It’s Athens’ Turn

Excitement, eagerness to reunite, to meet a host family, to dive into the daily life of another country, another culture, all through a common language, the English, the koiné that connects the global economy. We are in a country that revolutionized Mediterranean life by creating the first phonetic alphabet. Greek was the first shared language (koiné) that united the peoples of the sea bathing Southern Europe (also for commercial reasons). Its cultural legacy, however, is indisputable and outstanding.

This is how all the partners of the Erasmus+ K220 project "The New Values of Democracy in Today’s Europe" landed in Athens, the capital of Greece. Teachers and students from Romania, Poland, Croatia, Portugal, and Spain packed their suitcases with love, not hate, just like Antigone’s words in Sophocles’ play.

The opening ceremony was held at the Cultural Center of the City of Petroupolis Cat Garden. The headmaster of the host school, Mr. George Dimitriadis, delivered a welcoming speech. Also participating were the Mayor of Petroupoli, Mr. Vaggelis Simos, and the consultant supervisor, Mr. Apostolis Katopodis.

Afterward, all the participating teams introduced themselves by describing a significant painting for each of them. How enriching it is to exchange knowledge and emotions as varied as those evoked by photographs and paintings from this project's partner countries!


Following the presentations, we danced. Greek mythology attributed a divine origin to music, believing it possessed magical powers: it could purify the body and mind and even heal illnesses. Our Greek hosts proposed a musical showcase with dances from different countries. Amazing. Words fail to describe it.


Back at the school, sheltered from the rain—which was heavy at times—students rehearsed a fragment of Sophocles's tragedy Antigone. Laughter, focus, and great intensity filled the room, driven by the message conveyed by the chorus. An unforgettable stasimon is a choral song that comments on and intensifies the emotions and themes raised in the dramatic action.

Location: Atenas 105 58, Grecia

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