence in Public Policy from the Committee for Economic Development (2011), and the International Leadership Award from the United States Council for International Business (2011).

In addition to his work at Dow, Liveris’ breadth of experience and expertise is broadly represented across business, government, academic and non-profit sectors. He sits on the board of directors of IBM and the Special Olympics, is chairman of the U.S. Business Council, vice chair of the Business Roundtable, a member of the U.S. President's Export Council, and was a foreign co-chair of the 2012 China Development Forum. Liveris is a member of the US-India CEO Forum, the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the American Australian Association. He is a founder and chairman of the Board of The Hellenic Initiative and serves on the board of trustees for The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, USCIB, and Tufts University.

An established thought leader in his field, Liveris has been honored with the International Palladium Medal from the Société de Chimie Industrielle (2013), the Inspired Leadership Award from The Performance Theater (2012), the Aristeio Award in Business from the American Hellenic Council (2012), and the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Excellence (2012. He was named a BOSS True Leader by the Australian Financial Review (2012),), a “Legend in Leadership” by the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute (2011), Platts Global Energy Awards CEO of the Year (2011) and as one of the most influential people in the global chemical markets (ICIS Chemical Business magazine (December 2010/2011).


At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows! 

© GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Friday, November 30, 2012

Divine Liturgy in English: This Sunday in Halandri

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The dome of St George Halandri 
Photo Source: Nikos Kosmidis


 INVITATION TO ALL ENGLISH-SPEAKING 
FRIENDS LIVING IN ATHENS

If you are in Athens, speak English better than Greek and would like to listen to Sunday's Divine Liturgy in English, then this is your chance...


 On Sunday, December 2nd

The Divine Liturgy

will be celebrated in English

 by Father Stefanos Alexopoulos 

at the Church of St. George in Halandri
(81 Agias Paraskevis Street – Plateia Kennedy)
 
10:30-11:30 am
 

Father Stefanos Alexopoulos  serves as a parish priest at the parish of St. George, Halandri,  which belongs to the Archdiocese of Athens, Church of Greece.

Father Stefanos received a B.A. in Religious Studies from Hellenic College in Brookline, MA, and his M.Div. from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline. He holds a Ph.D. in Theology (Liturgical History) from the University of Notre Dame, where his main area of concentration was Liturgical Studies, with minors in Byzantine Art and Patristics.

Before coming to Greece in 2003, Dr. Alexopoulos taught a theology course, “The Spirituality of the Christian East; Experience, Form & Expression,” at the University of Notre Dame, for which he received the “Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Kaneb Award for Excellence in Teaching.”

He has been teaching at the College Year in Athens Program since 2007 and was recently elected Assistant Professor of liturgy at the Ecclesiastical Academy of Athens. He is a member of the North American Academy of Liturgy and the Society of Oriental Liturgy of which he is the secretary.

Father Stefanos has participated  in the project “New Catalogue of Byzantine Manuscripts” of the Protestant Theological University, Kampen, Holland as an expert/consultant on issues of Byzantine liturgical history since September of 2009.

He has had his book, based on his dissertation 'The Presanctified Liturgy in the Byzantine Rite: A Comparative Analysis of its Origins, Evolution, and Structural Unit's published in the series Liturgia Condenda 21  by Leuven: Peeters Publishers, 2009.

In the Spring Semester of 2012, Father Stefanos was a visiting professor at the Institute of Sacred Music of Yale University.


  At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!

 © GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Building a New Greece: 14th New York Investor Forum-Thursday 29 November 2012


LIMITED SEATING. REGISTRATION IS CLOSING SOON.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY!


You are cordially invited to attend…
Thursday, November 29, 2012
8:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST
(followed by a Networking Cocktail Reception)
The Metropolitan Club, One East 60th St., New York City


Developments in Greece have far reaching implications for the global economy. The recently elected government has embarked on implementing a comprehensive package of reforms aimed at ensuring that Greece remains a part of the Eurozone and can get back on a growth trajectory.

Senior government officials from Greece and the EU, private and public sector company CEOs, analysts, bankers, and U.S. business leaders will discuss the progress and outlook of the Greek economy and developments in the Eurozone, debating business and investment opportunities in the region.


KEYNOTE LUNCHEON SPEAKER

BUILDING A NEW GREECE: Rebuilding Greece's Credibility & Attracting Foreign Investors

Mr. Costis Hatzidakis
Minister of Development, Competitiveness, Infrastructure & Networks of the Hellenic Republic

MAIN TOPICS TO BE COVERED - Panels & Presentations

Current State & Developments

·  The European Sovereign Debt Crisis & The New Europe
·  Greek Economy: The Government Perspective
·  The Privatization Program
·  Helping Greece in its Adjustment Process

Outlook Opportunities & Challenges

·  Greece: Europe & the Euro - Looking Ahead
·  Greece 10 Years Ahead
·  Public Projects: Putting Greece on a Growth Trajectory
·  Putting Greece Back on the Global Agenda
Sector Investments & Outlook

·  Greece as an Energy Hub - Government & CEO Perspectives
·  Greek Banking System: Recapitalization, Consolidation & Restructuring
·  Real Estate Investment Opportunities in Greece & Southeastern Europe
·  Greece as a Shipping and Transportation Hub
·  Telecommunications Investment Opportunities

The 6th Annual Global Shipping Markets Roundtable

·  The Global Shipping Markets Today – CEO Panel
·  Greece as a Shipping & Transportation Hub

PARTICIPATING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES / BODIES

·  Ministry of Development, Competitiveness, Infrastructure & Networks
·  Ministry of Finance
·  Ministry of Environment, Energy & Climate Change
·  Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund
·  Hellenic Financial Stability Fund
·  European Commission
 
SPEAKERS / PARTICIPATING COMPANIES

BANKS & CONSULTANCIES

·  ABN AMRO
·  BNP Paribas
·  Citi
·  Deutsche Bank
·  Goldman Sachs
·  McKinsey & Company
·  Ernst & Young
·  Machas & Partners Law Firm
·  A.S. Papadimitriou & Partners Law Firm

GREEK COMPANIES

·  Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE)
·  Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP SA)
·  OPAP
·  Hellenic Petroleum
·  National Bank of Greece
·  GEK TERNA
·  Hellenic Public Gas Corporation
·  Public Power Corporation
·  Ellinikon S.A.
·  L.P. Ellinas Group of Companies
 

GLOBAL SHIPPING COMPANIES

·  Danaos Corporation
·  Euroseas Ltd.
·  Navios Maritime Holdings
·  Tsakos Energy Navigation

OTHER COMPANIES & ORGANIZATIONS
·  NYSE Euronext
·  Ameresco Inc.
·  Calamos Investments
·  C. Dean Metropoulos & Co.
·  Mistras Group
·  Mizuho Securities
·  Athens Chamber of Commerce & Industry
·  Capital Partners
·  Federation of Greek Industries
·  Hellenic Chamber of Shipping

ORGANIZED BY CAPITAL LINK, INC.
New York • London • Athens
230 Park Ave. Suite 1536 New York, NY 10169
NY: +1 (212) 661-7566 | forum@capitallink.com

Sunday, November 11, 2012

World Tourism Day 2012 Greek Photo Competition: And the Winners are...




Angela Kourtes (Canada)
Ikaria Island,  Greece 
1st prize equal


Marios Katsaros (Greece)
The Blue Cave Kastelorizo island, Greece
1st prize equal


Vicky Yiannoutsos (New Zealand)
Window on Kastos Island, Greece 
3rd prize

Congratulations to our prizewinners Angela and  Mario who got exactly the same number of votes and to Vicky who followed! 



The Prizes

1st Prize Equal 

Angela wins a very beautiful print of her choice from the workshop of Georgia Pistolis,  one of our very talented Global Greek artists, who lives and works in South Carolina in the USA but whose gorgeous artwork is largely inspired by her homeland and ours, Greece!   

Angela gets to choose one of the three prints shown below to remind her of the beauties of Greece. 

1st Prize Equal

Mario wins a night for two in a double room at the lovely Golden Sun Hotel in Glyfada, 
with Rich Buffet Breakfast and a big bottle of Wine as a Welcome Drink - all with the compliments of the Management of the Golden Sun Hotel whose mission is to give everyone's stay at their hotel 'a home away from home' feeling!



3rd Prize

Vicky  wins a copy of Έρωτας στην Ομίχλη, Love in the Mist,
the latest novel by talented Global Greek writer Justine Frangoulis Argyris
from Montreal, Canada whose novels are based on real Greek related issues. She blends the facts with fiction and weaves them beautifully into her novels making for exceptionally interesting reading.

A big thank you, ΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΟYΜΕ, to Georgia, The Golden Sun Hotel and Justine for their generosity in donating these wonderful prizes for our winners!

Finally a big thank you, EYXAPIΣTOYME, to all those who entered their photos and made this competition come alive with...Greece!

Greece is Greece's No 1 product and deserves to take its rightful place in the world...right at the top! 





At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!

© GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Dedicated to the Greek Non-Striking Worker: Here's to the Heroes - Mario Frangoulis

The bright side of the extensive strikes in Athens in the last few days...
a lovely morning walk along Vasilissis Sofias Avenue with hundreds of others...
the real heroes - trying to get to work.


Mario's beautiful song is dedicated to all those who had to get to work over the last few days in an Athens that was deprived of public transport - Buses, Trains, Metro, Taxis by the striking Public Sector employees ahead of the voting tonight by the Greek Parliament of the latest round of unending austerity measures, imposed by politicians and the Troikan bureaucrats who can't, or rather don't want to, see past their highly paid nose.

Let's hope it will be a peaceful day today.

Here's to the Heroes...



At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows! 

© GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Friday, November 2, 2012

'With an Olive Tree, a Vineyard and a Boat, You Can Rebuild Greece' Google Pays Tribute to Odysseas Elytis



Google honours Odysseas Elytis, Greece's Nobel Prize-Winning Poet

 101 years from his birth, holding papers, with poems flying around,  
Odysseas Elytis is depicted  in his trademark sailor's cap with
the Olive Tree, the Vine and the Boat, that can be used to rebuild Greece... 
essentially Greek images as meaningful and powerful as his timeless poetry


If you take Greece apart,
In the end you will be left with 
an olive tree, a vineyard and a boat...
which means that with these items 
you can rebuild Greece... 

Odysseas Elytis, Nobel Prize for Literature, 1979

Εάν αποσυνθέσεις την Ελλάδα, 
στο τέλος θα δεις 
να σου απομένουν
μια ελιά, ένα αμπέλι κι ένα καράβι....
Που σημαίνει: 
με άλλα τόσα την ξαναφτιάχνεις....

Οδυσσέας Ελύτης



At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!

© GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Monday, October 22, 2012

Beautiful Greece: World Tourism Day Greek Photo Competition ends on 4th November 2012

On World Tourism Day, September 27, this year we at Global Greek World decided to launch our first Greek Photo Competition on the GGW Facebook Page.

Stunning, superb, beautiful Greece...
Our final collage of the wonderful photographs received

We got some absolutely stunning photos of Greece entered and because they were all so gorgeous, they inspired us to put them to music. Thus our very first little video presentation was born, to the sounds of Goodbye,my love, Goodbye   with the amazing voice of Demis Roussos and the unique sound of the bouzouki.




We've posted the photos in the album World Tourism Day Greek Photo Competition, so please click here and vote with a 'like' for the one(s)you like.

The picture with the greatest number of likes wins a very 'Greek' prize and he/she is not the only one to win... so please get liking!

We think these stunning photos deserve your vote! Voting has been extended and will finish on 4th November. (it was originally going to finish on OXI Day, Sunday 28 October... a very important day in history for the Greek people) 

Good luck to all! Καλή Επιτυχία σε όλους!


At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!


© GlobalGreekWorld 2012 All Rights Reserved

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Fact or Fiction? Greece's Troika and the Suggestion to Depopulate Islands

 Greece's IMF/EU/ECB Troika have done it again...

Theatre of the absurd, crass stupidity or downright criminal?

The Troika, those unimaginative, number-crunchers in grey suits strike again! After suggesting a 6 day working week for Greek workers, after suggesting the taxpayer fund the 550 million odd euros owed by the banks, they have now turned their attention to the islands...

Some people are saying that as it wasn't 'official' it shouldn't be relayed because it was made by a 'lowly placed' official. We disagree. Quite the contrary in fact... it is very useful to know the quality of the people that make up the advisors behind the IMF/EU/ECB Troika...

The unbelievable suggestion that the last remaining, and indisputably heroic, residents of strategically placed Greek islands be evacuated if less than 150 to save funds is totally and unequivocally insane. It just happens that some of the islands who have less than 150 inhabitants are islands like Gavdos and Farmakonissi which our loving neighbour, Turkey, loves to covet and therefore dispute as to their Greek sovereignty... what a gift to Turkey that would be!

Greek government denials have been issued but we don't buy them...they are just for damage control because the reaction was so instant and intense.

 Gavdos Island

Maybe the 'lowly placed' Troika official who had the gall to make this suggestion hadn't read Greek history, had no idea of the population exchanges with Turkey and the deportations that Greeks everywhere have been subjected to through the ages. He or she obviously hadn't heard of measures designed to aid development either.

Instead of encouraging depopulation to save funds and listening to the public outcry, just imagine the accolade this 'lowly placed' Troika official would have received if he/she had suggested development of the sparsely populated islands by giving incentives for people to move there. That would mean putting infrastructure in place, building schools, providing medical services, transport and communication means that are essential to survival.

This would in turn encourage the people who left their island and are now living in highly populated urban centres and perhaps suffering from the high levels of unemployment to return with their families and put their ideas into practice, thus creating employment opportunities and in turn helping the economy recover.

Create, create, create should be the name of the game.

A friend of ours recently put this into practice on the island of Kastos. As there was no grocery store on this beautiful island, one of the ones the Troika is referring to, and everything had to be brought by kaiki from Mytika, the closest port, he decided to invest his funds, build a store and at the same time build a house to live in with his family.

The results for our friend in Kastos were positive for all - the islanders have a shop, the builders had employment, the kaiki still runs to take groceries, and the investor keeps busy, gives employment, pays taxes and above all sees his island develop.

So far so good... unless the Troika strikes!


 Kastos Island
 Photo Source: euratlas

The very fact that someone who has no idea about Greece and what Greece is all about can make such an insane suggestion means he or she should not be in that post, and let's remember what that post is.

The Troika is supposedly here, not just to make sure that the lenders get their money back, but to make sure that they get the Greek economy back on a healthy footing by stimulating production and investment. This is the aspect of the mission which is called 'helping' Greece,  advising the government of reforms to be implemented to help the country move forward.

These major structural reforms are essential in Greece, but the kind of things we are hearing as coming from the Troika, even if taken with the proverbial grain of salt and with provision made for hearing things exaggerated and second-hand, are enough to make our collective hair stand on end.

How about if these whizz-kids turn their attention to something easy... like helping Greece's economic wizards keep Greek companies in Greece instead of forcing them into 'exile' because of the continually changing and non corporate friendly taxation system. If we can't keep our own investors how on earth are we going to attract foreign ones?

A Global Greek friend visiting this morning reminded us of a Chinese proverb which goes something like this  

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime...

Somebody should remind the Troika of that too, unless our friends have something else  in mind...

The future will tell...

Patience compatriots, any moment now we'll be moving 
to our new country, 
with sun, beaches and warm seas...
we're just finalising the contract

Bitter humour from Cartoonist Yannis Ioannou
 14 February 2011
 Ironically enough on Valentine's Day ...

Perhaps if German Chancellor Angela Merkel had bothered to visit Greece early on in the crisis to show her support for a fellow EU member in crisis, instead of just last week, almost 3 years after it all began, the unacceptable labelling of all Greeks as tax dodgers, lazy and corrupt would have been avoided as would all the bad feeling that transpired between the two countries since the economic crisis in Europe began...


At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows! 
© GlobalGreekWorld 2009 - 2015 All Rights Reserved

Friday, October 12, 2012

Greece: Moving Forward Investment Forum - 15-16 October 2012



Greece :  Investment Forum 'Moving Forward'

Organised by the IHT and Kathimerini,  a  conference on how Greece should move forward using all the resources at its disposal, is to be held  on Monday and Tuesday 15th and 16th October 2012, at Athens' Grande Bretagne Hotel.

As Greece's economy continues to struggle with recession and its government tries to reach its bailout targets, as the average Greek person sees his standard of living dropping and his  disposable income reaching non-disposable levels, an ever-increasing number of business and political leaders agree that investments and new projects are needed to change the trend and create wealth again.

As far as we are concerned it is the only way that things can change and we are certainly looking forward to the conference.

What are the changes required?

What economic and political forces need to contribute to ensure that the Greek economy can reach financial stability and restore its image and credibility on the world stage?

What will it take for Greece to start "Moving Forward"?

We hope that the list of speakers over the two day forum will come up with answers to this exceptionally important and critical question.

The list of speakers includes Greek Prime Minister Andonis Samaras, who recently stated that:

"We need to jump-start the economy and move ahead with reforms to restore competitiveness with the support of our European partners and the vibrant communities of the Greek diaspora." 


Political party leaders, senior ministers, politicians, prominent business people, and journalists will also be participating in what promises to be a highly-productive conference.

We were particularly pleased to hear PM Samaras refer to the Greek diaspora, as we consider our Greeks Abroad an especially significant and largely untapped resource for Greece.

It is encouraging to see that some of our very dynamic Global Greeks are participating - some of the many, in Greece and abroad, who are committed to changing the perception of Greece around the world, and are working hard in this direction, hands on!

We are looking forward to hearing Global Greeks Australian Ambassador to Greece, Jenny Bloomfield, branding genius Peter Economides, Greek America Foundation's Gregory Pappas, CustomMedialabs' Manos Sifakis and German MP Jorgo Chatzimarkakis among others.

We are particularly looking forward to seeing the results of the conference and  the ideas that come out of it put into practice.

Greece has no choice but to move forward and move forward she will. 

With the structural reforms in place, the right ideas and the right people to turn those ideas into reality, Greece can perform miracles.

We've proved it before, and we will again...

YES, Greece CAN! 


Listen to the conference live here

To check out the Conference Programme and the list of participants, click here.

To contact the organisers, click here.