At the heart of the city

Published June 15, 2017 | By opatriarchea

When someone says London or Paris, what immediately comes to mind? The Eiffel Tower and Big Ben. For Athens? The Parthenon. Situated right in the heart of Athens (some would argue that it IS the heart), the Parthenon sits atop the Athenian Acropolis giving an amazing 360-degree view of the city. Words such as “Democracy”, “Freedom” and “Liberty” were words coined and ushered here, words that stay with us as a foundation of our society, even today. Two of the participants, Paraskevi Kakares and Niko Dandalos were especially taken aback.
Paraskevi was most thrilled by the Acropolis and the Parthenon: “Seeing the Parthenon was one of the most amazing experiences. To witness something you have been learning about for years through textbooks is an incredible thing. Greece’s history is so rich and seeing the Parthenon really made me understand that and makes me even more proud of my Greek culture.”
Niko on the other hand found the museum fascinating. As a place of unparalleled beauty and a marvel of modern architecture, which blends new with old, he told us: “The museum was amazing and exciting. It held a lot of history I had never ever seen. One day I really wish to come back for more. I enjoy the heritage Greece program and thank it for showing me these wonderful things.”

We then made our way to the building of ELLET, Elliniki Etairia, in the traditional area of Plaka. After our initial meeting in Schinias, we now fully realized the extent in which it operates all throughout Greece and the efforts it makes to preserve nature and culture. They prepared a wonderful meal for us consisting of traditional foods and then showcased some of their activities. Vasilis Fuerst was thoroughly impressed: “It was incredible to witness what an influence the natural environment has on such a small country like Greece. The initiatives that the Elliniki Etairia have implemented are crucial to the protection of the natural environment that attract so many tourists to Greece and that stimulate the economy. I think it is extremely important that all countries have a similar mentality to continually work together for the protection and preservation of the world we all inhabit.”