LANGUAGE, CULTURE, HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY, MARINE STUDIES

PAIDEIA semester programs are offered in Athens, Thessaloniki and Rhodes

in collaboration with Aristotle University, University of Macedonia, University of Athens, University of Aegean, and NCMR.

PAIDEIA 2007 summer programs are offered in Thessaloniki, Dion, Kozani, Sparta, Ikaria, Mytilini, Delphi, Karpenisi, Heraklion, Kalamata, and Rhodes in Classical @ Modern Greek, Culture, History, Archaeology and Marine studies.

The program includes various summer concerts, visits to Archaeological sites and monuments of Greece depending on student interest and courses offered. The program includes a number of excursions to museums, galleries, churches and theaters.

Some past destinations with guided field trips have included Kozani, Aiani, Pella, Vergina, Meteora, Volos, Lamia, Delphi, Athens, Thermopylai, Orhomenos, Epidauros, Nafplion, Sparta, Olympia, Patra, Korinthos, Kos, Symi, Patmos.

The courses are intensive for periods of three weeks between the dates: May 13 to June 1, June 3 to June 22, June 24 to July 13, July 1 to July 20, July 22 to August 10

Students will live at rental apartments in walking distance from the classrooms. Thessaloniki students take the afternoon and evening meals at school cafeteria. Students in Dion, Rhodes and other regions of Greece take breakfast and dinner at a restaurant. Meals are seven days a week. Afternoon meal is not included.

Eligibility: It is preferable that students have a grade point average of 2.5 GPA.

Credits: 4 semester hours for Greek language courses and 3 semester hours for history, archaeology and other courses.

Cost: The program fee is $1,200 for one course. For two or more the cost is $900 per course, which includes orientation, tuition, housing, meals, cultural activities, local excursions and field trips. Part of this year program costs for each participant are defrayed through Paideia scholarship support. This scholarship is reflected in the program fee. This does not include the International Student Identity Card, and a nonrefundable $420 fee for registration through the University of Connecticut or other Paideia affiliated Universities.

Additional estimated costs include $1,300 for round-trip airfare, $35 for study abroad health insurance, $700 for personal expenses and about $100 for textbooks. Applications can be obtained at:

Study Abroad Programs or Center for Hellenic Studies Paideia

University of Connecticut  Campus of the University of Connecticut

368 Fairfield Rd., Unit 2207 28 Dog lane, P.O. Box 818,

Storrs, CT 06269-1207  Storrs, CT 06268-0818

Tel. (860)486-5022  Tel/fax (860)429-8518

http://www.studyabroad.uconn.edu Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

  www.paideiaonline.org 

PAIDEIA 2007 SUMMER PROGRAMS IN GREECE

All students must sign for 1 or 2 courses with a maximum of five.

1. ____ ELEMENTARY MODERN GREEK I

Rhodes, May 13 to June 1. Four credits

Rhodes, June 3 to June 22. Four credits

Rhodes, July 1 to July 20. Four credits

Kalamata, July 1 to July 20. Four credits

2. ____ ELEMENTARY MODERN GREEK II

Thessaloniki, May 13 to June 1. Four credits

Thessaloniki, June 3 to June 22. Four credits

Kalamata, July 1 to July 20. Four credits

Rhodes, July 22 to August 10. Four credits

3. ____HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF CLASSICAL GREECE

Dion-Alexandreion, May 13 to June 1. Three credits

Dion-Alexandreion, June 3 to June 22. Three credits

Dion-Alexandreion, August 26 to September 14. Three credits

4. ____HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY OF ANCIENT MACEDONIA

Aiani-Kozanis and Dion, July 8 July to July 27. Three credits

5. ____INTERMEDIATE MODERN GREEK I

Rhodes, June 3 to June 22. Four credits

6. ____MINOAN & MYCENAEAN HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Sparta-Pellana, July 1 to July 20. Three credits

7. ____CLASSICAL GREEK I

Rhodes, June 3 to June 22. Four credits

8. ____THE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE OF GREECE

Ikaria, July 1 to July 22. Three credits

Study tour around Greece and Rhodes, July 18 - August 9 3 credits

9. ____GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Rhodes, July 1 to July 20. Three credits

10. ____THE GREEK ENVIRONMENT

Rhodes and Karpenisi, June 24 to July 13. Three credits

11. ____BYZANTINE ART HISTORY

Rhodes, May 13 to June 1. Three Credits

12. ____ MGRK 293 THE GREEK THEATER

 Kalamata-Delphi, July 10 to July 31. Three credits

13. ____MARINE ECOLOGY

Mytilini, June 3 to June 22. Three credits

14. ____ AQUA CULTURE IN MEDITERRANEAN

Herakleion, June 3 to June 22. Three credits

15. ____INTRODUCTION TO MARINE & COASTAL LAW

Rhodes, June 3 to June 22. Three credits

16. ____ BIOLOGY & GENETICS OF MEDITERRANEAN

  Herakleion, June 3 to June 22. Three credits

17. ____MARINE BIOLOGY & FISHERIES IN MEDITERRANEAN

 Herakleion, June 3 to June 22. Three credits

18. ____ INTERMEDIATE DRAWING

 Rhodes, June 3 to June 22. Three credits

19. ____ GREEK LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Study tour around Greece & Rhodes, July 18  August 8 3 credits

For an application please go at www.studyabroad.uconn.edu

For semester/year or summer programs please contact Prof. Ilias Tomazos (860)429-8518

Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  www.paideiaonline.org

Αθήνα, 19.4.2007
            Προς 
            τους Υπουργούς
α) Εσωτερικών,
Δημόσιας Διοίκησης και Αποκέντρωσης  κ. Προκόπη Παυλόπουλο
β) Εξωτερικών κα Ντόρα Μπακογιάννη

Κυρία και κύριε Υπουργέ,

στις 16.3.2007 διαβιβάσατε και στο ΠΑΣΟΚ «προσχέδιο» νόμου με τον τίτλο «Άσκηση του εκλογικού δικαιώματος κατά τις γενικές βουλευτικές εκλογές από τους Έλληνες εκλογείς που κατοικούν στο εξωτερικό» ζητώντας τη θέση της αξιωματικής αντιπολίτευσης, όπως και των άλλων κομμάτων.
Μία από τις πιο σημαντικές κατακτήσεις της αναθεώρησης του Συντάγματος του 2001 είναι η πλήρης κατοχύρωση της ψήφου των αποδήμων και παράλληλα η πρόβλεψη ότι ο σχετικός νόμος πρέπει να είναι προϊόν ευρύτατης συναίνεσης και να ψηφιστεί με αυξημένη πλειοψηφία τουλάχιστον των 2/3 του όλου αριθμού των βουλευτών.
Εκτός όμως από τη συνταγματικά επιβεβλημένη διακομματική διαβούλευση και συναίνεση, βαρύνων πρέπει να είναι στο ζήτημα αυτό ο λόγος του ΣΑΕ που είναι ο συνταγματικά προβλεπόμενος εκφραστής του απόδημου ελληνισμού, αλλά και όλων γενικά των κοινοτήτων και οργανώσεων του Ελληνισμού της Διασποράς.
Το ΠΑΣΟΚ μελέτησε με προσοχή το «προσχέδιο» (που έχει βέβαια τη μορφή ολοκληρωμένου σχεδίου νόμου) και συζήτησε διεξοδικά με τους εκπροσώπους του ΣΑΕ και των αποδήμων σε όλες τις ηπείρους.
Το «προσχέδιο» μεταφέρει ουσιαστικά το σχήμα που εφαρμόζεται για τη συμμετοχή στις εκλογές για την ανάδειξη των μελών του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου των Ελλήνων πολιτών που κατοικούν σε άλλες χώρες - μέλη της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης και στις γενικές βουλευτικές εκλογές. Αυτό έχει ως αποτέλεσμα να προκρίνεται ουσιαστικά η οργάνωση εκλογικών τμημάτων ετεροδημοτών για όλες τις εκλογικές περιφέρειες της χώρας σε όλα τα γενικά ή έμμισθα προξενεία της χώρας ανά την υφήλιο.
Κατά τον τρόπο αυτό οι απόδημοι Έλληνες καλούνται να μετάσχουν στην προεκλογική αντιπαράθεση και στους εκλογικούς συσχετισμούς μεταξύ κομμάτων και μεταξύ υποψηφίων βουλευτών στην εκλογική περιφέρεια του νομού της καταγωγής τους, στους εκλογικούς καταλόγους της οποίας είναι γραμμένοι. Αυτό όμως σημαίνει ότι οι απόδημοι λειτουργούν ως «συμπλήρωμα» του συσχετισμού αυτού και δεν εκφράζονται ως μία κοινότητα με ιδιαίτερη φυσιογνωμία και ειδικά προβλήματα. Όλο αυτό το σχήμα θέτει ανυπέρβλητα τεχνικά, θεσμικά, κοινωνικά και πολιτικά προβλήματα: Τα κόμματα και όλοι οι υποψήφιοι βουλευτές, όλων των κομμάτων και όλων των εκλογικών περιφερειών της χώρας, πρέπει να επιδιώξουν προεκλογική επαφή με όλες τις κοινότητες αποδήμων σε όλα τα μέρη του κόσμου.
Από την άλλη δε πλευρά, οι κοινότητες των αποδήμων καλούνται να εκφραστούν όχι μόνο ανάλογα με την κομματική προτίμηση και την προτίμηση στο πρόσωπο υποψηφίων βουλευτών, αλλά και ανάλογα με τον τόπο καταγωγής του κάθε αποδήμου με συνέπεια να καταστρατηγείται η μυστικότητα της ψήφου όταν μικροί εκλογικοί πληθυσμοί αποδήμων καλούνται να επιλέξουν κόμματα και υποψηφίους μικρών εκλογικών περιφερειών.
Επιπλέον υπάρχουν τεράστια προβλήματα οργάνωσης της εκλογικής διαδικασίας, κατάρτισης των ειδικών καταλόγων, καταμέτρησης και μεταφοράς των ψηφοδελτίων και του λοιπού εκλογικού υλικού στην Ελλάδα κ.ο.κ. Το κρισιμότερο όμως είναι ότι με τη μέθοδο αυτή δεν διασφαλίζεται η εκπροσώπηση των αποδήμων ως ιδιαίτερης κατηγορίας στην Βουλή των Ελλήνων μέσω βουλευτών κατά προτίμηση αποδήμων που είναι γνώστες των προβλημάτων και των ιδιαίτερων συνθηκών υπό τις οποίες ζουν οι απόδημοι Έλληνες. Η δική μας προσέγγιση είναι ριζικά διαφορετική.
Θέση μας είναι ότι μπορεί να επιδιωχθεί η αυθεντική και λειτουργική εκπροσώπηση των αποδήμων με τη συγκρότηση εκλογικών περιφερειών αποδήμων. Ως εκλογική επικράτεια κατά το Σύνταγμα νοείται το σύνολο των τόπων εγγραφής και κατοικίας των μελών του εκλογικού σώματος.  Στο πλαίσιο του άρθρου 54 του Συντάγματος οι εκλογικές αυτές περιφέρειες θα διαθέτουν αριθμό βουλευτικών εδρών ανάλογα με το νόμιμο πληθυσμό του, όπως αυτός προκύπτει από τα ειδικά δημοτολόγια αποδήμων που πρέπει να συγκροτηθούν. Μία λογική μείωση των βουλευτών επικρατείας θα επέτρεπε να μην θιγούν  οι έδρες των σημερινών εκλογικών περιφερειών της χώρας.
Αυτό επιτρέπει την εκπροσώπηση των αποδήμων στη Βουλή των Ελλήνων ως διακριτής κατηγορίας και την ουσιαστική και πραγματικά ισότιμη πολιτική και εκλογική συμμετοχή τους.
Παράλληλα η εφαρμογή της μεθόδου της επιστολικής ψήφου θα επιτρέψει τη διασφάλιση του αδιάβλητου της διαδικασίας με τα απλούστερα και χαμηλότερου κόστους μέσα, χωρίς τεχνικές δυσχέρειες και χωρίς να καθίστανται αναγκαία η δύσκολη πολλές φορές μετακίνηση των αποδήμων στις έδρες των προξενείων.
Το ΠΑΣΟΚ πολύ σύντομα θα αποστείλει στα κόμματα για διαβούλευση τις θέσεις του αυτές με τη μορφή πρότασης νόμου, που θα μπορεί να συγκεντρώσει την αναγκαία κατά το Σύνταγμα αυξημένη πλειοψηφία των 2/3 του όλου αριθμού των βουλευτών.

Με τιμή
Ευάγγελος Βενιζέλος
Υπεύθυνος του Τομέα Εσωτερικών, Δημόσιας Διοίκησης και Αποκέντρωσης

The foundations for the operation of SAE America under the new law 3480/2006 set forth by the Greek State, were set during the first RCC meeting that took place on April 13th to the 14th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in New York.
President Spyropoulos reported that he is working on a draft version of the Bylaws under which the RCC of SAE USA Region will operate, modeled after some of the other RegionsΌ Bylaws and informed the attendees that he will send it to the members as soon as it is complete. He announced that he has registered the organization as a 501 ( c ) 3 and obtained a Federal Tax ID number.
Mr Spyropoulos stated that in the near future SAE USA Region will obtain a new headquarters facility in Chicago. Also, a new website for SAE USA is in the process of being developed.
During the meeting several issues of great importance to Hellenism were discussed.
Voting in the Greek National Elections.
It was made clear that the right to vote in the National Elections for all Greek Citizens is a given. Those who are eligible and wish to exercise their voting right, regardless of their place of residence, may do so.
After extensive discussion, the RCC unanimously voted to authorize President Spyropoulos to convey the following message to the Greek Government: 
1) Greek-Americans propose the election of their own representative(s) from the USA Region to represent them in the Greek Parliament.
2) Greek-Americans support the absentee vote.
President Spyropoulos was authorized to negotiate the details within the parameters mentioned above.
Regional Representation
All members acknowledged and agreed on to the fact that the current membership list of SAE USA Region representatives needs to be revised and updated. 
The council members stressed that the main objective is to achieve the most effective representation for a strong S.A.E. USA Region. For this reason, a set of qualification criteria will be developed.
The members of the RCC will make every effort to encourage the establishment of additional Federations -based on criteria of locality as well as their thematic categories- in order to minimize individual organization membership and emphasize representation in the Federations. Additionally, it was pointed out that certain organizations of strategic importance should continue to be represented individually. 

After the primary examination of the SAE membership list provided by the General Secretariat of Greeks Abroad it is evident that certain phantom organizations should be eliminated. However, it was requested (since middle March) by all organizations currently on the list, to update their data information, so as to be appropriately documented and be assigned the appropriate number of representatives.

Financial Independence of SAE

The RCC unanimously agreed that SAE USA Region should seek financial independence so as to avoid its dependence (and subservient to) on the Greek State funds. Discussion on the matter will continue in future meetings.

The issues of youth participation and the Hellenic Paideia were discussed extensively. All members agreed that in order for young adults to participate in SAE affairs, they should be provided with the appropriate incentives.

Free trips to Greece, the youth camps, and parties, do not offer the desired results, as they have a short-term effect. As it was stressed, SAE should introduce a new tactic to approach the youth, taking under consideration its needs and aspirations.

Members Galanakis and Economides volunteered to work with Gus Karalekas and make the appropriate recommendations.

Regarding the issue of the Hellenic Paideia, all participants agreed that this is a matter where SAEΌs responsible leadership is in need to bring positive results. As it was said, this is an issue where SAE CAN make a difference. However, it was pointed out that due to the complexity of the matter, SAE should carefully formulate its strategy.
The members of RCC will continue to work on this subject as one of their targeted areas.
The need for close cooperation and better coordination of all forces of Hellenism in order to promote our National Issues to the USA Government was also stressed during the proceedings of the first RCC meeting. The council members emphasized on the issue of respect to the Religious Freedom, currently violated by Turkey, as is the case with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Halki Patriarchal School of Theology.
Other issues discussed were : the support of the Hellenic Studies programs, the project of recording the Hellenes in USA, the businesses owned by Greek Americans, and Academicians of Greek origin in USA, as well as the institution of Elliniada, the program Plant Your Roots in Greece, and the support to the international campaign for the Restitution of the Parthenon Sculptures. Discussion on the above mentioned issues will continue in future meetings of the RCC.
SAE, USA Region, will also coordinate efforts so that Greece can be admitted to the Visa Waiver program, as the country has met all the criteria for participation.
The objective of the first meeting of RCC SAE USA Region was for the members to get acquainted with each other and with each otherΌs views on some of the important subjects so to better facilitate cooperation and communication among them.
The next meeting is expected to take place in June, most likely at the new SAE headquarters in Chicago.
On Friday afternoon (4/13/07) the RCC welcomed the members of the Special Standing Committee on Greeks Abroad  of the Hellenic ParliamentΌs Chairman Evgenios Haitidis (ND), first Vice Chairman Grigoris Niotis (PASOK), and member Dimitrios Tsiogas (KKE). The MPs offered a personal greeting, expressing their support to SAE and emphasizing their commitment to cooperate with SAE USA Region. 
President Spyropoulos informed them on the issues discussed during the meeting.
The MPs had the opportunity to exchange views on the Voting Right of Greeks Abroad with the members of the council. Their views seemed to be closer to the proposed preliminary law, but they stated that they understand the position expressed by the Greek-American community on the absentee ballot and the representation by our own elected representatives. 
They plighted to consider those positions and convey them to the entire committee.
On Saturday, 4/14/07, the members of the RCC welcomed Mr. Manolis Velivasakis, President of the Hellenic American National Council. President Spyropoulos updated him on the topics brought forth for discussion. The two officials had the opportunity to exchange information on matters of mutual interests.