April 2022

We seamlessly continue the shipments of technological equipment and books to the outermost villages of the Macedonian borders!

A few words about Exaplatanos

Exaplatanos is part of the Municipality of Almopia of the Pella District Unit. It counts approximately 1,300 residents and is built on an 125m. altitude. The residents take especial pride in the fact that their settlement has been the home for many years of the significant Modern Greek novelist, Menelaos Lountemis.

A few words about the Elementary School of Exaplatanos

The Elementary School of Exaplatanos was founded and operated for the first time in the year 1924 as a “One-Class” unit under the name: “FIRST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OF EXAPLATANOS”.

In 1957 it operated as a five-class unit.

In 1961 it was merged with the Second Elementary School and operated as an eight-class unit.

In 1962 it operated as a six-class, in 1970 as a seven-class, in 1977 as an eight-class, and in 1978 as a nine-class unit.

Currently it operates as a six-class unit. It has six classrooms for the main courses, a class for the Affiliation Department, a room for the School Library, a room for the IT lab, a room operating as Office, and a space of Multiple Uses.

The school has a 14-person staff and is attended by 82 students. It also provides for the department of special education for all the units of Primary Education in Eastern Almopia.

Given its location in the borderline of the country, the entire staff of educators collectively is striving to provide for the best possible education. It has recently managed, with a lot of effort, to create an exceptional school library which was completed thanks to the personal assistance of the members of the school community and the donors.

The needs, both in electronic equipment for the unit and books for the enrichment of the library, are great.

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation implemented the fourteenth shipment to the faraway school of Pella. Specifically, it sent:

• 2 Interactive Whiteboards
• 2 Laptops
• 1 kit of educational robotics
• 40 books for the circulating library of the school

The total value of the material sent amounts to 2,300 euros.

For the purchase of the items sent we especially thank the supporters of Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2022| Fourteenth Shipment of technological equipment to the Elementary School of Exaplatanos, Pella εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.

March 2022

The journey of Knowledge has arrived in Evros!

A few words about Metaxades

The “Metaxades burg”, of the folklore Thracian song, is a traditional village built on a green hillside of a long range of hills, 120m. high, in the northwest part of the Evros District.

It has been characterized by the PD/19-10-78 as a traditional settlement and under the No. I-4917/10-12-1987 declaration of the Evros District Office as a “settlement of unique architectural characteristics”. It is the most picturesque settlement in the wider area due to its traditional architecture whose main material is stone. A unique feature of the village is the lithopetra (type of stone) used by the residents to build houses. The villages Avdella, Paliouri, and Alepochori share this type of architecture.

Since 1997, the old building of “Kouklospito” (meaning “Dollhouse”), along with its premises, has been recognized as a sustainable historical monument. The late-byzantine church of Agios Athanasios is also one of the sights of the area, built in 1695.

The initial name of the village, “Toukmaki”, comes from the first resident to have ever built a house there, Demetrios Toukmatsis (or Toukmakiotis). Toukmaki is the word used in the area to describe the hammer of the smiths and stonemasons, the technicians working the stone and shaping it, forging things out of it. Besides, as was mentioned above, the village to this day has this distinctive singularity: it is made of stone and unique, declaring thus the occupation of the residents, as well as the stone stock primarily used to construct the external insulation of the village’s houses. The current name, Metaxades (from the word metaxi meaning silk), comes from the abundance of silk produced by the residents’ occupation in sericulture and which has been their main occupation since 1921.

During the Greek Civil War, the crucial interval from the 15^th to the 20^th of May 1949, the five-day Battle of Metaxades took place there. It was the largest and the last of the great and bloody battles in the Evros District Unit.

To this day, Metaxades count around 500 permanent residents and they are part of the Municipality of Didymoteicho.

A few words about the Elementary School of Metaxades

The building where the Elementary School of Metaxades is housed was founded in 1934. In 1968, it was renovated into a two-floor establishment and is housing the Elementary and the Kindergarten of Metaxades to this day.

Students coming from nine borough settlements of the wider area around Metaxades attend the Elementary School of Metaxades. It is organically and operationally a five-class school, with staff covering all the main courses and specialties (English, Physical Education, Art, Informatics, Music). In total, 54 students attend the school.

The school has implemented an all-day program and offers catered meals to its students (“School Meals” program).

The educational staff of the school is developing good practices and applying innovative actions. Every school year the school operates educational programs of various discourses (cultural, environmental, health educational, etc.).

The school has a large yard with stands, and a green garden.

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation implemented the thirteenth shipment to the faraway school of Evros. Specifically, it sent:

• 1 Interactive Whiteboard
• 1 Laptop
• 40 books for the circulating library of the school

The total value of the material sent amounts to 1,300 euros.

For the purchase of the items sent we especially thank the supporters of Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2022| Thirteenth Shipment of technological equipment to the Elementary School of Metaxades, Evros εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.

March 2022

We strongly support public education in the outermost areas!

A few words about the Municipality of Filiates

Among the Kalamas river, the Mourgana mountain, and the Greek-Albanian borders there is the Filiates area, center of which is the town of Filiates. The Town of Filiates is located 17km northeast of Igoumenitsa. It is the base of the Municipality of the same name and has over 3,000 residents.

To this day, the modern in terms of infrastructure town of Filiates has been a center of development for the, extended sine 1998, Municipality of Filiates, since it gathers all the services of the area; administration, military, financial, educational, nursing.

In the town of Filiates, a visitor can see and admire its charming city planning, as well as buildings with unique architectural elements. The biggest part of the organized urban capacity has been developed in the hills surrounding the city center. The town consists of wider or narrower streets with snake-like alignments, local widenings, and dead-ends, in small, big, and uneven building islets. The current shape of the town as it has been planned, at least at the center, is pretty much the result of a combination between buildings from the times Ottoman Rule and the unique geomorphology of the ground.

The 42 Local Districts of which the Municipality of Filiates is consisted of to this day are located scarcely in an area characterized by rich geographical dismemberment, rivers, mountains, creeks, and little valleys which in combination with the man-made environment (cloisters, bridges, traditional settlements) can conclude to a very interesting destination for visitors. The five traditional settlements (Giromeri, Foiniki, Faneromeni, Plaisio, and Kamytziani) have a special place in the area as samples of traditional architecture, but so do many other areas that have been deemed as Natura Locations and Landscapes of Special Natural Beauty. The Holy Cloisters are also very interesting with the Holy Cloister of Giromeri amongst them to be the greatest. It is devoted to the Assumption of Mary and has been, during the Ottoman Rule a source of light for the greatest area.

A few words about the 2^nd Elementary School of Filiates

The 2^nd Elementary School of Filiates is one of the two elementary schools of the town. It operates as a six-class elementary school, with 13 teachers of various specialties (teachers, special education teachers, and teacher of specialties: computer science, foreign languages, physical education, music, etc.), and 74 students. The students of the school reside both in Filiates and in nearby villages. The school runs an all-day program and implements a board program called “School Meals”.

The school participates and has been awarded in national programs and competitions, such as the Panhellenic Competition of Educational Robotics, the Science Competition “Aristotle” and the Mathematics Competition “Game and Math” of the Greek Mathematical Association. Moreover, the students have taken place in an E-Twinning program under the title “Together in Concert” in collaboration with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Municipality of Filiates. The school aims at implementing and participating in innovative educational programs which aim at the promotion of knowledge and the expansion of the students’ interests, outside of the basic curriculum of the school. The principal and the teachers of the school are experienced and certified. Most of them speak the English language and are IT literate. Therefore, they are in place to support the implementation of educational programs in collaboration with schools from foreign countries.

DISTINCTIONS

• 1^st place in the Panhellenic Competition for the digital creation of an Educational Radio-TV for the road safety (I.O.A.S. ‘PANOS MYLONAS’ “Road Safety Everywhere and Every Time!”
• 1^st place at the category scratch for Beginners in the “Hidden Treasure” (audience voting)
• 2^nd place at the category scratch for Beginners in the “Eagles of Filiates” (audience voting)
• 3^rd place at the category scratch for Beginners in the “Hidden Treasure” (judging committee award)
• Special award for graphics at the category scratch for Beginners “Eagles of Filiates” (judging committee award)

Award for best performance at the Panhellenic Competition of Educational Robotics (WRO HELLAS – “From Archimedes to DaVinci”)

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation implemented the seventh shipment to the faraway school of the Thesprotia District Unit. Specifically, it sent:

• 1 Interactive Whiteboard
• 1 P/C
• 1 Projector
• 60 books for the circulating library of the school

The total value of the material sent amounts to 1,800 euros.

For the purchase of the items sent we specially thank the companies Charalambos & Elena Pattihis Foundation, Thas Mar Shipping Co Ltd for their kind donation, as well as the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation’s supporters.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2022 | Twelfth Shipment of technological equipment and books to the Elementary School of Filiates, Thesprotia εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.

February 2022

The first shipment of the year 2022 has been completed!

A few words about Kastanousa, Serres

Historical sources mention the settlement Ano Kastanousa in 1913, when it was liberated during the Second Balkan War. Until 1926 the village was named Palmes. The construction of the railway network and the station, as well as the construction of the road network forced the residents to relocate at a lower location.

The village is found on the foot of the Mpelles mountain, in the borders with Bulgaria and North Macedonia. The green landscape and the beautiful trees have been an attraction point for visitors from the big urban centers.

Apart from the elementary school there is also a kindergarten and the Cultural Association of Pontus. The Holy Orthodox Church of Saints Konstantinos and Eleni is dominant in the green square of the village.

The village is renowned for its “AVGOMACHIES” (meaning “egg games”). The tradition goes back to the Greek Pontus, in the Black Sea, and symbolizes Christ’s Resurrection, and the collision of good and evil. It takes place on the second day after Easter Sunday.

The village is part of the Municipality of Sintiki

A few words about the Elementary School of Kastanousa

Accordiing to the archives, the school was built in 1963. Since 2002, under the Official Governmental Gazette 992/B/31-07-2002, it operates as a four-class.

The school has four rooms of teaching, an event room, and a small indoors gym. The school’s yard has covers about four stremma of land.

Until the school year 2019-2020, the number of the students used to exceed 30. Since the school year 2020-2021 it has been operating as a two-class.

This school year, 2021-2022, 15 students attend and four teachers serve at the school. However, according to the registered data, there is going to be an increase of the student numbers from the following year.

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation implemented the eleventh shipment to the faraway school of the Kastanousa. Specifically, it sent:

• 3 Laptops
• 1 Projector
• 50 books for the circulating library of the school

The total value of the material sent amounts to 1,800 euros.

For the purchase of the items sent we specially thank Mr. Dimitris Gkounelis for his kind donation, as well as the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation’s supporters.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2022 | Eleventh Shipment of technological equipment to the Elementary School of Kastanousa, Serres εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.

November 2021

We have completed ten shipments since the beginning of 2021!

A few words about Telos, Dodecanese

Telos is one of the islands of the Dodecanese with only 300 inhabitants. It has three settlements: Livadia, Megalo Chorio, and Saint Antonios. The residents of the island are mostly occupied in tourism, livestock farming, and fishing. The island has many paths, ideal for walking, and many beaches. It is renowned for the pebble beach of Livadia in the north, as well as for the endless, sandy beach of Eristos in the south of the island.

Telos has been inhabited since the Neolithic Age. Plenty of archaeological findings have been discovered in the island, the most impressive and famous of were those of prehistoric dwarf elephants, deer, turtle, and micro mammals. The findings are held in the Paleontological Museum of Telos in Megalo Chorio.

The entire island has been included in the Natura 2000 network, due to the grand variety of plants, flowers, and herbs it has. In Telos one can encounter many rare species of birds, such as Bonelli’s eagle, falcons, nightingales, goldfinches, herons, and bee-eaters.

A few words about the Elementary School of Telos

In the island there is a daycare-nursery, a kindergarten, an elementary school, and a high school. The Elementary School of Telos is located in the Livadia settlement, a few steps from the port of the island. It is a three-class school and 34 students attend its six classes; seven of the 34 are children of refugees coming from various countries (Syria, Sudan, Kongo) who have been welcomed to our island.

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation implemented the tenth shipment to the faraway school of Telos. Specifically, it sent:

• 2 P/Cs
• 31 books for the circulating library of the school

The total value of the material sent amounts to 1,000 euros.

For the purchase of the items sent we specially thank the companies Sourotis and Spourgitis Transports, as well as the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation’s supporters.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2021 | Tenth Shipment of technological equipment to the Elementary School of Telos, Dodecanese εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.

November 2021

Thanks to your support we continue to aid our outermost Greek schools!

A few words about Tholopotami, Chios

Tholopotami is built on the hillside of Prophet Elias mountain, at a altitude of 535 m., at a 12,1 km. distance from the town of Chios. With a panoramic view to the east coasts of Asia Minor, lots of springs, fresh waters famed for their quality, towering plane trees, narrow uphill paths, former cobblestone alleys, with just a few of them now covered (arches).

The village’s foundation took place 800 years ago on a small, stone hill. The residents were afraid of the pirates, therefore they closed all the exits of the village, loggias with iron gates.

A very long time ago, a subsidence occurred toward the northwest part of the village in Raga position. Raga is a fault with many wells which have to this day been explored only up to a 16 meter depth. An abundance of water sprang and flowed for quite some time. The residents of the nearby villages, and even from the city, visited the place out of curiosity to observe this natural phenomenon and thus the word Tholopotami (meaning “blurred river”) was stuck as the village’s name.

Texts written by the Community’s teacher Loukas I. Tsampas mention it is also named Mani after its first resident who came from Mani, Peloponnese.

A few words about the Elementary School of Tholopotami, Chios, by its teachers

“The Elementary School of Tholopotami, according to stories by the elder ones, has been in operation for more than 200 years. Since the Ottoman Rule it had been in operation, sometimes with two teachers while others only with one.

Since 2001 and up to this day, it has been operating as a four-class, under the Greek Official Government Gazette 1129/30-8-2001.

Since 2002, our school has been one of the first to ever operate as an all-day school, with the optional participation of the students. Since 2003, it has become a fundamental element of the school. We participate in programs of Environmental Education, Health Education, and Cultural Issues.

It was all the specialties (Computers Science, Art, Physical Education, English, Music, French, and Drama) as well as an affiliation department for children with learning disabilities.

Since the beginning of this academic year, we have been included in the library network of the Ministry of Education, and it is our endeavor to create an appropriate space and enrich it with children’s literature.

It has a large yard for passing time in between classes, and for the organization of sports and other events.

Thanks to concerted efforts we managed to include the school in studies for the repairment and maintaining of the building and the premises in collaboration with the services of the municipality of Chios and of the United School Committee.

In 1995, the Parents and Guardians Association was founded and is active to this day, contributing significantly to the operation of the school, as well as to the excellent collaboration between the school and other entities of our island”.

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation implemented the fifth shipment to the faraway school of Chios. Specifically, it sent:

• 3 laptops
• 1 Projector
• 1 portable CD-player
• 20 books for the circulating library of the school

The total value of the material sent amounts to 1,800 euros.

For the purchase of the items sent we specially thank the companies LifeJacket Foundation, TEXAN ABEE, as well as the supporters of the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2021 | Ninth Shipment of technological equipment to the Elementary School of Tholopotami, Chios εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.

October 2021

The journey of Knowledge in the Outermost Regions of Greece grows day after day!

A few words about Fournoi, Ikaria, for a sixth-grade student

“We live in a small and beautiful island of the Aegean Sea. This island has been inhabited in the ancient times since there are archaeological findings to prove so as well as the ancient quarry in Petrokopio. In the Byzantine times is was deserted and was a pirates’ base. In its seabed many ancient sea wrecks have been found and we have become popular because of them.

In the summer, the island is crowded with people. We don’t like this because it is very noisy and intense. We prefer the winter even though we are just a few and the school opens. We are better because it is quiet and it is our land. We feel free. We go fishing, we collect calamari, we play around here and there.

The truth is that we don’t study much. We are only three students in my class but we face a lot of difficulties, our teacher says. Our school has only 34 students and operates as a six-class. It has a large cement yard where we sometimes hurt ourselves when we play. We would like it to be covered with a soft material just like the high school’s yard. In the classrooms we have bookcases with a lot of books. Many of them are donations by various organizations. The look after us because, as they say, we are borderers. We were just born here and we love our land. We dream of leaving, studying, and coming back here again”.

A few words about the Elementary School of Fournoi, Ikaria, written by the students of the Fifth Grade

Our school is the Elementary School of Fournoi Korseoi. It is located in the village of Fournoi, close to the municipal hall, 50 meters off the sea.

It consists of two buildings; one is an old construction and it used to house the old elementary school in its three rooms. The new construction has five rooms; one of them is the gym and the other the computer room. Also, the new building houses the teacher’s offices as well. The two buildings have yards which connect with stairs. At the large yard we spend the breaks in between classes and we do the physical education class. It has basket hoops and goalposts. We also have a school garden, which we fill with plants all year.

In our school we have six classes. We attend the fifth grade; its class is in the new building. We like our class, although it is a bit small. Surely we are just a few as well; we are four. We have our teacher -Mr. Vassilis- a gym teacher, and English teacher, and a German teacher. Unfortunately, we don’t have a music teacher, an art teacher, a drama teacher or a computer science teacher.

We like school. It is our occupation, otherwise we wouldn’t have anything to do. We me most of our friends here. We learn almost everything. We don’t like waking up early and sometimes we have a lot of homework.

We love our school, it is our second home”.

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation implemented the eighth shipment to the faraway school of Fournoi. Specifically, it sent:

• 3 Laptops
• 1 Projector
• 26 books for the circulating library of the school

The total value of the material sent amounts to 1,700 euros.

For the purchase of the items sent we specially thank the companies Kosmidis, Efthimiadis, and Mesitidis, as well as the supporters of Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2021| Eighth Shipment of technological equipment to the Elementary School of Fournoi, Ikaria εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.

September 2021

The journey of Knowledge in the Outermost Regions of Greece arrives in Macedonia!

A few words about Meliti, Florinas

Meliti is built on the west side of the foot of Vora mountain (mountain range on the Greek-North Macedonian borders, sprawled in both countries), the third highest mountain of Greece. It is crossed by Geropotamos river or Starareka which springs in Voras’s top and empties in Sakoulevas (river of Florina) which in turn unites with Erigona and Axios rivers.

In the part, the village had nine water mills of which only one is maintained to this day, the Tartoras water mill. In Melitis, there is the church of Prophet Elias, the Byzantine church of Saint George built on the ruins of Roman baths located on the village’s edge, pointing at the continuance of the town during the Middle Ages. It can be deducted from the few archaeological findings in Meliti (tombs, inscriptions, and coins) that the village existed as a Roman settlement and thermae.

The current name of the town comes from the ancient Greek city of Meliton which, during the Roman era, was a junction in the wider area.

A few words about the Elementary School of Meliti, Florina

The Elementary School of Meliti operates as a six-class facility with plenty of specialties accompanying the main coursework, and as an all-day school where students stay and dine in the premises.

The building of the school is an extended version of the old school of the village which operated since the years 1918-1933. An extension was added to it in order to serve the current needs of the students, and included a dining area, an indoors gym, a science laboratory, an art workshop, and an auditorium for cultural events. The school’s students come only from the village of Meliti.

In the Meliti area operates the K.P.E Meliti (Center of Environmental Education of the Meliti Municipality). The center organizes and carries out programs of environmental education for students of primary and secondary education, as well as educative seminars for teachers and other social groups.

The Principal and the educational staff of the school wrote to us the above: “We are an outermost school, at the beginning and not the ending points of Greece. With an optimistic spirit and zeal for our work, we strive to achieve a high level of education for our students that is not lesser to any of the other schools of the urban areas. Thus, we express our gratitude and our thanks to the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation for its undivided and generous donation which gives a life’s breath and support to our hard work”.

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation implemented the seventh shipment to the faraway school of the Florina District Unit. Specifically, it sent:

• 1 Personal Computer
• 1 Multifunction/All-in-one Machine (printer-photocopier-scanner)
• 1 Projector

The total value of the material sent amounts to 1,800 euros.

For the purchase of the items sent we specially thank the companies Sourotis and Lamar, as well as the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation’s supporters.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2021 | Seventh Shipment of technological equipment to the Elementary School of Meliti, Florina εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.

June 2021

The journey of Knowledge in the Outermost Regions of Greece turns six months of giving to our faraway located schools!

A few words about Kalpaki

Kalpaki is located northwest of the Ioannina Region, on a 430 m. altitude, and a 35 km distance from the city of Ioannina.

It is built on the road axes leading to Konitsa and Albania respectively.

On the west side sprawls the rich plain of Ano Kalamas, whereas on the north side of the village lies the Zagori area, with the renowned Zagorochoria.

The community of Kalpaki was founded in 1972 after the joining of two settlements consisting of the residents of Elafotopos and Kato Pedina.

The Greek-Italian War of 1940 started in Kalpaki, where the Greek troops intercepted the Italian army in terrible battles.

On the hillslope of Prophetes Elias (Prophet Elias), the well-preserved OXI (meaning NO) monument reminds us of that period and the glorious days of 1940. The War Museum, at the entrance of Kalpaki, is visited by thousands of visitors every year. The soldiers who serve as tour guides, answer the inquiries of the visitors about the events of the war. The museum is rich in exhibits, graphics, and acoustic representations of the battle of Kalpaki.

The cave that was used as Headquarters of the Commander of the 8^th Unit during the war is located after the moat around the fortress. The entrance of the cave is decorated with the bust of Charalambos Katsimitros, who confined the Italian forces in Kalpaki with his devotion to the protection of the defensive line of Elea-Kalamas. Above the settlement and on Seletouria Hill, looms the gigantic bronze statue of the warrior soldier of 1940, on the Tomb of the Warrior, where is also the military ossuary of soldiers who fell during the war. Every year, on the day of celebration of OXI, orisons take place, an invitation to the dead, whereas, on the other side of the hill, they perform an impressive reenactment of the battle.

At a 3 km distance from the village is the Holy Cloister of Vellas, which was built in the 11^th century. There operated the ecclesiastic school and until 1989 there was also a Pedagogic Academy.

Kalpaki nowadays is the seat of the Municipality of Pogonio, which counts 61 communities.

A few words about the Elementary School of Kalpaki, Ioannina

The Elementary School of Kalpaki currently operates as six-class, with all the specialties, as well as an all-day school offering meals to the students participating in the all-day activities.

The building of the school was established in 1997 and consists of the main classrooms a canteen, a multiple-uses room, a computer lab, and a music room.

Next to the school’s premises is a gym where the physical education classes take place, as well as many other events.

The Elementary School welcomes students from the nearby villages that do not have a school such as Doliana, Ano Ravenia, Geroplatanos, Mavrovouni, Kato Ravenia, Vikos, Aristi, Ano Pedina, Chrysorachi, Vrontismeni, Mazaraki, Vissane.

For the last five years, the school welcomes refugee children from the organization located in Doliana, a village at a 7 km distance from Kalpaki.

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation with the financial assistance offered by its supporters, as well as with the aid of the companies Chimar and M.S. Iakovides Hellas, implemented the sixth shipment to the faraway school of the Ioannina Region. Specifically, it sent:

• 1 Laptop, kind donation by Chimar
• 3 P/C monitors, kind donation by M.S. Iakovides Hellas
• 2 Projectors, kind donation by Chimar
• 1 microphonic equipment, kind donation by The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation
• 7 Books for the circulating library of the school, a kind donation by the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation

The total value of the material sent amounts to 1,900 euros.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward with us to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2021 | Sixth shipment of technological equipment to the Elementary School of Kalpaki, Ioannina εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.

June 2021

The journey of Knowledge in the Outermost Regions of Greece continues its course!

A few words about Pigi, Lesvos

The community of Pigi is located northwest of Mytilene, at a 20,9 km distance and a 140 m. altitude. The village is surrounded by hills with olive trees, making it unseen.

It is built on the left bank of the “Teneya” stream. The name of the village (Pigi means Spring) derives from the many aquatic springs around the village. In fact, one of them is devoted to Saint Paraskevi Church, the central church of the village. The water of this spring is channeled inside the church and called ayeasma (holy water).

According to tradition and the elders’ narrations, Pigi village was inhabited for the first time around 1780. Back then, Pigi was a farmers’ settlement of 25 residences. The residents arrived from the abandoned village Paleochori, at a 4-5 km distance from the current location of Pigi, and from which nothing has been saved. The residents of the abandoned village were perpetually being robbed by the Turks and the pirates, thus, they chose a safer location in Pigi.

Since the Ottoman Occupation the following tradition has been recorded:

“A monk called “Kalogereli”, when informed that Filiki Eteria (Society of Friends) is organizing a revolution against the Turks, left the monastery he was in, next to Kalloni, and headed to that direction. Along with him, during the same years, another young man, Koutougdis from Pigi, whose first name is unknown, also disappeared. Two years after Koutougdis’ disappearance, the residents of Pigi were informed that in Odessa, in the Russian Empire, young Koutougdis was active among the members of Filiki Eteria,. They sent him a letter then writing among others the following: “Koutougdis, come down, everything is upside down”. Koutougdis returned from the Russian Empire, mixed with others from Filiki Eteria in Lesvos, and acted there for six years. At the age of 35 however, just before the War of Independence, he was arrested by the Turks of Lesvos and hanged on a plane tree, in Nio Chorio village, next to the center of today Mytilene. Before his hanging, he made it known that in Russia he acted with “Kalogereli” monk.

Nowadays, Pigi has approximately 350 residents. Most of them are occupied in the olive tree cultivation industry while some are stock farmers. From the archives, of the school one can deduct that in the previous years there were formidable obstacles for the development and cultivation of the spirit, the most significant of which was the lack of resources.

A few words about the Elementary School of Pigi, Lesvos

It was not possible to determine the year and the Greek Government Official Gazette sheet reporting the foundation of the school, even when consulting the archives of the school. The archives go as back as the year 1929, in spite of the fact that the school existed in Pigi for many decades prior to this date. The building that houses the Elementary School of Pigi was built in 1928. Throughout the years and until today, the school has operated as a two-class and as a three-class.

This school year, the Elementary School of Pigi operates as a three-class with two all-day school departments. The staff consists of five teachers and six educators of various specialties (English language, Physical Education, Art, Technology and Information Education, Music, and Theatre).

The Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation with the financial assistance offered by its supporters, as well as with the aid of Savramis company, implemented the fifth shipment to the faraway school of Lesvos. Specifically, it sent:

• 2 P/Cs, kind donation by Savramis
• 1 Interactive Whiteboard, kind donation by the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation
• 1 Projector, kind donation by the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation
• 33 books for the circulating library of the school, a kind donation by the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation.

The total value of the material sent amounts to 2,000 euros.

This is how we, at the Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation, envision Greece of the 21^st century 200 years after the Greek War of Independence. Along with all of you, we give a boost to knowledge, we support new generations in order to constitute valuable citizens for our country’s future, and we set the example of effective solidarity and social sensitivity for the prosperity of our homeland.

We express our gratitude to you for the support of our activity and we invite you to move forward to the expansion of it to all the outermost schools of Greece.

You are our power!

Το άρθρο 2021 | Fifth Shipment of technological equipment to the Elementary School of Pigi, Lesvos εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Μέλαθρον Οικουμενικός Ελληνισμός.