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Greek Language

A «taste of Greece» at Adelphi University N.Y.

Source: ANA – MPA, Thessaloniki, 03.05.2011
The contribution of ancient Greek medicine, the importance of Greek language and harmonious coexistence with nature was highlighted through an event organized for the second consecutive year by the Greek Society of Adelphi University, entitled “A taste of Greece”. The event was coordinated by the Professors and Advisors of the Greek Student Association, Gioula Serpanos and Nancy Biska.
The proceeds from the event will be allocated to the Hellenic – American Foundation “Plant Your Roots in Greece” for the creation of a 4.000 tree grove in Delphi, named after the American University.
“We strengthen and take care of our Greek and American roots”, stated the President of the Association, Aristides Kourkoumelis in his greeting address. Expressing the pride of Greek Diaspora students on our Cultural Heritage, that they are studying and promoting to the multicultural American community he emphasized that; “The American press may publish negative articles on the Greek economy, but all of us will leave this event with our head held high and proud of what we culturally represent”.

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Laurels for our Hellenists!

La Gazeta, Volume 6, Issue 1, page 3, Adelphi University GAZETTE-ADELPHI UNIVERSITY
Professor Biska, our professor of Greek, reports that the Hellenic Society won the “Educational Event of the Year” award for their event “A Taste of Greece” at Adelphi’s Brown & Gold banquet! “At this event,” she notes, “students presented videos and photographs from Greece, showing Greece’s contribution to the western civilization and the importance of restoring Greek values in our daily lives.
The walls of the hall were decorated with posters, while images from Greece were being projected, using material which was provided by the head of the GNTO (Greek National Tourism Organization) in the US, Mr. Chrysanthos Petsilas.
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A Taste of Greece at Adelphi University

SAE 30.04.2010
The Greek Society of Adelphi University offered a taste of Greece to American students and professors at the University Centre of the institution in Garden city, last Tuesday.
In a hall full of students and parents, the members of the Greek Society presented videos and photographs from Greece, showing Greece’s contribution to the western civilization and the importance of restoring Greek values in our daily lives. Students Katerina Spanopoulou (President), Vicky Karatzias (Vice President), Katerina Pougiouklides (Secretary), Harry Zikos (Treasurer), Aris Kourkoumelis, Melina Giakoumis and Panayotis Lafatzis (newly elected President), presented topics on Greek mythology, philosophy, archaeology, culture and language, concluding with a brief reference to the Greek diet.
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Diversity of Hellenism Celebrated at the First Greek Honor Society Installation

Greek News, JUNE 8TH, 2009
New York.- “Welcome to the First Induction Ceremony of the Modern Greek Honor Society under the auspices of the Pan Arcadian Federation of America. This is a historic evening marking the establishment of the first Modern Greek Language Society in American Universities at St. Johnʼs University,” said Anthony Tymvios. Over one hundred persons attended the event held at room 277 A&B in Bent Hall on May 5th evening. The moderators were Veronica Georgiades, George Damalas, Bridget Barry, Anthony Tymvios and Dennis Moshopoulos.
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The relevance of Classic thought in the 21st century

Remarks by Ambassador of Greece, Alexandros Mallias at At “The Dynamics of The Hellenic Language” event, Capitol Washington, D.C., Friday, June 5th, 2008
Lack of symmetry, harmony and geometry in the 21st century world.
Ancient Greeks recognized that man is part of a greater whole, and it is obvious today that the safety of the world rests upon the realization that our fates are intertwined and interwoven; we are all part of a greater whole, which needs balance and equilibrium. This balance requires the blend of harmony, symmetry, geometry and a sense of measure (metron), qualities that the ancient Greeks understood better than anyone.
These qualities are explicit and mirrored in classical Greek sculpture. Ancient Greek statues and temples are all on a human scale, something which shows a profound understanding of man’s proportionate relationship to nature and the cosmos. You only have look to the Parthenon, a structure which embodies these characteristics, regrettably disrupted by the fact that the Parthenon marbles are in the British Museum.
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Scholarship and Spanakopita

Source: United Federation of Teachers – UFT
There’s Greek dancing, Greek food, Greek myths and, most important, Greek Independence — when the country won its freedom from Turkish rule on March 25, 1829. At a precelebration on March 16 at the union’s Manhattan headquarters, the UFT Hellenic American Educators Association hosted an evening of scholarship and spanakopita.
After welcoming remarks by Deme Savoplis, association president, broadcast journalist Nancy Biska gave the keynote speech. Following, Loakim Barbalios from the Macedonia Association discussed his research on how American textbooks approach Greek issues. After a lively question-andanswer session, the group kicked back for an evening of great Greek food and traditional dance performed by the Greek American Folklore Society.

Educators honor Greek Independence

Greek News, MARCH 19TH, 2007
New York.- Journalist extraordinaire, Nancy Biska delivered a powerful speech at the Hellenic American Educators Association of the United Federation of Teachers annual Hellenic Heritage Event, on March 15th, at their Manhattan headquarters. The colorful evening provided a celebratory prelude to Greek Independence Day, commemorated world-wide, on March 25th.

Ms. Biskaʼs presentation was preceded by the opening remarks of the Hellenic American Educators Association President, Ms. Demi Savopolis, who warmly greeted those in attendance. Among the notables present was Mrs. Stella Kokkolis, who is the President of the Federation of Greek-American Educators; also the esteemed Board of Director for the Federation of Greek-American Educators, Ms. Adriana Filiotis. “The lecture by Nancy Biska was not only very informative but also very documentary and scientific” said Mrs. Kokolis. “Bravo to H.A.E.A. for the entire program. Our Federation is very pleased to see celebrations that try to perpetuate the Hellenic language and our heritage. We wish to our colleagues health and success in their endeavors”.
A delicious buffet of traditional Greek cuisine was provided, for all to enjoy. The Greek-American Folklore Society danced spiritedly to the soulful Greek music.
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Dr. Gaetano Cipolla Lecture at PanMacedonian Studies Center

Greek News, March 13th 2006, By Catherine Tsounis
“Sicily was an uninhabited paradise of green forests and rivers in 1000 B.C.,” said Dr. Gaetano Cipolla on Friday evening, Feb. 24th at the Pan-Macedonian Studies Center in Whitestone, New York. “Greek navigators explored the island for several hundred years. There were few persons and Carthaginians on the island. The Greeks began the first massive colonization of the island. They were the first to settle and develop a Sicilian civilization. While other persons came as conquerors, the Greeks came to stay and gave to Sicily.” Dr. Cipolla, a St. John’s University professor at the Languages and Literatures Department, is the foremost Sicilian-American historian in the United States.
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Tomorrow’s Philhellenes

Published in Hellenic Communication Service LLC
As part of a series of features examining Greek language education in the USA, we present excerpts from a discussion between Gerasimos Arsenis and Nancy Biska. Mr. Arsenis, former Minister of Education in Greece, is now a member of parliament.  He is affiliated with the governing PASOK party. Nancy Biska has served as managing editor and journalist for leading Greek national and international newspapers and magazines.
Over the past fifteen years, Ms. Biska has held the position of Producer for the BBC Greek service, and has produced and hosted broadcasts for an independent Greek television network in New York. Ms. Biska, who has received numerous awards for her contributions to Greek culture, is President of the Democracy Foundation. The interview, originally conducted in Greek, has been translated by Nina Gatzoulis. Continue Reading

Athenian Academy: The Garden Nursery of Tomorrow’s Philhellenes

 

By Nancy Biska, Translation by Nina Gatzoulis, Published on Hellenic Communication Service LLC
The first American public school where the Greek language is taught systematically has become reality!
The “Athenian Academy,” operating in Florida, has completed a year of successful academic work. It is the omogeneia’s reward for so many efforts for the perpetuation of our culture. It also embodies our hopes for preserving the Greek language worldwide.
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