Thessaloniki European Youth Capital 2014
Θεσσαλονίκη Ευρωπαϊκή Πρωτεύουσα Nεολαίας 2014
ΝΕWS LETTER #04 SEPTEMBER 2013
thessaloniki2014.gr
Newsletter #04 / September 2013
And now, the final rehearsal! Start of a new season, the period after summer brings usually changes and new data for most, as well as for the European Youth Capital 2014. September brings lots of changes, and we’re ready for our last move before the start of the official program. Our online presence through www. thessaloniki2014.gr/en gives the first information about what we prepare during the pilot period from September to December 2013. Late September at a press conference we announce the entire program of Thessaloniki - European Youth Capital 2014 with many surprises and a deep concern for the issues of young people in Greece and Europe. You will see that our monthly communication becomes stronger with a newsletter packed with information: every month there will be new columns and contents relating to Thessaloniki, young people and of course the program of the European Youth Capital 2014. The next few months until the end of 2013 is a very interesting period because it represents the final test for people, services, actions, programs and collaborators, here in EYC 2014. We ‘re trying to find the best methods to enable the start of 2014 in a way that our Municipality will be ready for the implementation of this big challenge for young people that we together have designed and implemented.
Newsletter #04 / September 2013
Street Mode Festival 2013 A great success
Focused on youth and street culture, the 5th Street Mode Festival took place in the square Paramana of the Municipality of Thermi as a part of the program Thessaloniki - European Youth Capital in 2014 and the events “Thermis Dromena 2013». More than 3,500 people attended the biggest street culture festival in Greece in 2013, which was completed with great success. Visitors had the opportunity to enjoy a free program with continuous action that included demonstrations and competitions, graffiti, breakdance, street dance and parkour by leading Greek artists and athletes in the area of the square, which was formed specifically for this purpose. Concerts followed by bands of street culture and dj sets and parallel actions accompanied the event throughout its duration. The “Street Mode Festival” was organized under the auspices of the Municipality of Thermi and D.E.P.P.A.TH. and was included in the program Thessaloniki – European Youth Capital 2014. More info: www.streetmode.gr & facebook.com/ streetmodefestival
At the Port of Thessaloniki 15th International Film Festival LGBTQ
With daily screenings at 18.00, 20.00 and 22.00, the «15th International Film Festival of Thessaloniki LGBTQ» (gay - lesbian - bisexual - transsexual) takes place from Friday 20th to Sunday 29th of September 2013, at the Museum of Cinematography - Thessaloniki Cinematheque Film Library, at the Harbour with the support of Thessaloniki European Youth Capital 2014. The program consists of feature and documentary films from 16 countries: China, Turkey, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands - Morocco, Belgium, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Brazil, Ecuador, USA. There also will be lectures from Greek and foreign directors, university professors and other specialists as well as conversations with the spectators. The Festival is part of the «Cultural Panorama for the Gender» and is organized by the «Partnership for Social Sex» in collaboration with the Thessaloniki Film Festival. More info: www.lgbtq-iff.gr
Newsletter #04 / September 2013
RuN Thessaloniki 2013 Manga, anime and parkour in Aristotle Square
The culture of manga, anime and parkour is presented in the center of Thessaloniki. The event «RuN Thessaloniki 2013» organized by the Thessaloniki-European Youth Capital 2014 and the Japanese Embassy happens on Saturday 21 September 2013, at 12:00 to 16:00, in Aristotle Square Saturday. Thessaloniki is considered one of the cities with the largest community manga, anime & parkour in Greece. During the event there will be a demonstration parkour spectacle, in which traceurs, athletes from the Parkour academy, will perform choreographies. Around the area members of participating teams will give demonstrations in their field: the team 4Noise, responsible for the music orchestration of the event, and the clothing of traceurs as characters of manga RuN as well the e-shops AnimeHouse and OtakuStore, who will have their own stand promoting the culture of anime and manga. The cartoonist of Mangatellers, Emmanuel Lagouvardos will be exhibiting his creations and also a chef will create Japanese meals. On Sunday 22th September (11.00 - 16.00), Thessaloniki Cinematheque (Port) hosts the Japanese Anime Marathon Day with three screenings of anime films. On the same day (17.00 - 21.00) three other movies will be screened at Olympion
LocomodoNatassa Bofiliou
Concert against human trafficking The extremely popular Greek band, Locomodo, together with a great modern Greek voice, Natassa Bofiliou concert on the 27th and 28th of September to benefit A21 Campaign to end human trafficking. Thessaloniki-European Youth Capital 2014 supports the “1st A21 Freedom Fest” which takes place in Thessaloniki’s port, organized by A21 Campaign. “1st A21 Freedom Fest”, starts off on Saturday 27th of September, with Locomodo’s reggae, ska and Caribbean sounds, along with the music by two fresh bands ΚΑΖΟΟ and DISCONNECTED. On Sunday 28th of September, it is time for Natassa Bofiliou to sing against human trafficking, together with Themis Karamouratides and Gerasimos Evagelatos. More info: https://www.facebook.com/TheA21CampaignGreece, www.a21.gr
Newsletter #04 / September 2013
White Tower
The monument – symbol of Thessaloniki The White Tower, on the eastern edge of the waterfront of Thessaloniki΄s historic centre, is the monument-symbol of Thessaloniki. The Tower is probably built in the late 15th century (after the conquest of Thessaloniki by the Ottomans in 1430), replacing an oldest tower of the Byzantine fortifications. The White Tower is the only surviving of the three identical towers of the city walls on the city΄s waterfront, demolished in 1867. The Tower was referred to by various names during its long history, such as «Fortress of Kalamaria» (18th c.), «Tower of the Janissaries» & «Tower of Blood» or «Kanli Kule» (19th c.). The last two names are connected with the fact of its use as a prison for convicts. In the late 19th century a prisoner «whitewashed» the tower in exchange of his freedom, hence the name «White Tower». Until the early 20th century the tower was surrounded by an octagonal enclosure reinforced at the corners with turrets, an image of the monument presented in numerous depictions of the city and its waterfront. After the liberation of Thessaloniki in 1912 and the incorporation of the city in the new Greek State, the Tower housed successively services of the allied military forces during the First World War, including storeroom for antiquities, the service of the city΄s anti-air defense, the University΄s Laboratory of Meteorology, and the base of the Navy Scouts.
The tower is cylindrical with a height of 34 meters and a diameter of 23m. Includes ground floor and six floors connected by spiral staircase, serving an inner circular core of 8.5 m. in diameter. The monument was given to the Ministry of Culture in November 1983 when its repair and restoration started. The restoration and reuse works undertaken by the 9th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities were completed in December 1985, when a first exhibition of Byzantine art and history of the city was opened and housed in the monument, until the creation of the Museum of Byzantine Culture, where the exhibits were transferred. After 2008 the monument houses the new permanent exhibition on the history of Thessaloniki since its creation up to the present day. The thematic exhibitions developed in the ground floor and the six floors of the monument highlight the character of the city of Thessaloniki, the transformations in the urban landscape, the landmarks and monuments of different eras, the major position in trade, society, spiritual and cultural life and its culinary heritage. From the roof of the monument in the 6th floor, visitors can be informed about the surrounding space having a unique view of the whole city. In 1988 the White Tower was inscribed to the list of World Heritage of UNESCO and in 1989 the work of its restoration and conversion into a museum won the European award of Europa Nostra for the restoration of historic buildings.
The presentation of the monuments of Thessaloniki is done with the collaboration of the Hellenic Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage, Thessaloniki Section, Committee of Architectural Heritage.
Newsletter #04 / September 2013
Youth unemployment, the great enemy YFJ calls for greater action across Europe The need to put pressure on a european and national level in order to take measures to address the unemployment problem highlights the European Youth Forum. According to the YFJ, recent figures suggest that youth unemployment across Europe remains a pressing issue for decision makers. The UK government published research data that show an increase in the number of unemployed young people by 15,000. This increase brings the total number of unemployed young people in Britain at 973,000. Totally depressing is the situation in Greece. Data from our country have shown that youth unemployment has reached lately the negative record of 64.9 %. Despite the Eurozone nations technically are coming out of recession with a 0.3% growth, youth unemployment is still on the rise. The prospect of exit from the recession is undoubtedly good news, observe the members of the European Youth Forum, however it is a crucial issue that national governments across Europe don’t loose focus on its younger citizens. A recent report showed that over half of those not in full time education have never had a job. These examples are indicative of the worsening situation for young people across Europe in the field of employment.
The Youth Forum calls once again for greater action to be taken to curb the rising numbers of young people who are unable to find employment. When presented with positive news about the Eurozone, decision makers must not become complacent when it comes to youth unemployment.
www.dimitria.thessaloniki.gr Newsletter #04 / September 2013
48th Demetria Festival pulse in Thessaloniki
From the longest-serving and most distinguished cultural institutions of the country, «Demetria» arrived in the 48th edition. The Municipality of Thessaloniki completed a year’s program, taking into account both the economic downturn, and the need of the citizens and visitors of the city for quality entertainment and communication. Over a month, from 26 September to 26 October 2013, there will be about 35 events, mostly with free entrance and specialized affordable ticket. Artistic spectrum that we cater for music, theater, dance and visual arts, and in conclusion comes the cooperation with the «International Short Film Festival.»
The deputy Mayor for Culture Ellie Chrysidou stresses that: «The Municipality of Thessaloniki is convinced that cultural sustainability today, more than ever, is based on social consensus and engagement. The 48th «Demetria» aspire to be above all a celebration of the city, where everyone can be co-speakers and co-hikers. « This Commission Artistic Directors, set up to establish the program, gave the side focus on synergies and partnerships and the concept of inclusivity, the emergence of new artists to fruitful meetings between artists and visitors in the domestic creative potential, but also between Create and share, and to «build» an educational web, with workshops, masterclasses, talks and open presentations, provided free by guests artists. All this surrounded by cultural activities, often in unconventional places, with the ultimate aim of creating a festival pulse of the city. The 48th «Demetria» honor, among others, memory Μουσική - Θέατρο - Χοροσ - έικαστικα - κινήΜατογραφοσ - έργαστήρια & Masterclasses and supply of top Greek director Theo Angelopoulos and German choreographer Pina Bausch, host the National Theatre with the timeless «Golfo», take part in the celebration of 2013 as a year dedicated to his work G.Verdi and ‘exploit’ creatively timing of 100 years from the birth of an important collector of Russian avant-Garde, G. Costaki.
26.9–26.10 2013
Further Information: www.dimitria.thessaloniki.gr
Newsletter #04 / Σεπτέμβριος 2013
Stratis Tavlaridis Art with a scalpel
A new generation of visual artists is trying to develop its own narrative in recent years in Thessaloniki. Utilizing the city’s rich artistic tradition and their own encounter with the most innovative trends, these young artists reflect onto their work the transition of Thessaloniki from old to new. Important representative of this new generation, Stratis Tavlaridis , graduated with honors from the Department of Fine and Applied Arts of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. 23 years old, he has already a rich resume: participation in Biennale, festivals and numerous group exhibitions in Thessaloniki and other cities.
His recent solo exhibition «Tomb - Womb « (summer 2013) in Alatza Imaret was an unusual , eye-catching project , a large atmospheric installation of paper, wood and other materials , made especially for the former «Colorful Workhouse or Soup-kitchen»: Utilizing personal experiences (« the death of a friend, a significant artist whom I wanted to honor with royal prices «) and elements of the monument , the artist attempted a modern transcription of the tomb of King Philip II . To achieve this, he deconstructed surfaces , spreading in space hundreds of pieces of wood perforated with geometric motifs and thus achieving a play with light, shadow, white and energy. For Strati Tavlaridis, engaging with tradition came as something completely natural. «As I grew up in a village , I saw my grandmother deal with needlework , which subconsciously came in my work. Essentially, the concern I have in my work is not tradition but the pattern , the constant repetition. I’m like a manual worker, enclosed in my lab for hours focused in my work . The pattern helps me because repetition, as a poet friend says, «makes you hear new noises”. To create stencils geometric motifs on Alatza Imaret he had to work over 18 months . «Before two or three years I dealt with paper, again as a pattern. Some time as I painted with brushes and pens I decided to remove the background with a scalpel . All my paintings are hand cut and this not only because the laser method is expensive but also because I do not care to make something perfect . I don’t even use a ruler and the pieces have small imperfections. And when you work so long, maturing a project, you think about it, think again”. Stratis Tavlaridis awaits with interest the events of Thessaloniki European Youth Capital 2014. He hopes that it will be « a very good opportunity to promote the city abroad. It’s nice to see so many artistic events happening in Thessaloniki in recent years , festivals and many other activities that can join the artists , while also helping make the public more mature».
The profiles of young artists are presented in collaboration with the cultural sector of the Municipality of Thessaloniki.
Thessaloniki European Youth Capital 2014 Maria Κallas 23 GR-54655, Thessaloniki T: +30 2313 318235
www.thessaloniki2014.gr info@thessaloniki2014.gr