Friday, May 20, 2011

Interesting Tidbits about Greece

These are just some questions I had to answer for my capstone project. Feel free to correct me if I made any mistakes.


  1. What are the names of the major political leaders and what offices do they hold?
    1. President: Karolos Paoulias
    2. Prime Minister: George A Papandreou
  1. What are the names of the major political parties?
    1. The New Democracy
    2. Panhellenic Socialist Movement
  1. What are the major religion(s)/spiritual beliefs and their effect on the host country?
    1. Greek Orthodox 98%
    2. Muslim 1.3%
    3. Other 0.7% (Catholicism) 


  1. Is the host country currently involved in any conflicts and what (if any) role has the U.S. played in these?
    1. Greece is currently involved in the conflicts with Lybia (military support). They have also been involved with the conflicts in Afghanistan.
  1. What form of government exists in the host country?
    1. The Greek Government is a Parliamentary Republic with a President and  a Prime Minister. Greece is known to be the birth place of the first forms of Democracy. In Ancient Greece, the people used black and white stones to cast their votes.
  1. What is the year of the host country’s independence and the circumstances of that independence?
    1. 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
    2. They celebrate their Independence Day on the 25th of March.
    3. Their constitution was signed 11 June 1975 (amended March 1986 and April 2001)
  1. What are the economic conditions of the country?
    1. GDP (2010 forecast): €236 billion (about $315 billion)
    2. It seems Greece is having similar debt problems as the US (bad loans and bailing out private business with public funds).
    3. Unemployment was at 12% in 2010
  1. What is the cultural diversity of the country (immigration, refugee populations, etc.)?
    1. Greece does not collect data on ethnicity, but the 2001 census reports that 93% of the people in Greece are Greek citizens and 7% are foreign citizens.
  1. What are two to three major current events?
    1. May 15th, 2011 – Some hooded figures threw firebombs at the Police Precinct.
    2. May 19th – The date chosen by Parliament as a national memorial day for commemorating the massacre of some 353,000 Greeks of Pontus (Black Sea coast) in 1919 by Ottoman forces.
  1. What are two or three major current sporting events/groups/or players?
    1. Football (or soccer as we know it in America.
      1. Angelos Charisteas
      2. Theodoros Zagorakis – appeared most on the National Football Team of Greece
  1. Who are two or three popular entertainers and what are their fields of entertainment?
    1. (no one that I know)
    2. Maggira Sisters (comedians)
    3. Mando (singer)
  1. What season(s) will your host country be in during your stay? (June 19th - July 9th)
    1. Summer 
  1. How will the seasons affect your packing?
    1. I will be able to pack light!
  1. What are four things you expect to see and to do in your host country?
         a.      Visit the Acropolis / Acrololis Museum
         b.      See lots of ancient Greek sculpture
         c.       Visit the Parthenon
         d.      Take lots of pictures of landscapes.
  1. Which holidays will happen during your stay?
    JUNE
    June-September Athens Festival
    June - First Weekend - Karpathos - Amopi - Local Festival - varies each month.
    June - Start of the month - Florina - Festival of Local Dances
    June - September - Agios Nikolaos - Crete - "Lato" Cultural festival through September
    June - End of the month - Lesbos - Agia Paraskevis - Festival of the Bull - three-day festival with horse races, music.
    June - End of the month - Navy Week - celebrated at most important ports and harbors in Greece.
    June - End of the month - Lesbos - Molyvos and Kaloni - Navy week celebrations
    June - Krousta - Crete - Feast of the Klidona
    June 1 - 10 - Alexandroupolis - Flower Show
    June 2nd - Lesvos - Kaloni - Festival of the Holy Trinity - horse races, wine.
    June 2nd - Paros - Lefkes - Feast day of Agia Triada
    June 5th - International Environment Day - free admission to some museums and sites. Name
    Between June 25th- July 15th -One Sunday in this time - Emborio in Kozani -Flowers and Cherry Blossom Dance
    June 15- October 30th Amorgos - Festival of local customs
    June 15- October 30th Mykonos Art Exhibit
    June 20th-30th approx - Klidonas, Crete - Fortunetelling festival.
    June 23rd - Paros - Aliki Beach - Revival of an ancient custom of jumping over bonfires made from May Day wreaths
    June - Kefallonia at Argostoli - theatre, concerts, exhibits, poetry

    JULY

    July (beginning) Preveza - Chorus Festival
    July & August - Karpenisis - Feast for the forest and local traditions
    July & August - Athens - Herod Atticus Festival - Odeon at the Acropolis - Theater festival
    July - Corinth Area - Sykia - Ten-day festival
    July - August - Corinth Area at Kiato - Sikionia Festival.
    July - August - Crete- Lassithi Plain - Diktaia
    July-August - Ierapetra - Kirvia Festival - artistic events
    July - August 15th - Kornaria - Sitia, Crete - Major cultural festival
    July - August - Kyrvia - Ierapetra - Crete - Cultural festival.
    July - August - Kos - Hippokratia or Ipokratia - celebration of birth of Hippocrates with concerts and athletic events.
    July-August - Sitia - Kornasia Festival - Cultural events series
    July - September - Crete - Rethymnon - Renaissance Festival
    July - September - Epidaurus Festival - Weekends
    July - September - Philipi and Thassos Festival - Kavala
    July - September - Dodoni Festival - Theater festival at Dodona
    July - Crete - Anogi - Yakinthia - unusual folk festival.
    July - Santorini - Jazz Festival
    July - Crete - Chersonissos - Kriti Vibes Open Air Dance Celebrations July - September - Patras Festival - Musical festival
    July -September - Heraklion Festival - Music and theater presentations
    July - Nafpaktos - Papacharalambia Festival - arts, athletics, and nautical events.
    July - Preveza - Nikololia - Ancient Drama festival
    July - Corfu - Cricket Week - Cricket competitions
    July - Rethymnon - Crete - Wine Festival
    July - First Weekend - Karpathos - Amopi - Local Festival - varies each month.
    July 1st- 10th - Fillatria near Kyparissia - Vlahernia - Drama and dance events
    July 1st- 30th - Kalamata - Folk dances at the castle
    July 7th - Feast Day for St. Kyriaki the Great Martyr; Name Day for Kyriaki
    July 7th - Lesbos - Petri - Agia Kyriaki - festival for the saint.
    July 8th - Corfu - Lefkimi - Local dance festival
    July 11th - St. Ephemia Feast/Name Day
    Mid - July - Heraklion - Crete - Wine Festival
    Mid-July - Eleusis (Elefsis) - Folklore Festival
    July 17th - St. Marina the Great Martyr Feast Day/Name Day for Marina
    July 19-20 Forest of Elatia Sarakatsaneon feast - folk dancing and other customs
    July 20th- August 15th Axos Theatre,art, and dance events
    July 20th - Prophet Elijah (Elias) Feast day; Name Day for Elias, Elijah
    July 20th - Santorini - Pirgo Kalistis - Festival
    July 21-22 - Corfu - Weekend of free speech in the "Garden of the People"
    July 21st - 22nd - Chios - Agia Markela - Festival with dancing
    July 22nd - St. Mary Magdalene Feast Day
    July 27th - Lesvos - Anaxos - Festival for Saint Pandelimos
    End of July - Leros - Alonaria - local product festival
    End of July - Crete - Mirsinis - Concert series.

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