Tourist boats make excursions to the island, where there are caves with turquoise waters ideal for swimming and diving. Credit: Video screenshot/Mykonoslive.tv
A small uninhabited island called Tragonisi, located a few nautical miles east of Mykonos, is on the market for sale. It is expected to fetch 50 million euros ($54 million).
According to the ad published by the real estate agency ZL Development Mykonos Golden Luxury, Tragonissi or Dragonisi, covering 617 acres, is being sold either whole or in plots.
The island has no green, only steep, sharp stones and slippery gravel. In the summer, tourist boats make excursions there, as it has caves with turquoise waters, ideal for swimming and diving.
The small church of Panagia is built on its rocks where on June 11th, the day of Saints Barnabas and Bartholomew, a festival is held only for men.
Mykonos’ reputation could attract buyers for the island up for sale
Mykonos’ reputation as a cosmopolitan island with a vibrant nightlife and luxurious offerings attracts a wealthy clientele. Those seeking a secluded escape might find Tragonisi’s proximity highly desirable, offering privacy while remaining close to the action.
The island has transformed into a cosmopolitan destination, attracting celebrities, influencers, and a wealthy clientele seeking luxury experiences. Upscale restaurants, beach clubs with world-famous DJs, and designer boutiques cater to this market.
Being near Mykonos means Tragonisi benefits from easier access. Potential buyers can easily fly into Mykonos and then take a short boat trip to the island. Additionally, Mykonos offers various amenities like marinas, facilitating yacht access to Tragonisi.
The development of the island will, of course, require construction materials, skilled labor, or ongoing maintenance. Mykonos’ existing infrastructure provides a readily available pool of resources for these needs.
Islands in Greece for sale
Several islands in Greece are up for sale in addition to Tragonisi. An island in the Ionian Sea that went up for sale at an auction in 2022 with a starting price of 3.8 million euros ($4.3 million) has found no buyers to date.
The island of Makri in the complex of Echinades is an isolated paradise off the coast of Aitoloakarnania. Six of the Echinades islands, including Oxeia the largest, are owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the emir of Qatar, who purchased them in 2013 for a reported $10 million.
Makri, along with the rest of Echinades, is part of the Messolonghi-Aetolian Lagoon National Park, which is the largest in Greece and the second-largest in the Mediterranean.
The island is less than one square kilometer (0.38 sq. miles), and its highest point is at 126 meters. The remains of three buildings are still visible on Makri, including a small chapel, a cistern, and a small house.
The ancient mystery of the great sound quality at the ancient Greek theater of Epidaurus has finally been solved, researchers posit in a recent study.
Scientists have been wondering about the high sound quality of Epidaurus’ theater for decades, developing certain theories along the way.
The ancient theater of Epidaurus was designed by Polykleitos in the 4th century BC. The original thirty-four rows were extended in Roman times by another twenty-one rows. It seats up to fourteen thousand people.
The theater is admired for its exceptional acoustics, which permit almost perfect intelligibility of un-amplified spoken words from the proscenium to all fourteen thousand spectators, regardless of their seating.
Some even claim that audiences are able to hear a pin drop or a match being struck from any seat in the house.
The theater, renowned for its extraordinary acoustics, is one of the best conserved of its kind in the world. It is still used for musical and poetical contests and theatrical performances.
Sound at the theater of Epidaurus improved by limestone
Over the years, several theories were developed in order to explain the phenomenon, both by academics and amateurs.
Some of these theories suggest that prevailing winds carried sounds, or that masks amplified voices.
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered that the limestone material of the seats provides a filtering effect, suppressing low frequencies of voices and thus minimizing background crowd noise.
Furthermore, the rows of limestone seats reflect high frequencies back towards the audience, enhancing the effect, noted Live Science.
“When I first tackled this problem, I thought that the effect of the splendid acoustics was due to surface waves climbing the theater with almost no damping,” said mechanical engineer Nico Declercq. “While the voices of the performers were being carried, I didn’t anticipate that the low frequencies of speech were also filtered out to some extent.”
It is astonishing, however, that the Greek builders of the theater probably did not understand the principles that led to the exceptional audibility of sound from the stage.
The Greeks’ misunderstanding about the role the limestone seats played in Epidaurus’ acoustics likely kept them from being able to duplicate the effect.
Later theaters included different bench and seat materials, including wood, which may have played a large role in the gradual abandonment of Epidaurus’ design over the years by the Greeks and Romans, Declercq said.
Others dispute the sound quality
TheGuardian reports that research conducted by Constant Hak, the assistant professor at the Eindhoven University of Technology, and his team, suggests such assertions are little more than Greek myth.
In a series of conference papers, which also involved experiments at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the theatre of Argos, Hak and his colleagues describe how they tested the claims.
They used twenty microphones, placing each one at twelve different locations around the theater of Epidaurus together with two loudspeakers—one at the center of the “stage”—or orchestra—and one to the side.
Both speakers played with a slight delay between them a sound that swept from low to high frequency with the speakers in five different orientations. In total, they made approximately 2,400 recordings.
The team then used the data to calculate sound strength at different points in the theater.
They then made a series of laboratory recordings of sounds, including a coin being dropped, paper tearing, and a person whispering, and played them to participants, who adjusted the loudness of the sounds until they could hear them over background noise.
The results were then fed into the team’s calculations to reveal how far from the orchestra the different sounds would be heard.
While the sound of a coin being dropped or paper being torn would be noticeable across the whole theater, it could only be recognised as a coin or as paper halfway up the seating.
For a match striking, the situation was worse, while a whisper would only be intelligible to those in the front seats.
Further work, based on the loudspeakers playing voices, revealed that only when actors spoke out loudly would their words be intelligible in the seats furthest from the orchestra.
Aitoliko Island in western Greece. Credit: Video screenshot/ Drone Works
It may be a slight exaggeration, but for many locals, the town of Aitoliko, situated on an island between two lagoons in western Greece is their own, smaller version of Venice.
The old part of the town lies quite romantically on an island between two lagoons, of which the Aitoliko Lagoon extending up to Stamna lies to the north, and the Missolonghi Lagoon, which was Lake Kynia in antiquity, lies to the south where it connects with the Gulf of Patras and into the Ionian Sea.
The town itself has a traditional Greek charm, with narrow streets, whitewashed houses, and a picturesque harbor. The local community is friendly and welcoming, and you can find tavernas and cafes where you can enjoy Greek cuisine and relax by the waterfront.
One of the notable attractions in Aitoliko is the “Bridge of Aktion,” also known as the “Queen’s Bridge.” This bridge connects the town to the mainland and offers scenic views of the lagoon and surrounding landscapes.
A drone video captures the historic center of the town and the bridges on either side that connect Aitoliko to the mainland.
Protected by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and included in the Natura 2000 network, the Mesolongi-Aitoliko Lagoon National Park is rich in flora and fauna, including 290 species of birds and more than 100 species of fish.
Miles of salt flats and pyramids, as well as marshes hosting exotic flamingos, compose its striking coastline, offering a unique optical spectacle to its visitors.
Aitoliko famous for its Greek caviar
Tidal forces produce strong currents surging back and forth under the arches of the bridges.
The taverns of Aitoliko offer specialties such as smoked or salted avgotaraho — Greek caviar — which is famous around the world for its unique taste and quality.
Avgotaraho, the egg of the fish called kefalos (grey mullet) is considered to be of a superb specialty, some say even superior to caviar, which is the eggs of sturgeon. It is registered as having a Greek and European protected designation of origin (PDO) – one of only a small number of seafood products with a PDO in the EU – and is of significant commercial value to the local economy.
Other specialties include butterflied grilled petali, grilled or baked eel and shellfish, when in season.
During the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire, in the beginning of the 19th century, Aitoliko experienced three Turkish sieges before it became a part of Greece. There were 500 Greek defenders and 15,000 Turks in the first siege.
The second siege was repelled, but in the third siege, Aitoliko was re-taken by the Turks at the same time as Mesolonghi, on April 11, 1826.
Stoicism was one of ancient Greece’s philosophical movements founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early 3rd century BC. Credit: Public domain
Stoicism, was one of ancient Greece’s philosophical movements founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early 3rd century BC.
Stoicism is a philosophy of personal ethics informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world. For the Stoic, virtue alone is sufficient for human happiness.
For Stoics, emotions like fear, envy, passionate love were merely false judgements and the sage, a person who had attained moral and intellectual perfection, would not be touched by them.
It is a philosophy of life where the individual maximizes positive emotions, reduces negative emotions, and helps him or herself hone their virtues of character.
The name derives from the porch (stoa poikile) in the Agora at Athens decorated with mural paintings, where the members of the school congregated, and their lectures were held.
Birth of Stoicism, one of ancient Greece’s philosophical movements
The philosophy of Stoicism was originally known as “Zenonism” after the founder, Zeno of Citium.
Zeno ended up in Athens after his ship wrecked near the city. He was not a philosopher, but he turned his misfortune into an opportunity by studying all the philosophical resources available in the city.
He sat in on lectures from the other schools of philosophy (e.g., Cynicism, Epicureanism) and eventually started his own.
However, the Stoics did not believe that the founders were perfectly wise. In order to avoid their philosophy becoming a cult of personality, they chose to name it Stoicism after the place they were meeting, the stoa poikile of the Agora.
Zeno’s ideas developed from those of the Cynics, whose founding father, Antisthenes, had been a disciple of Socrates. Zeno’s most influential follower was Chrysippus, who was responsible for molding what is now called Stoicism.
Other prominent Stoics included Cleanthes of Assos, Panaetius of Rhodes, Aristo of Chios, Posidonius of Apameia, Diodotus, and others.
Later, Seneca, Epictetus, and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius ushered Stoicism to the Roman world. The philosophy flourished until the 3rd century AD.
A bust of ancient Greece’s philosopher Zeno of Citium, the creator of stoicism. Credit: Rama/Wikimedia Commons/ Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon
Stoic Philosophy
According to Stoicism, the path to eudaimonia (happiness) is embracing and accepting the moment as it presents itself by not allowing oneself to be controlled by the desire for pleasure or by the fear of pain.
The Stoic must use his or her mind to understand the world and to do one’s part in nature’s plan by working together and treating others fairly and justly.
The Stoics are especially known for the teaching “virtue is the only good” and that people must lead a virtuous life to be accomplished and complete human beings.
External things—such as health, wealth, and pleasure—are not good or bad in and of themselves but have value as “material for virtue to act upon.”
The Stoics also held that certain destructive emotions, such as fear or jealousy, resulted from errors of judgment, and they believed people should aim to maintain a prohairesis (will) that is “in accordance with nature.”
To live a good life, a person had to understand the rules of the natural order, Stoics believed, since everything was rooted in nature.
For many Stoics, virtue is sufficient for happiness. Thus, a sage would be emotionally resilient to misfortune and would therefore be considered truly free.
According to Stoics, people don’t truly have control over many things and situations in life. Therefore, they believe that worrying about things outside of their control is unproductive, or even irrational for a person who wants to attain tranquility and happiness.
Stoics differentiate between what is and what is not under human control and do not waste energy and thoughts over uncontrollable adverse events.
Where many people worry endlessly about things out of their control, the Stoics believe they should expend their energy in thinking of creative solutions to problems, rather than the issues themselves.
Stoicism is not about having a set of beliefs or ethical claims. It is not a school of philosophy that is separate from everyday life.
The stoic must continuously practice and train (“askesis”). Stoic philosophical and spiritual practices include logic, Socratic dialogue and self-dialogue.
Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Credit: Eric Gaba/Wikipedia
The Greek term for word is logos. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus used logos (the word) to explain what he saw as the universal force of reason that governed everything.
In the 5th century BC, Heraclitus said that all things happen according to the Logos. The Stoics also believed in the Logos, along with the notions of conscience and virtue.
A few centuries later, Greek-speaking Jews came to view the Logos as a force sent by God. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is referred to as the Word — “and the Word of God was made flesh and dwelt among men.”
The apostle Paul is known to have met with Stoics during his stay in Athens. In his letters, Paul reflected on his knowledge of Stoic philosophy, using Stoic terms and metaphors to assist new converts in their understanding of Christianity.
Both Stoicism and Christianity teach a person the importance of training their mind and body to be disciplined.
Both encourage the elimination of passions and inferior emotions, such as lust and envy, from one’s life, so that the higher possibilities of one’s humanity can be awakened and developed.
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven,” Jesus preached.
Similarly, as Seneca wrote, “We must give up many things to which we are addicted, considering them to be good.”
The Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox Church accept the Stoic ideal of dispassion to this day, as do ascetics all over the world.
Stoicism today
Daily Stoic, How to be a Stoic, The Modern Times Stoic, Modern Stoicism, Traditional Stoicism: these are only a handful of the websites that hail the importance of—even the need for—Stoicism in the 21st century.
Is it possible, though, for today’s man to embrace a philosophy that teaches indifference to material things and possessions in a ruthlessly material world?
An intellectual and popular movement called Modern Stoicism began at the end of the 20th century which is aimed at reviving the practice of Stoicism.
However, before that, Stoic philosophy served as the original philosophical inspiration for modern cognitive psychotherapy, particularly as mediated by Dr. Albert Ellis’ Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), the major precursor of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
In the original cognitive therapy treatment manual for depression by Aaron T. Beck et al., it is stated, “The philosophical origins of cognitive therapy can be traced back to the Stoic philosophers.”
A well-known quotation from the “Enchiridion” of Epictetus was taught to most clients during the initial session by Ellis and his followers: “It’s not the events that upset us, but our judgments about the events.”
This subsequently became a common element in the socialization phase of many other approaches to CBT.
Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle is the Way; Stoicism—A Stoic Approach to Modern Life, by Tom Miles; Modern Stoicism, by Steve Brooks; and Modern Stoicism—How to Be a Stoic in the 21st Century, by Stephen Ryan are some of the books on Stoicism that have been published recently.
Famous Stoic quotes
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”
“Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what’s left and live it properly.”
“To live a good life; we all have the potential for it, if we learn to be indifferent to what makes no difference.”
“Death smiles at us all, but all a man can do is smile back.”
“Accept whatever comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny, for what could more aptly fit your needs?”
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”
“The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.”
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”
“Loss is nothing else but change, and change is nature’s delight.”
“It is not because things are difficult that we don’t dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.”
“A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.”
“The bravest sight in the world is to see a man struggling against adversity.”
“Throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack.”
“Life is never incomplete if it is an honorable one. At whatever point you leave life, if you leave it in the right way, it is whole.”
“Man is affected not by events, but by the view he takes of them.”
“Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.”
“If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you’re needing is not to be in a different place but to be a different person.”
“He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.”
“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”
“If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favorable.”
“If you want to improve, be content to be foolish and stupid.”
“The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going.”
“Seek not the good in eternal things, seek it in yourselves.”
“It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them.”
“No man is free who is not a master of himself.”
“It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows.”
“Never depend on the admiration of others. There is no strength in it. Personal merit cannot be derived from an external source.”
“Our seas are not for sale,” reads the slogan projected on the Parthenon. Credit: Greenpeace
Representatives from at least 100 countries have gathered in Athens this week for the “Our Ocean Conference,” uniting in a concerted effort to address the formidable challenges confronting the world’s oceans.
Greenpeace’s call for enhanced ocean protection sets the stage for a pivotal conference in Athens, Greece, drawing attention to pressing issues such as corporate exploitation, deep sea mining, and the imperative for equitable treatment of coastal communities.
Projected messages like “Our Ocean is Not for Sale,” “Ratify the Global Ocean Treaty,” and “Stop Deep Sea Mining” illuminated iconic landmarks across the city, including Acropolis Hill and the Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounio.
These projections converge on the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, the epicenter of discussions.
Greece’s agenda at the “Our Oceans Conference”
At the core of the “Our Ocean Conference” agenda lies discourse on sustainable tourism along coastal regions, combatting marine plastic pollution, and navigating the green transition in the Mediterranean.
Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis told reporters that Greece will be placing particular emphasis this year on sustainable tourism, microplastics, eco-friendly shipping, and the Mediterranean environment.
“Our Ocean” is the only conference to address all ocean-related issues under one roof. At the previous summit in Panama in March 2023, participants pledged $19 billion in initiatives to protect oceans.
These included projects involving sustainable fishing, the fight against pollution, maritime security, and protected areas.
The plan for a marine park in the Aegean Sea has irritated neighboring Turkey, which said last week it was not willing to accept a possible “fait accompli on geographical features whose status is disputed.” In response, Greece accused Turkey of “politicizing a purely environmental issue.”
The first “Our Ocean Conference” was launched by then-US Secretary of State John Kerry in 2014 and has since been hosted in all parts of the world with the participation of governments, non-governmental organizations, civil society and those with a heightened environmental awareness. The aim was to generate tangible results and actions that would improve the level of environmental protection.
The “Our Ocean Conferences” have extracted 2,161 specific commitments from states and international organizations. These have pledged both funding and regulatory action.
Greece is pushing ahead with 21 initiatives worth 780 million euros ($830.9 million) to protect the seas and tackle coastal pollution, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday.
Mitsotakis said other initiatives underway include campaigns to curb plastic pollution, setting up a monitoring system for protected marine areas because fishing practices that damage the seabed will be prohibited, and constructing charging stations at 12 ports for electric vessels.
The Olympic Flame, the symbol of the Olympic Games, is being lit on Tuesday in Ancient Olympia and begins its long journey to Paris for the Summer Olympics.
Some 600 dignitaries attend the ceremony, headed by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.
The ritual includes actresses in the role of ancient priestesses coaxing the Olympic flame into life with the help of a parabolic polished mirror in Olympia, where the Games first took place in 776 BC.
The Olympic flame is carried by Mary Mina, the priestess, in a choreography inspired and directed by the choreographer Artemis Ignatiou to music composed by Dimitris Papadimitriou and performed by 35 priestesses and 15 kouroi. The costumes for the performers were created by the internationally renowned designer Mary Katrantzou.
Credit: AMNA
The Olympic anthem was sung by the successful mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, and the master of ceremonies was the renowned journalist Nikos Aliagas.
The Olympic flame will be handed over to gold medalist Stefanos Douskos by Priestess Mary Mina to begin the torch relay on Greek soil, which will last for eleven days until April 26th.
The lighting of the Olympic Flame at Ancient Olympia
The Lighting of the Olympic flame traditionally takes place in Ancient Olympia and is carried out by the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
Its history begins in 1936 on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Berlin. With the help of a concave mirror and according to rituals, the lighting is performed by the High Priestess in the Temple of Hera (Heraion) in the archaeological site of Olympia.
There, the priestess requests that the sun god Apollo assist her in lighting the torch as she makes the invocation.
The first Lighting of the Olympic Flame in Ancient Olympia took place on July 20, 1936 for the Berlin Olympic Games with the then High Priestess Koula Pratsika, who is considered a pioneer of classical dance in Greece and was the first choreographer of the lighting ceremony.
After two editions of the Olympic Games that have lost their great ‘glow’ due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021 and the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, the traditional ceremony at the cradle of the Olympism regained all its colors with a live audience.
On the first day, Tuesday, April 16th the torch relay will start at ancient Olympia and will continue to the towns of Amaliada, Ilida, Andravida, Gastouni, Pyrgos, Zaharo, Filiatra, and Pylos.
Starting from Pylos on the second day, Wednesday, April 17th, the relay will make its way to Methoni, Sparta, Tegea, Tripoli, Mycenae, Nafplion, Nemea, and Piraeus.
From the port of Piraeus on Thursday, April 18th, the flame will be transported by ferry to Crete and then by air to the island of Kastellorizo. It will return to Crete on the same day to continue the relay to the towns of Agios Nikolaos, Knossos, Heraklion, Rethymno, and Chania.
The Olympic flame will return overnight to Piraeus.
On the fourth day, Friday, April 19th, the flame will be flown to the islands of Santorini, Naxos, and Paros before returning to Athens.
On Saturday, April 20th, the relay will start from the Acropolis and continue to Delphi, Lamia, and Volos.
On the sixth day, Sunday, April 21st, the Olympic relay will leave Volos for Thessaloniki, passing through the towns of Larissa, Trikala, Kalambaka, and Meteora.
From Thessaloniki on the seventh day, the relay will take the Olympic Flame to ancient Phillipi, Kavala, Xanthi, Komotini, and Alexandroupoli.
On the eighth day, Tuesday, April 23rd, the flame will be taken to the towns of Eleftheroupolis, Veria, Vergina, Aegai and Ioannina.
From Ionanina, on its ninth day, the relay will continue to the port of Igoumenitsa and on to the island of Corfu.
On Thursday, April 25th, it will start in Corfu and move on to Messolongi, Patra, and Corinth.
Finally on the eleventh day, Friday, April 26th, the Olympic flame will be handed over to Paris 2024 organizers in a ceremony at the all-marble Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, site of the first modern Olympic Games of 1896.
Nana Mouskouri, the 89-year-old Greek singer with a worldwide following, has been invited to perform at the ceremony.
On April 27th, the flame will begin its journey to France on board the 19th-century three-masted barque Belem, which was launched just weeks after the Athens 1896 Games.
Fredi Beleri, the mayor-elect of the town of Himara, was convicted of vote-buying and sentenced to two years in prison. The jailed politician of Greek heritage in Albania is a candidate of Greece for the EU Parliament. Credit: Facebook/Fredi Beleri
Relations between Greece and Albania could deteriorate further after the ruling conservative party in Greece announced on Monday that Fredi Beleri, the jailed ethnic Greek politician, will be one of its candidates for the European Parliament elections in June.
Last month, an Albanian court convicted Fredi Beleri, the mayor-elect of the town of Himara, of vote-buying and sentenced him to two years in prison.
The trial has angered Greece, which has threatened to block Albania’s EU accession talks if it does not respect Beleri’s rights.
Beleri case exacerbates Greece-Albania tensions
Beleri was arrested two days before local elections in May 2023 on charges of attempting to buy four votes in exchange for cash.
However, in his final declaration to the court, Beleri insisted that “the prosecution’s conclusions are lies and political.” He added that “all the prosecution’s allegations were disputed by my lawyers in detail.”
The defense insisted during closing arguments in the trial on February 28th that the procedures used during the investigation of the case were illegal and so the evidence was invalid.
Beleri’s defense also claimed the police framed him using an undercover agent to entrap him, a method they have not used in any other case of alleged vote-buying. It is a phenomenon that is perceived as widespread in Albania.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens reacted to Beleri’s sentence, saying that it “heightens concerns regarding the impartiality of the legal proceedings [in Albania].”
According to the ministry, “This is due to the fact that the presumption of innocence was undermined by external statements and actions attesting in favor of the conviction and given that the final sentence is obviously disproportionate to the extent of the alleged offense.”
“Furthermore, the sentencing by virtue of which he will not be released,” asserted the ministry, “prevents the elected mayor from assuming his duties, even today, and keeps the defeated candidate in office, despite a clear judicial ruling months ago ordering his immediate removal.”
“The selective enforcement of judicial decisions and the prejudgment of judicial rulings are inconsistent with the principles of the rule of law. The Greek government will closely monitor the case and anticipates a fair and impartial judgment at the appellate level,” the statement from Athens read.
At the Berlin Process Summit that took place in Tirana in October last year, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis was unequivocal:
“I want to emphasize my respect for the independence of the Albanian Judiciary and I have no desire to interfere in the way it operates. However, I want to stress that Fredi Beleri has the right to be sworn in as Mayor of Himara even if he is in custody,” Mitsotakis said.
Beleri won the mayoral election in Himara in 2023
Greece has already submitted a written statement that accompanied the European Council’s letter on the opening of negotiations with Albania, setting three basic conditions for promoting Tirana’s accession. These are the swearing-in of Beleri, his fair trial, and respect for the presumption of innocence.
Beleri became the mayor-elect of the town of Himara after winning the local polls in May 2023. But since his arrest, he has been held in custody and has been prevented from assuming his mayoral duties.
As a result, the candidate he defeated, from Prime Minister Edi Rama’s ruling Socialist Party, has been doing the job instead.
The statue was discovered by a team of French archeologists, who in 1891 were granted permission by the Greek government to excavate at Delphi.
Most of the workers were locals from the village of Kastri, which, prior to its relocation, was practically built atop of the ancient religious site.
Rare photo of the excavations at Delphi. Public Domain
In the summer of 1894, the team unearthed the exquisite statue of Antinous, which had been commissioned by the emperor Hadrian in 130 AD.
Antinous was a young Greek of extraordinary beauty from Bithynia, who became the beloved companion or lover of the Roman emperor Hadrian, but who later died under mysterious circumstances along the Nile.
Greatly dismayed by the death of Antinous, Hadrian, who was an admirer and a passionate supporter of classical Greek antiquity as well as a benefactor of the Oracle of Delphi, ordered that statues of the handsome young man whom he had loved so passionately, be erected in all sanctuaries and cities of his vast empire.
He additionally ordered the institution and establishment of athletic games in honor of Antinous, who was then honored and worshiped as a god.
Antinous statue erected at Delphi after his death
A statue of Antinous was accordingly erected within the sanctuary of Delphi after his death in 130 A.D. It is universally recognized as one of the most beautiful and impressive cult statues of all time.
The statue is now at Delphi’s Archaeological Museum
During the excavations, the statue was discovered upright on its pedestal next to the wall of a brick chamber alongside the holy Temple.
From the Roman coins minted to honor Αntinous, we are informed that the representation of the statue was accompanied by the epithet “Propylaeus.”
Hence, it is legitimate to assume that it was originally placed at the entrance of the sanctuary.
Later on, it suffered damages and broke at the height of the knee, so it had to be transferred closer to the temple of Apollo in a sort of chapel where it was found during excavations in relatively good condition
Archeologists say that Antinous’ long hair was once crowned by a wreath since there are indications of a band with leaves composed of a different material.
The statue of Antinous exemplifies the evolution of ancient sculpture.
Its melancholy beauty, the graceful angle of the head, and the high polish of the marble surface embody the spirit of the Roman Imperial Age, when there was a tendency to revive ancient Greek ideals.
Elpida Vasiliadis and her popular souvlaki in Astoria. Credit: The Souvlaki Lady/Instagram
Elpida Vasiliadis, known as “The Souvlaki Lady,” has operated her food truck, practically a landmark, in Astoria for decades.
Speaking to Greek Reporter recently, she stated that, although New York summers are brutally hot and winters unbearably cold, the relationship she has established with the community makes the job worthwhile.
“We work in a neighborhood where we know each other,” she said. “It is nice to work with people you know.”
The recipes for the Greek dishes are from a restaurant her parents owned in Thessaloniki, Greece. She serves other dishes as well, including burgers, hot dogs, and salads. “It runs in the family,” she says.
Vasiliadis has operated a small food trailer on Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria for 32 years. When she took over the food cart from a previous vendor, there were no others in the neighborhood. She lived down the block, which made it convenient for checking in on her two children.
“I never named my business,” she said. “Everybody has always called me the Souvlaki Lady, and it stuck.”
Elpida and her daughter, who also works at the trailer, are one of many Greek families that live in Astoria, which has served as the hub of Greek-centric life in New York for decades.
Greeks emigrated in large waves during the 20th century, and Astoria, in particular, is known for having deep roots in its Greek population.
Souvlaki Lady is among many food trucks operated by Greeks
Any visitor to New York City has probably noticed the many food trucks offering inexpensive, tasty fare to New Yorkers looking for a quick bite on their lunch breaks or while exploring the city.
While these food trucks offer tasty cuisine from all over the world, Greeks have been dominating the field with their delicious, authentic plates for years.
New York’s rich immigrant history, from the millions who entered the country through Ellis Island in the nineteenth century to the more recent waves of arrivals from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, has contributed to a vibrant food culture in the city.
New York City’s culinary diversity reflects its own international population, which represents nearly every country in the world.
Visitors to the city, an international culinary capital, can easily find traditional dishes from around the world on every corner, either at high-end restaurants, diners, or even food trucks.
Serving up classic Greek dishes ranging from gyros to authentic pitas, Greek food trucks have long been a staple at the corners of the busiest streets in the city.
Residents of New York City, known for their discerning palates, understandably love Greek food trucks. They gush over the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and the delicious, reasonably priced food served at the trucks, seemingly dotted along every major street in the city.
That’s why they are so successful in a city where it is notoriously difficult to “make it.” They serve some of the best food in New York at a price that is hard to beat in one of the world’s most expensive cities.
Stavros Niarchos, the great Greek benefactor and tycoon, passed away on this day in 1996, leaving behind a foundation that continues his philanthropic work.
Born on July 3, 1909 in Athens, Stavros Niarchos was a self-made businessman and shipping tycoon of immense wealth who possessed an exceptional ability to make money.
Aristotle Onassis and Niarchos were the founders of the entire post-war Greek shipping industry that has put Greece into its prominent position on the world map of the industry.
Niarchos was also known for his adventurous love life, as he married five times, with two sisters being among his five brides.
After his death, his legacy continued with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation that has become a leader in philanthropic donations in the areas of arts and culture, education, health and medicine, and social welfare.
Early life
Niarchos was born in Laconia, Greece three months after his parents, naturalized U.S. citizens Spyros Niarchos and Eugenie Koumantaros, had returned to their native country after making their fortune with a department store in Buffalo, New York.
Niarchos studied Law at the University of Athens. After graduating, he entered the business world through a chain of flour mills owned by his mother’s family.
In 1930, Niarchos married Helen Sporides, a daughter of Admiral Constantine Sporides. Yet, the marriage only lasted one year.
It was during his time working in the mills that he convinced his uncles that the grain business they owned would flourish if the company owned its own ships.
By the time he was 30, Niarchos had built up the shipping side of the business, chartering vessels to carry wheat from Argentina among other places.
In 1939, he married Melpomene Capparis, a widow of a Greek diplomat, whom he divorced in 1947.
The war and the building up of Niarchos’ fleet
When Greece entered the war, Niarchos joined the Royal Hellenic Navy, serving on North Atlantic convoys with the rank of lieutenant commander; he later served as Honorary Naval Attache to the Greek Embassy in Washington from 1944 to 1948.
In 1947, he married Eugenia Livanos, daughter of another Greek shipping magnate, Stavros G. Livanos, thus planting his foot firmly in the shipping business.
As a diplomat in Washington, Niarchos was instrumental in securing the favorable sale of a hundred Liberty Ships from the U.S. government to Greek shipowners in compensation for damage suffered in the Allied war effort.
Niarchos’ rival Aristotle Onassis had said about him: “No one has been so smart or so lucky to make the right moves at the right time as Stavros Niarchos.”
The sale revived the fortunes of Greece’s depleted merchant marine and made possible its great post-war renaissance.
Shipping tycoon
By 1952, Stavros Niarchos had the world’s largest supertankers built for his fleet. Propelled by both the Suez Crisis and an increasing demand for oil, he and rival Aristotle Onassis became giants in the world of global petroleum shipping.
Niarchos Ltd. was an international shipping company that, at one time, operated more than eighty tankers worldwide, including substantial modern and super tonnage. His investments had also diversified into stocks and real estate.
Niarchos’ and Onassis’ phenomenal success was primarily due to the early realization— others would call it vision—that oil would replace coal as the primary fuel of the world economy.
In 1956, Niarchos agreed to build and operate the Hellenic Shipyards, the first such private investment in Greece, which rapidly became the largest shipyard in the Mediterranean.
The Stavros Niarchos – Aristotle Onassis rivalry
The two shipping magnates had stood as rivals to each other since the late 1940s. This was heightened in 1947. While in the process of obtaining his second divorce, Niarchos wanted to marry Tina Livanos, who was only fourteen at the time. She was the daughter of the other major shipping rival at the time, Stavros Livanos.
Niarchos asked her father for his permission, but Livanos refused to allow his daughter to marry Niarchos, saying she was too young and that her groom-to-be had not finalized his divorce procedures yet.
Two years later, Niarchos expressed his wish to marry Tina Livanos again. This time, her father offered Niarchos his older daughter Evgenia. Niarchos agreed and married her. The couple had four children together.
Alas, three years later, Niarchos’ rival Onassis married Tina Livanos. That move naturally enraged Niarchos, who believed that his rival had stolen Tina from him just to spite him.
From then on, it seems that both men tried to outdo each other in every way—in business, lifestyles, and romantic conquests. Their stories featured both in the business section of newspapers and in the tabloids.
Both men were among the first to buy a private island in Greece: Onassis bought Skorpios while Stavros Niarchos bought Spetsopoula.
Onassis dated soprano Maria Callas and married the widow of John F. Kennedy, while Niarchos married the daughter of tycoon automaker Henry Ford II, Charlotte Ford, in Mexico in 1965 (his fourth marriage).
That marriage lasted only a year, but the couple had a child together, Elena. They actually spent a lot of time together and with their children on Spetsopoula.
The Greek tycoon was unfortunately not divorced from Eugenia Livanos at the time, however, and in 1970, Eugenia died of an alleged barbiturates overdose on the island, with the coroner refusing to sign the cause of death.
In 1971, one could say that Niarchos took his final revenge on his rival by marrying Tina Livanos, who had recently been divorced from Onassis and had taken the name and title from her second marriage, Athina Spencer-Churchill, the Marchioness of Blandford.
Three years later, Tina died under circumstances that, again, were mysterious. Initially, it was thought that she, like her sister, had taken a drug overdose although it later transpired that the cause of death was edema of the lung.
Bon viveur and benefactor
Niarchos’ yacht was the largest private schooner on the open seas while his Mystere aircraft established Niarchos as one of the first true members of the jet set.
On his yacht, old royalty and aristocracy cruised the seas together while, at the same time, Niarchos always maintained close ties with Greece and, in addition to operating most of his fleet under the Greek flag, invested heavily in the country’s industrial base.
Niarchos’ taste in women continued to be eclectic from the late 1970s and onward as he reportedly had affairs with Princess Firyal of Jordan and Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy.
Alongside his huge fleet, Niarchos developed an impressive modern art portfolio, and was also a thoroughbred horse breeder.
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation
In 1996, the great Greek man’s legacy was honored by the establishment of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, an international philanthropic organization.
Since 1996, SNF has committed grants totaling more than $1.57 billion, through more than 2,800 grants to nonprofit organizations in 111 nations around the world.
The project includes the construction and complete outfitting of new facilities for the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera, as well as the creation of the 170,000-square-meter (1,829,864.7 square foot)) Stavros Niarchos Park.
The SNFCC serves as a lasting reminder of the almost unimaginable power and influence that the shipping tycoon represented during his lifetime.
