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Greek President to attend the International Conference for Ionian Islands Expatriates

Ionian Islands
14 Αυγούστου 2018 / 06:42

CORFU. Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania will be guest of honour at the conference.

The Ionian Islands Regional Administration, the Foreign Ministry and the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad are organizing the 1st International Conference for Ionian Islands Expatriates under the auspices of the Greek Parliament Permanent Regional Committee from 5 to 7 September. The aim of the conference is to strengthen the ties between the region and Ionian Island expatriate communities worldwide.

Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania will be honoured for his work and he accepted an invitation from Regional Governor Theodoros Galiatsatos to come to Corfu from Wednesday 5th to Friday 7th September.

There will be a special ceremony to honour the Archbishop on the first day of the conference at the Achilleion Palace.

The President of Greece Prokopios Pavlopoulos will open the International Conference for Ionian Islands Expatriates.

In an effort to encourage youth participation the Regional Administration collaborated with the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and the Foreign Ministry who gave their complete support right from the beginning. The 'Return to Roots' programme is being organized from 26 August in which 14 young Ionian Islands expatriates from all over the world will come as guests for 15 days and at the Conference at the end of their stay they will express their experiences as well as their ideas and hopes for the future of the islands.

The General Secretary and Director of the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad, Michalis Kokkinos and Eva Papadatou, played a major role in the collaboration between the Regional Administration and the General Secretariat and the success of the youth hospitality programme.

The following will speak at the conference: the Regional Governor, the Mayors of each of the Ionian Islands, Government Ministers and Ministry representatives, representatives from various organizations, expatriates with inspiring stories and businesspeople and investors who have promoted the islands' products throughout Greece and abroad.

Up to now, those who have registered include representatives from family organizations (federations, societies etc.) from all over the world - USA, Canada, Germany, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Australia - as well as from throughout Greece.

In its press release, the Ionian Islands Regional Administration states: " The aim of the conference is to develop relations and common goals which will bring the greatest results in areas such as economic development, social cohesion and cultural heritage. We hope that this conference will become a regular event as it has much to offer both our islands and the worldwide communities of Ionian Islands expatriates."


CONFERENCE PROGRAMME: Corfu 5 - 7 September

Wednesday 5 September


Achilleion Palace - 20:00

Special ceremony in honour of Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania.

Cultural programme with Corfu 'Capodistrias' Philharmonic Society.

21:30 - Official Dinner hosted by the Ionian Islands Governor in honour of Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania.

Thursday 6 September

Park Hotel

09:30 - Registration

10:00 - Official opening of the International Conference for Ionian Islands Expatriates with welcome address by Ionian Islands Regional Governor Theodoros Galiatsatos.

10:10 - Opening of proceedings by the President of Greece Prokopios Pavlopoulos.

10:20 - Address by Conference Guest of Honour Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania.

10:30 - Screening of tribute to the work of the Archbishop.

10:45 - Welcome addresses by Government and local authority representatives.

11:30 - Screening of the documentary 'Odysseus of the Ionian Islands' by Alexandros Potamianos.

12:30 - 1st Conference Topic 'Economy, investment and infrastructure'.

14:30 - Official Lunch hosted by the Ionian Islands Governor in honour of the President of Greece Prokopios Pavlopoulos.

END OF MORNING SESSION

18:00 - Start of 1st Day's evening session.

18:15 - 2nd Conference Topic 'Education and the role that can be played by Ionian Islands' educational institutions in relations with expatriates'.

19:45 - 3rd Conference Topic 'Culture, Interaction between expatriates and local cultural creativity, Future challenges'.

21:00 - Dinner

Friday 7 September

Park Hotel

09:15 - Start 2nd Day's proceedings.

09:30 - 4th Conference Topic 'Narratives from Ionian Islands expatriates: Personal experiences of the difficulties, successes and way of life of Ionian Islands' expatriates. The need for cooperation between us all'.

11:30 - Conclusions from the 1st Conference - End of proceedings

12:30 - Guided tour of local products

14:30 - Lunch

18:00 Visit to Church of St. Spyridon

Visit to Museum of Asian Art and/or Old Fortress

Walk in Spianada and Corfu Old Town

21:00 - Gala Dinner