Greece this Month Sept- October 2015

Greece

This month

In this issue: • Government Policy Programme Outline • PM vows for EU support • Greek tourism record-breaking year • Reload Greece Challenge • Katia Dandoulaki exclusive interview • Erietta Vordoni exhibition • Greek Wine Festival in London • OPSO restaurant

Greece This month - September/October 2015

Tsipras vows for EU support, on his visit to Lesvos with the Austrian leader Austria will contribute to the operation of the refugees identification centres, the so-called hotspots, in Greece and provide a 30 million euro financial aid to the UN Food Program, Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said in statements after Tuesday’s weekly cabinet meeting in Vienna, shortly before leaving for Lesvos, where he met and held talks with the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras.

During their visit to Lesvos island, the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reiterated his appeal for support in dealing

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centers Greece has pledged to set up on Aegean islands and at the port of Piraeus as part of an EU plan to relocate refugees.

Faymann, who Tsipras appears to regard as an ally in his bid to raise support for Greece’s efforts to tackle the migration problem, has offered to send 100 experts to assist with registration. Officials in Brussels have been active too. A day after the EU’s border monitoring agency Frontex pledged to send hundreds of guards to Greece, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker offered Turkey a plan under which it would relocate refugees as long as Ankara sets up new camps and bolsters its coast guard to stop migrants heading for Greece.

Tsipras Outlines Government’s Policy Programme (5.10.2015) Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras presented his government’s policy statement in Parliament on October 5, setting as key priorities to re-establish financial stability, secure economic recovery and return to growth, achieve substantial debt relief and to radically reform the public sector, while cracking down on corruption and bureaucracy.

lishing a special body that will be charged with creating the necessary framework to attract private investments and to encourage local brands and entrepreneurs.

The PM also announced that the controversial 23% VAT on private education will be suspended until mid November, by which point alternative measures with an The government aims to restore liquid- equivalent revenue effect can be devised. ity, to return to positive growth rates in the first half of 2016 and to regain capital Regarding the recent refugee crisis, Μr market access within the next 20 months, Alexis Tsipras underlined that the proviwhile the three immediate priorities con- sions of Dublin III must be reviewed, statsist of reducing debt by extending loan ing that five ‘hot spots’ will be created on the maturities, reducing interest rates and in- islands for receiving refugees and migrants. troducing a growth clause and long grace period, recapitalizing the banks and estab1

with an ongoing refugee and migration, stating that “The problem is not Greek but European and we must tackle it together”.

He and Faymann visited reception centers and were briefed by local authority officials on the situation on the island which has borne the brunt of a rising influx of migrants. Tsipras pledged to upgrade reception facilities by the end of November.

“We have to organize the hotspots for the procedures of registration and identification of refugees,” he said, referring to the

Mr Tsipras also referred to the need to work with Turkey. “We have to cooperate with the Turkish authorities... and organize better conditions so refugees do not risk their lives in the Aegean,” he said.

In an interview with the BBC, European Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said 600,000 refugees have submitted asylum applications this year.

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Greece This month - September/October 2015

Tourism up for another record-breaking year

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is bearing fruit, achieving another record”, SETE said in an announcement.

Reload Greece Challenge

Greece This month - September/October 2015

It is worth noting that Reload Greece, which has helped entrepreneurs raise £1m in funding over the last 18 months, usually runs mentorship schemes that run over

(14-18 September 2015)

The hub of Youth Entrepreunership in London

“If we can inspire a few of these Reloaders, we can Reload Greece”, Effie Kyrtata, a 25- year- old Athenian and one of the members of the advisory board and cofounder of Reload Greece, underlined at the beginning of the Dragon Den’s event, which concluded the Reload The Association of Greek Tourism En- Greece Challenge, on September 18. terprises (SETE), Greece’s main industry body, announced on September 10 Six short-listed companies worked with record-breaking figures for tourism in mentors and investors, including Google Greece, as it is anticipating some 26 mil- executive Steve Vranakis and George Karlion international visitor arrivals and takis of Paypal-owned Braintree, to refine revenue above €14.5 billion this year. their ideas before competing in a Dragons Den-style event at the end of the week.

Latest airport data shows that flights and arrivals continued an impressive upward Mike Sotirakos, the programme leader and course in August and Greece is trend- the Watershed Entrepreneurs CEO, pointed ing towards having a record-breaking out that the start-ups created in the Chalyear for tourism. August international ar- lenge could all make a difference in Greece. rivals to the country increased by 4.6% All start-up ideas were innovative: from to almost three million arrivals. During bookyourweddingday.com, the online the first eight months of the year, arriv- platform for wedding bookings in Greece als increased by 6.3% to 11.7 million. and Cyprus to the Green Soap idea of recycling soaps from Greek hotels; the Cha“Despite the difficult economic situation risma online shop of handmade delicacies and the serious problems faced by the in- and accessories to the Graffiti removing permanent protecdustry in the midst of this year’s tour- and scheme; the MetaLearner, ism season, the intensive, persistent and tion systematic effort of all stakeholders, entre- learn how to learn scheme, and finally the Mastiha World Ltd, preneurs and workers in Greek tourism the only UK Mastiha suppliers.

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Prosopa Events, a team of three Greek young

professionals who live in London, with the vision to create a cultural bridge between Greece and UΚ, approached her during the last performance of the theatrical play “Who is going to die tonight?” in Athens last summer, and asked her if she wanted to launch the next season premiere of the play in London.

“I felt obliged to warn the Prosopa Events team of the difficulties they would have to face, such as technical terms and conditions.

At the same time though, I did not want to disappoint them”.

several months but was prompted to do the intense accelerator in response to the “The play blends comedy and mystery sucrecent economic developments in Greece. cessfully. The audience is intrigued by the ‘’We want to change the perception that seemingly unsolved mystery while at the the world has about Greece, by showcasing young and successful entrepreneurs who can make a difference”, Ms Kyrtata said on an interview in Daily Telegraph.

Katia

Dandoulaki:

‘At times of financial pressure, people need to start dreaming again’

(Exclusive interview for the UK premiere of same time there are a lot of funny mothe play: ‘Guess who’s going to die tonight’) ments”, she mentioned when asked what is the secret of success of “Who is go“Launching a theatrical play in London was ing to die tonight?” which has been on an idea which at first seemed to me surreal”, tour all over Greece for the past 3 years, the well-known beloved and charismatic launching its fourth in London, on the Greek actress, Mrs Katia Dandoulaki stated 3rd of October, as the first of its kind. in an exclusive interview for our Newsletter, Greece this Month, given before the theatriHowever, ‘given the current ecocal season 4 UK premiere which took place nomic crisis in Greece, hasn’t the on October 3, at Mermaid Theatre, London, theatrical sector been affected?’, with the support of the Greek Press Office.

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we asked her but our most substantial strength and she replied: “The theatres are, lies in the mutual cooperation with once again, filled with people”, each other. We shouldn’t forget that.” while she further explains that at times of intense psychological pressure or suffer- People say work ruins friendship but ing, people need to start dreaming again. Prosopa Events prove the opposite

“We have substantially decreased the tick- Prosopa Events, although newly et price because we want people to be able established, has a long stoto afford going to the theatre”, she added, ry that goes back to 2004. stating that actors can hardly survive finan- ‘’2004 was the year when our paths cially, although their biggest reward is that crossed for the first time in the beautithey allow people to dream through their ful island of Syros, where all three of us art. “It makes sense that the Greek peo- started the university life at the Departple started visiting the theatre once again; ment of Product and System Design Enlife is not sustainable without dreams’’. gineering of the University of the Aegean.

From that moment on we were growWhen asked to comment about the cur- ing together in and outside of Greece, rent economic and political developments building a stronger friendship and crein Greece, she stated that “We are a gifted ating lasting memories’’ the team of country, but Greeks do not know how to Prosopa Events, Marian, Vassiliki and cooperate with each other...The theatre al- Vasilis tell us, while the latter adds: ways reveals a political message through the stance towards life that each play represents’’. ‘The most difficult challenge for me was, at first, to convince Marian and Her personal message to the Greek people Vasiliki to work with me on this. is to try to promote collective cooperation. Since I succeeded in this, I was sure “Greeks lack political memo- that we would make it happen and that ry. We should remember both the there is no way back.

People say good and the bad and draw strength; that it’s better to not work with friends, as business ruins friendships.

I say that working with real friends you have a better understanding of the limits, the pressure, the needs, you are aware of the strong and weak points, thus the collaboration becomes even more successful’.

Their vision is to create a cultural hub for the Greek and international audience that will promote Greek spirit and re-introduce it through modern and contemporary lens.

‘Our motivation to follow this path is our 5

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need to keep the connection with our “Summer in families and friends in Greece by sharErietta ing the same experiences, and our by Centre, passion for the contemporary Greek (Hellenic culture that has so much to offer’.

As far as their initiative with launching the theatrical event with actress Katia Dandoulaki is concerned, Prosopa stress that “although many have doubted

and seen the project as crazy and not feasible, Katia Dandoulaki herself had belief in us and contributed throughout the realisation of this project.

We really appreciate her contribution and we warmly thank her for the support.

We would also like to thank our supporters, our families and our friends for the constant help and support.

our

Hearts” Vordoni

30.9-29.10.2015)

Following an exhibition last June in Riflemaker Gallery in London, which was met with great success, the well-known Greek artist, sculptress and prize winning graduate of the Athens School of Fine Arts, Erietta Vordoni, launches her artworks. The exhibition takes place in the Friends Room Gallery, at the Hellenic Centre in London, from September 30 until October 29 2015, under the title “Summer in our Hearts”.

The aim of the current exhibition is to remind the visitors of how deep-felt emotions survive in all times. The striking element of her artwork is the way she makes use of different-often quite- dis‘Passion and collaboration were the two parate, materials in a harmonic combimain elements that made this project feasi- nation with colors, along with the ‘’evable and successful. Here’s to the next ones!’ sive’’ human-like sculptured forms.

From our part... we wish them all the best!

During the opening of the exhibition, Ms Vordoni warmly thanked visitors and expressed hope her artwork to become a motive for further inspiration and engagement with this kind of art. ‘When we feel love inside our hearts, when we have 6

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beliefs and ideals we defend with passion, then everything seems possible. Fears and doubts must be subsided and a new eagerness reveals itself for new challenges. Our inner being and everything around us reflect the warmth and light of the summer which remains deep within our hearts’.

It is worth noting that the artworks of Ms Vordoni are exhibited in various museums and galleries all over the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Nice, the Museum of Monte Carlo in Monaco and the National Gallery of Athens.

A Greek Wine ‘Spectacle’ ...for

the

first

time

in

London

ing to the Greek wine lovers, he also underlined the importance of getting the foreign wine audience better familiar with Greek wine producers and brands.

The Festival’s Ambassadors were the well-known wine experts, Jancis Robinson and Julia Harding, who enthused the Festival’s audience through their prized expertise, while the attendants had the chance to taste a variety of distinctive and deeply diverse types of Greek wines- a total of 130 different labels- by the glass, on the Pop- Up Wine bar created especially for the needs of the Festival. While, the Rotunda restaurant was offering the opportunity for the audience to taste small plates of Greek delicacies matched with Greek wines. http://londongreekwinefestival.co.uk/

OPSO: modern

During the first weekend of October, the first, of its kind, Greek Wine Festival took place in London with the support of the Greek restaurant, the Greek Larder. The co-founder of the Greek Larder, Theodore Kyriakou stated that the main goal of the Festival was to introduce nonGreek oenophiles to the best wines that Greece has to offer. Although appeal7

An allGreek dining in

day London

In Ancient Greek, “opso” (όψο) means delicacy; states the owner of the Greek restaurant ‘Opso’ in London, Andreas Lampridis, discussing with the team of Greece this Month, the concept that has driven him to create this restaurant in 2014. At the same time, he explains the reasons that made him abandon

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his career in the banking sector and invest in the Greek cuisine in London, creating a casual all-day dining.

After working in various restaurants, Andreas decided to give new life to traditional Greek food, envisioning a place where one could bring his friends, family, colleagues or significant other.

In order to retain the quality that ‘Greek’ prior to the word ‘food’ brings to mind, the OPSO team imports some of their products from Greece. Feta from Athens, olive oil from Crete, cheese from Naxos and wine from all over Greece. “We have an equal amount of Greek and non-Greek customers”, Mr Lampridis says and as we can see on our visit, the clientele is indeed mixed.

Although, the ultimate judges of their cuisine are Greeks, Mr. Lampridis says.

The neighbourhood is dominated by Greek presence. Situated in Paddington Street, OPSO is a minute away from the Hellenic Centre while a branch of the ‘Real Greek’ chain can be found across the street. Is the competition harsh? “Rather than being engaged in rivalry, we have a great relationship with our Real Greek neighbours.

After all, we are thrilled to have ‘Greek’ echo in the neighbourhood”, he states.

Although open for business just for a year, OPSO has already been included in the Michelin Guide.

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