Earlier this week Canada’s head coach Stephen Hart, named his 18-man squad to play Greece in an international friendly match. The game will take place in Larissa, Greece on Feb. 9th according to CanadaSoccer.com. Included are many of Canada’s best players based in Europe, such as PSV Eindhoven midfielder Atiba Hutchinson and Hertha BSC striker Rob Friend.
The squad features one new call-up, goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who plays for Serbian side FK Rad. Also waiting to make their national team debuts are FC Timisoara midfielder Tosaint Ricketts and Burnley F.C. defender David Edgar.
The squad mostly features internation players, with only three players in the original squad based in North America. This includes Toronto FC’s Dwayne De Rosario, Real Salt Lake’s Will Johnson and D.C. United’s Dejan Jakovic. Toronto FC defender Adrian Cann was added to the squad after the German-based Kevin McKenna pulled out due to injury.
One notable absence from the Canada squad is Blackburn Rovers starlet David Hoilett, who is also eligible to play for Jamaica and has yet to decide on his international future, citing his desire to focus on his club career.
The match will take place at the A.E.L FC Arena in the northern Greek city of Larissa and kicks off at 10:oo a.m. ET.
Canada to Play Greece in Friendly Football Match February 9th
Fire Breaks Out at Mount Athos Monastery
A fire broke out at 15:30 on Saturday in the Monastery of Agios Panteleimonas, also known as the ‘Russian Monastery’. The fire occurred in the semi-autonomous monastic community on the Mount Athos peninsula. Authorities said that neither human lives nor the monastery church were at risk.
According to information given to the ANA-MPA by the Mount Athos fire brigade, the fire began in the wing containing the monks’ cells. There are currently six fire engines and twelve firemen fighting the blaze.
Culture Minister Promises Help to Theatre Targeted by Football Fanatics
Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos on Saturday promised to pick up the tab for damages inflicted on Friday night to the Karolos Koun Art Theatre. It became the hapless target of an unprecedented attack by football hooligans on the first night of a playtitled “Travelling with PAOK, Stories of Larissis Station”.
The reference to a northern Greek football team in the play’s title was enough to attract the attention of some 25 rival team supporters, who descended on unwitting theatre goers in Athens’ Plaka district. They were armed with iron bars and petrol bombs and shouted Olympiakos football chants.
The culprits, who arrived some 40 minutes before the play was due to begin, broke into the theatre and set fire to the stage and props. One by-stander was robbed possibly, according to police, because he was a PAOK supporter. Police were called in but arrived too late to stop the damage or even catch those responsible.
In a call to the theatre director early on Saturday, Geroulanos promised that the Culture Ministry will cover the cost of all damages to the theatre. They stressed there was no room for violence in culture. He also promised to come and see the play as soon as he returns from a trip to Israel.
“The theatre is not a football stadium,” he underlined and promised that the state will make every effort to isolate incidents of violence of this kind.
(source: ana-mpa)
Greek Poet Iakovos Kambanelis Passes at 89-Years-Old
Greek poet, playwright, lyricist, and novelist Iakovos Kambanelis died on Saturday morning at the age of 89. Born on December 2nd, 1922 on the island of Naxos, Kambanelis was one of the most popular Greek artists. Among his most popular theatrical plays was “Choros Pano sta Stachya”, “A Large Circus”, and “Neighborhoood of Angels”. He also wrote several scenarios on cinematographic films including: “Stella”, directed by Kakogiannis and “O Drakos” (The Dragon), directed by Koundouros.
Olympic Air Partners with Aviareps in Two Additional Markets
Aviareps has been chosen by the Greek airline Olympic Air to become its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Italy and the United Sates. This is part of the airline’s strategic plan to enhance its global presence. With an immediate effect, AVIAREPS is responsible for all future sales, marketing and ticketing activities on behalf of Olympic Air. Last year, AVIAREPS signed a GSA-contract with Olympic Air for ten other territories. With the two new appointments, the multinational aviation and tourism management company is responsible for the local representation on behalf of the airline for a total of twelve markets in Europe, Asia and North America.
Olympic Air’s network is efficiently designed to ensure passengers seamless connections by linking domestic destinations to corresponding international flights. Furthermore, as part of its sustained efforts to offer its travelers enhanced and smooth access to a series of worldwide destinations, Olympic Air has established code share agreements with renowned airliner partners. Passengers of the United States easily enter the Greek network of Olympic Air by using flights of the national code-share partner Delta Airlines for flights to/from New York and Atlanta and further key U.S. destinations. These include Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix, Tampa, Orlando, Denver, San Juan, New Orleans and Charlotte.
Olympic Air currently operates approximately 150 flights per day within a network of 42 destinations (11 international and 31 domestic). Its main operation base is at Athens International Airport and its secondary hubs are in Thessaloniki and Rhodes. Additionally, Olympic Air operates international services to London (United Kingdom), Paris (France), Brussels (Belgium), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Vienna (Austria), Bucharest (Romania), Sofia (Bulgaria), Larnaca (Cyprus), Tirana (Albania), Istanbul (Turkey) and Cairo (Egypt).
Olympic Air boasts one of the youngest fleets in Europe, with an overall environmentally friendly and modern fleet consisting of 29 aircrafts. On international and main domestic routes, Olympic Air operates 14 Airbuses with two-class configuration. Short distance services and selected international routes are served with ten Bombardier Dash 8-Q400. These all-economy airplanes rank among the most eco-friendly prop airliners in the market. Five further Bombardiers complete the dynamic fleet.
Olympic Air (OA) is a new airline. It is registered in Greece and born from the acquisition of the formerly state-owned flag carrier of Greece, Olympic Airlines, by the Marfin Investment Group in April 2009. Olympic Air launched scheduled operations on the 29th of September 2009, carrying over the historic name and logo of ‘Olympic Airlines’ embodying a dynamic and modern approach to the company’s management and operation.
Unique Folk Museum Offers Rare Artifacts & Traditional Cafe, Trikala
A unique folk museum where visitors can view rare artifacts from the Greek Revolution of 1821 and other important periods of Greek history while sipping their coffee, is operating in the Raxas municipality in the Trikala prefecture.
The museum is in actuality, a traditional cafe. It is where a trove of rare rifles used by the Greeks in the 1821 War of Independence against the Ottoman rule, photographic material and other artifacts from different periods in history are displayed.
The creator of this innovative exhibition is Nikos Verentziotis who remembers having a big interest in such memorabilia from a very young age. His interest, combined with a love for folk art, prompted him to become a collector or rare artifacts, most of which are related to the 1821 Revolution.
Verentziotis told ANA-MPA that: “The youth must know and learn about our local tradition, the Hellenic civilization and the struggles of the Greeks for liberty and independence”.
The cafe is divided into two sections. One section displays rare costumes, while the second section hosts a folk museum. In both sections, visitors may enjoy a tour of history while sipping their coffee or drink, munching on snacks, and even watching a match with their favorite team on television.
Verentziotis is avidly continuing adding objects to his collection. His dream is that a proper museum will be built in his village that will house his collection amongst others.
(source: ana-mpa)
Greek-Canadian Nikki Ponte Eliminated from X-factor
Greek viewers of the X-Factor live show decided on Friday evening that Greek-Canadian Nikki Ponte will not be in the final of the Greek X Factor. Nikki, who is highly tipped as the hot favorite for the Greek national final lost tonight. Alexandros and Charis will proceed to the final.
However, Nikki will not leave Greece soon as she has been given a very important opportunity. Five more acts will compete in the 2011 Eurovision national final of Greece on February 28th with a pop dance act.
All Saints Greek Orthodox Grammar School Develops New $7.3 Million Dollar Building
“Stomen Kalos” (Let us Stand Well) is the motto of the All Saints Greek Orthodox Grammar School, or simply (ASG). It is an independent, Greek Orthodox Christian, co-educational day school. It was founded in Belmore, New South Wales, Australia, by the Greek community in 1990. All Saints has a non-selective enrollment policy. It currently caters to approximately 660 students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12. All Saints Grammar maintains a Greek Orthodox Christian ethos. The school accepts students from other cultural/ethnic or religious backgrounds, and does not exclusively enroll only Greek Orthodox children which is a common misconception.
Sydney-based architectural firm Candalepas Associates undertook the construction of All Saints Grammar. Candalepas Associates coordinated with the local Greek Orthodox community to plan and develop a new $7.3 million dollar building as an engaging, energetic area to best educate its students. The team began by choosing particular materials and methods of construction to achieve a specific sense of robustness, moderated by chromatic warmth and a poetic playfulness that would fit in perfectly with an educational institution, utilizing many different energy efficient materials. These little loving touches blend with more noticeable ones to create a school unique in style and structure.
In 2009 All Saints Primary School won the top Sulman Award for Public Architecture.
Greek Ambassador to the U.S. Kaskarelis Honored in NYC
The Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Order of the Dignitaries of the Apostle Andrew will honor Greece’s ambassador to the United States, Vassilis Kaskarelis.
Ambassador Kaskarelis will be honored for his valuable contribution to Greece, expatriates, Orthodoxy and the just causes of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The event along with a dinner, will be taking place on February 17th at a hotel in Manhattan.
Greece Promoted at 17th International Mediterranean Tourism Market, Israel
Greek vacation destinations will be promoted at the 17th International Mediterranean Tourism Market (IMTM) in Tel Aviv, Israel next week. Greece will have a strong presence and its own pavilion at the Market.
The tourism trade fair will take place between February 8th-9th. It is expected to offer Greece a great opportunity regarding the promotion of its tourism sector to Israelis.
Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA) officials have also hinted at the possibility of larger tourism arrivals in the country due to the current turmoil in North Africa.
Tourist arrivals from Israel posted an impressive 200% increase in 2010, corresponding to 250,000 tourism arrivals in Greece.
(source: ana-mpa)