Greek News Agenda (GNA) is an online English language platform, issued by the Secretariat General for Public Diplomacy and Greeks Abroad (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), offering news, features, analysis and interviews that showcase political, economic, business, social and cultural developments in Greece.
As we are reaching the end of the year, we take a look back on the most popular articles and interviews published on GNA in 2021. We are including the top-ten most visited articles, and also the most popular feature in each of our main interview categories: Reading Greece, Filming Greece, Arts in Greece, Rethinking Greece, Innovative Greece and Government and Policy.
INTERVIEWS
Petros Tatsopoulos on the unbreakable spell of storytelling
Acclaimed Greek writer Petros Tatsopoulos speaks to GNA about his experiences as a writer, his book In Your Face (2019) and his involvement in the world of politics.
Greece: A Filming Destination on the Rise
Greece is definitely a spotlight filming destination in the south-east of Europe; in recent years, a “cash rebate” system has been inyroduced,providing investment incentives for audiovisual productions (film /TV/documentary/animation/digital games) for expenses incurred in Greece. GNA interviewed Stavroula Geronimaki, Operation Manager at the Hellenic Film Commission, on the productions that were and will be filmed in the country.
George Rorris: “A painting is the sincere revelation of one’s soul”
Celebrated painter George Rorris, one of the most important representatives of figurative art in Greece, speaks to GNA about his childhood, his introduction to the world of art, the man who played a key role in his decision to study at the School of Fine Arts, as well as about the way that the art of painting can “decodify the mysteries of nature by depicting them”.
Nektaria, George Rorris, 2019, oil on canvas
Anna Karakatsouli, Associate Professor of European History at the Department of Theatre Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, spoke to GNA about the transnational aspects of the 1821 Greek War of Independence, the varying identities and motivations of the Philhellenes, those ‘freedom fighters’ of the 19th century who left their countries to fight for Greek Independence, their interactions with rebellious Greeks, their impact on the outcome of the Greek Revolution and their participation in liberation movements around the world, as part of a ‘Liberal International’.
As part of a series of interviews conducted by Study in Greece, aiming at the promotion and international visibility of Greek Universities, Spiros Efthimiopoulos, Professor of Animal & Human Physiology – Neurobiology at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, presents the Athens International Master’s Programme in Neurosciences.
In his extensive interview with GNA, Professor John Chrysoulakis, Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), presents MFA’s vision for Public Diplomacy (PD)and speaks about the multifaceted PD projects and events organised by the General Secretariat, as well as the reasons why Greece ranked among the top ten “soft power” superstars in the world in 2020.
ARTICLES
“Greece 2021” | The celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the country’s Independence War
2021 is a highly symbolic year for Greece as it marks the 200th anniversary of the outbreak of the country’s Independence War against the Ottoman rule in 1821. Greek News Agenda’s most viewed article for 2021 was a presentation of the programme of actions and events announced by “Greece 2021”, the coordinating Committee responsible for organising the commemorative celebrations for the bicentenary.
POEM OF THE MONTH: “Hellas” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
On the occasion of the Greek bicentenary, and as part of the POEM OF THE MONTH series, GNA dedicated an article to the poem “Hellas”, written in 1822 by the iconic English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley to express his enthusiasm for the stirrings of independence in Greece.
Digital Nomads | Looking for business and pleasure in Greece
An article about the digital transformation of Greece and the creation of a special digital nomad visa prepared by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the aim of transforming the country into an ideal destination for digital nomads.
Ancient Athenian & Attic Festivals
A large number of festival were held in Athens throughout the year, usually in honour of Gods, such as Dionysus, Apollo, Hermes and, of course, Athena, the city-state protectress, while others were centred around concepts such as family or citizenship. In this article, GNA presents some of the most prominent festivals that took place in the city of Athens and the widest region of Attica.
3 February 1830: Greece becomes a state
An account of the political and diplomatic trials and tribulations faced by the nascent state of Greece, until was officially recognised as an independent sovereign state, with the signing of the London Protocol in 1830.
“Portals” exhibition at the Former Tobacco Factory
Former Tobacco Factory Transformed into Athens’ New Cultural Hub
Athens’ former Public Tobacco Factory has been transformed into a Cultural Centre; the historic building, located in the heart of the city, was renovated, and (re)opened its doors to the public as a contemporary art space with a grand show on the pandemic, namely the exhibition “Portals” that will be running through December 31, 2021.
The new Athens Olympic Museum, founded under the auspices of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee, opened its gates to the public on 14 May 2021, shedding light on the history of the Olympic Games from antiquity to the present day and on the decisive role of Greece in the promotion of Olympism.
Weaving Histories: Margaret Kenna and Anafi
GNA’s article is dedicated to Margaret Kenna, a retired social anthropologist who has taught at Swansea University for 40 years and has devoted most of her academic work to the small Greek island of Anafi , on the occasion of the exhibition “Weaving Histories: Margaret Kenna and Anafi” (27 June—11 September 2021) dedicated to her work, organised by State of Concept Athens in collaboration with Association Phenomenon.
Rhodes, the largest island of the Dodecanese, boasts an impressive medieval city at the heart of its capital; it is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe, and its cobbled streets take visitors to a journey through time. Its imposing architecture is testimony to a rich heritage and to the events that have marked its history. For its outstanding universal value, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988.
Highlights from PD Talks 2021: “City Diplomacy: Creating Global Networks”
The “Public Diplomacy Talks (PD Talks)” are an annual Forum, inaugurated in 2020 by the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to provide a platform for a vibrant and fruitful exchange of views and best practices on Public Diplomacy. The 2nd Public Diplomacy Talks, which took place on 16 June 2021, focused on “City Diplomacy: Creating Global Networks” and was organised by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greeks Abroad, Konstantinos Vlasis, and the Secretary-General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy, John Chrysoulakis.
N.M.
Read also via Greek News Agenda: GNA’s most popular interviews & articles for 2020
