These are only some of the photographs included in this year’s calendar of the Youth Network of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), Central and South America Region.

The photographs were chosen from a contest organized in November 2011 and present landscapes, people, events, celebrations, monuments, architectural works, etc. which are reflective of the Greek character.

The photography contest was organized in order to enhance the bonds of people living in South America with Greece, and promote and highlight the Greek cultural presence in those countries.

Second, third and even fourth generation young people of Greek descent responded to the SAE contest call and sent their personal photos from countries such as Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile.

The first prize was awarded to Avgoustina Maniki from Buenos Aires, who decided to shoot a picture of a Greek-born man dressed as a Tsolias in a 2011 May parade in Argentina. “The piercing eye of the man gives the picture depth, meaning, emotion and humanity” commented young Avgoustina.

One of the winning photographs shows the Church of Archangel Michael of the Greek Community “Socrates” in Buenos Aires. “This photograph is very important to me because it reminds me of my grandfather, Demetris” said photographer Alexis Spyrakis. “With his donation, love and efforts, my grandfather contributed to our society becoming closely connected to Greece and obtaining a house of prayer, where we can hold on to our faith” added Spyrakis.

The Acropolis was also included in the calendar with a photograph taken by David Gonzales from Mexico, depicting a group of Greek born people posing in front of the ancient site.

Theocharis Deligiannis’ photograph from Santiago, Chile, is full of optimism for the future of Hellenism in Latin America. The photograph shows three Greek born children dressed in traditional Greek outfits, participating in the celebrations for OXI Day on October 28, 2011.

His funeral took place in the city of La Serena, on Sunday, December 11. The service was attended by representatives from the Greek-Chilean community and members of the Univeristy Católica del Norte, where Mr. Politis Jaramis had studies and worked for almost 50 years in the Department of Communications and Public Relations, promoting the traditional music and dances of the Greek and Chilean cultures.

“Michalis was and remains a unique example for all the members of our community. He had shown great interest in the Greek culture and had become its official representative in Chile” reads the official announcement of SAE Latin America.

Miguel Politis Jaramis was born in Antofagasta and was descended from the Prefecture of Lakonia, Greece. He became a Greek citizen in 2009 and had served as the President of the Greek Community of Antofagasta. In 2003 he founded the Greek Community of Coquimbo, which celebrated the Greek culture in Chile by organizing festivals and events with Greek food and dances. He is also know for working very closely with the Youth Committee of the SAE Latin America.

“His work and contributions will bear fruits in the future and that will be the best honor for his memory” concluded the SAE announcement.

Zacharias, who had checked in the suitcase for the flight on a Spanish carrier, presented authorities with his Greek passport and said he was heading to Heraklion, Greece.
Customs agents opened the suitcase in the presence of a representative of the federal Attorney General’s Office and found two packets of a white powder in the false bottom.
The powder, which weighed 650 grams, tested positive for cocaine and was the “equivalent of 1,300 doses of drugs,” the secretariat said.
Zacharias and his property were turned over to the agent from the AG’s office, which will conduct the investigation and determine whether to prosecute the suspect on drug charges.
(source: laht)

In particular, on December the 10th in Montevideo, a round table will take place, under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Uruguay, Montevideo Municipality and the Embassy of Greece, on “Why we should read Kazantzakis today”.

“On the 12th of December a lecture will take place in Buenos Aires on “The work and ideas of Nikos Kazantzakis” by Giorgos Stasinakis, the President of the International “Friends of Nikos Kazantzakis” Society, in cooperation with the Greek community of Uruguay.

In addition, in Santiago, Chile, on December the 14th, professor and journalist Chrysi Tefariki and Mr. Stasinakis will be giving lectures on “Nikos Kazantzakis in Mt. Sinai” and “Kazantzakis and the Arab world”, respectively. The lectures are taking place under the auspices of the Embassy of Greece, organized by the University of Chile (Center for Greek Studies).

Finally, on December the 16th until 17th in Sao Paolo, Brazil, lectures will be held by professor Carolina Donega Bernandez on “Kazantzakis’ philosophical poetry”, by Mr. Stasinakis on “Kazantzakis and poetry” and professor Lucia Soarez Brenndao on “Nikos Kazantzakis and religion”.

The exhibition opens on Sunday December 3, with fifteen of Vari’s large sculptures to be revealed in the large Caribbean beach resort city of Cartagena, in the Plaza de los Coches.

The artistic exhibition will be hosted in the Colombian city until February 29, 2012.

In addition, several sculptures will be on display at the Plaza de Santo Domingo, San Pedro Claver, La Proclamacion, and Estribos Alley.

“We are pleased that Cartagena is the chosen site [for Vari's sculptures] because it is an exhibit that has already been in important global cities such as Madrid, Paris, and Athens, among others. The city’s administration has supported cultural tourism, and we believe that this decision is strengthening Cartagena’s global image,” told Irina Junieles, director of the Cartagena Cultural Heritage Institute of Colombia.

Sophia Vari (1940) is one of the most renowned modern Greek sculptors and has managed to entwine the abstract with the classic, the figurative with sharp shapes, volumes and tangles, light and colors.

The contest aims at providing the right stimuli to the new generation of Greeks residing in Latin America, so as to depict through the photo lens their relation to Hellenism and the Greek culture. The Network focuses on preserving the Greek traditions in those remote regions of the world.

Everyone aged over 18 years old and residing in one of the countries of Latin America can take part in the upcoming photo contest. Participants are asked to express their hellenicity through photos depicting faces, landscapes, facts, events, celebrations, monuments, architectural sites, etc. from the place where they live.

The first prize will be a trip for two to one of the countries in Latin American. The best photos will be included in the 2012 SAE calendar distributed free of charge throughout the Central and South America region.

Ancient and Modern Greek language courses are being taught by Greek teachers working abroad at this Greek Cultural Centre, housed in the facilities of the Greek Community in Buenos Aires.

The wide acceptance by people in Argentina concerning “Fundacion Helenica” indicates that this foundation is a substantial means of promoting Greek language and culture within Philhellene Argentinian society.

The Greek Institution of Buenos Aires also provides courses in traditional dancing, traditional cuisine and theatre.

For further information about “Fundacion Helenica” visit the website:http://www.fundacionhelenica.org/

Nostos president Christina Tsardikos has stated: “Greece lives in Argentina, where it has innumerable friends”. Greek Ambassador Michalis Christidis underlined the increasing appeal of Nostos during its 5 years old activities. He also added: “Greeks, since their nation has been created, are used to facing difficulties and every kind of crisis”.

The rector of the School of Economics in Universidad de Belgrano, Alberto Rubio, focused on the economic crisis during his talk, titled: “Greek economic crisis. The exit from the Labyrinth, why only Greece?”. Rubio presenting the reasons of economic crisis and debt in Greece, that are not so serious compared to Italy, Spain, Ireland, emphasized that “the solution can be found only within the country of Greece, within the unification between politicians and citizens.

The 5-year-old Nostos’ activities include: 50 cultural conferences under the aegis of the National Library of Argentina, festschrifts for Greek poets, such as Kavafy, Ritsos, Seferis, Elitis etc, one-year-long Greek language courses and online courses too, with participants from Peru, Argentina, Chile. Lastly, Nostos has organized Greek dance, philosophy, Ancient Greek language and literature seminars.

In the studio were also representatives of Spain and Cuba. The presenter of the show, Osario Zamundio, promised that on Tuesday (23 / 8), he would send a copy of this broadcast to members of the Greek mission.

The national team, along with Giorgos Manolopoulos, George Somponis and George Penteris, had the opportunity to walk the streets of Bahia Blanca. Outside the hotel which accomodates the mission of the national team, young Argentinian girls have camped in order to get an autograph or take photographs with the Greek players.

The national team is continuing training for the upcoming match, on August, 24 with France.

Young people aged 10 to 18 participated in the original competition of Greek proverbs. The participants come from Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. The competition was organized by Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE).

The winner is Victoria- Kyriaki Nioti from Brazil who accomplished to gather 400 Greek proverbs. This competition is a part of the effort of SAE to motivate young people to find their origins and to enhance their relationship with Greece. The candidates should record Greek proverbs quoting by relatives and family from the homeland.

The Greek proverbs and philosophy are spread all over the world and continue to influence society today.