|
Homestay + 1 - Taro %Yasuhi, April 19th, 2010
Peace Cafe, April 13th, 2010
World Environment Day, June 5th, 2009
New
SWYAA Forum
World
Environment Day, June 5th, 2008
"One
more Child goes to School Project"
1st SWYAA Global Assembly
Global
Photo Contest and Our World, One World project
Renaissance
Reunion in Greece - 2006
Asia
on the spotlight
International
Understanding Project between Greece and Egypt
"Santa
Barbara meets Japan" Report for the presentation made by Mrs Akari Murata
Greenwave
Project, World Environment Day, June 5th 2009
Did you know that most plants can contribute to a number of issues concerning
our homes? Basil and levanda for instance can keep insects -ants and mosquitoes-
away from your place while cactaceous plants can absorb the biggest part of
radiation emitted by tv sets computers etc. Mushrooms are natural collectors of
radioactivity while aloe Vera can be used for skin invigoration and hydration.
Mint, lemongrass, rosemary, thyme and chilly pepper plants can be used for a
number of recipes, keep them in your balcony! Dracaena is the best way to get
rid of cigarette smoke in your living room while a room with plants can
definitely relax anyone living there.
It is known that plants absorb Co2 and help against climate change and the green
house effect. Even if your place is quite dark, there are plants -like zamia-
that can survive and improve air quality...
On June 5th, humanity celebrates the International day for the environment. SWY-Greece
is contributing launching the Green Wave project and we are asking everybody's
help. It is something very simple, it takes no time at all and costs almost
nothing. All you have to do is "adopt" a plant. Just buy a plant, smaller or
bigger, and put it in your place, office, yard, balcony. In case you want to
organize something bigger, gather with friends, ask your colleagues or -in case
you are a teacher- your students to participate, even buy a tree and plant it in
a park, school yard or garden. Take a photo and send it to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Share this information with your friends and ask them to participate too...
EVERYONE can participate!
It is the easiest thing and there is no excuse for not participating. Just bare
in mind that if all pys participate we will have more than 5000 plants globally,
if all pys ask their friends, we can create a tsunami with more than 100.000
plants...
Remember: June 5th, either if you work or relax, just get a plant on your way
home. Take a photo, send it to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
and when all photos are
uploaded in our webpage, enjoy the photos of your friends while the green wave
is starting from Fiji, Tonga and Solomon islands and finishing at the western
part of America...
All of us together can do miracles!
Thank you all who participated in our project. Please keep sending your photos
to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
and
we will be gladly post it in our website!
 |
 |
|
Dalia Bari - Mexico,
currently in Israel |
Elham Al Koohiji - Bahrain |
 |
 |
|
Lee Wai - Singapore |
Pavlos Pavlakis and Xrysavgi Titsi - Greece |
 |
 |
|
Stella Pantazidou - Greece |
Tamae Saito - Japan |
 |
 |
|
Baliakos Ioannis - Greece |
Yuka - Japan |
Yiota Spyrou - Greece |
 |
|
Vassilis Tikos - Greece |
 |
|
Konstantinos Tsigkaras - Greece |
New
SWYAA Forum
 |
During the 13th Ex-PY Conference, last March, it was agreed among the representatives of the countries who took part to create a forum that will facilitate our way of discussing different issues.
During the 13th Ex-PY Conference, last March, it was agreed
among therepresentatives of the countries who took part to
create a forum that will facilitate our way of discussing
different issues.
The forum is now ready and waits for you to ckeck it out and
start fruitful discussions! It is a place for anyone in our big
SWY family, to raise questions on existing topics or create new
ones and obtain answers, exchange information, chat and find out
about the latest news or events that are being posted.
We welcome you and we hope that we will all use this new
discussion tool to spread relevant information and strengthen
our bonds.
http://www.swyaa-forum.net/
March 2010 - The site is down as it will be relaunched soon in a new and
more secure server. Thank you for your patience!
|
World
Environment Day, June 5th 2008 On the World Environment Day, June 5th, alumni members took part in the cleaning
of the beach of the region of Voula.
Click on images to enlarge
One
more Child goes to School Project
SWY Greece supports the "One more
Child goes to School Project" by “adopting” two children in Sri Lanka.
A campaign to make the project known will follow with closer cooperation with
ANCE (Athens Network of Collaborating Experts) that runs the project for Greece.
Since May 10th SWY Greece members committed themselves to support those two
children in that area till they reach adulthood.
1st SWYAA Global Assembly
Learn here
everything about the 1st SWYAA Global Assembly organised in Athens in September
2007 as well as the extended program to Mykonos and Corfu.
Global Photo Contest and Our World,
One World project
SWY Greece AA presented a photo exhibition of Global Photo Contest and Our World,
One World project.
You can read more on the
newsletter
Renaissance
Reunion in Greece - 2006
 |
SWY Greece Alumni Association organized the first
REN reunion in Greece from September 22nd to October 1st, 2006.
|
Asia
on the spotlight
On the 6th of June 2006, a short presentation for Japan and Korea took place
for the Greek students (age between 20s-30s) of XINI Foreign Languages School
in Athens, thanks to Tomoko Yanase, SWY14 py.
Being one of the oldest schools in Greece that started teaching Japanese
language they were happy to welcome the participants of the SWY, hoping
one day their students to be involved too. Students have their own motives
for learning Japanese like Lina who would like to work in the Tourism industry
or Verra who visited Japan with her University and got a deep interest about
this country.
Tomoko was accompanied by her fellow students from Ireland, Michiko (Japan),
Ka Young and Hye–Jin from Korea. It was hard to guess who is from which
country, making all the students guessing wrong but it was a way to laugh
and feel at ease!
The presentation started with Vassilis Tikos (SWY6), president of the SWY
Greek Alumni who explained about the importance of the program and encouraged
the students to participate in future.
Yiota I. (SWY14), General Secretary of the Alumni being now very good in
Japanese language, spoke about being herself a student like them few years
ago.
Michiko, Ka Young, Hye-Jin and Tomoko presented their country and themselves,
the meaning of their names, their studies and work field, their countrymen
habits. The teacher, Mrs. Midori Ota, who happened to be from the same city
like Michiko, advised to talk in Japanese being a good chance for practice.
However the real ice breaking was in the second part where the girls sat
with the students and talked almost about everything, such as the music,
the Japanese and Korean writing, the habits and so on. This took longer
time than originally planned taking almost the whole of the two hours lesson’s
duration. No one wished this to end.
Small surprise waited the students as Japanese sweets from the only Japanese
shop in Athens were distributed. However what made the students happy was
the cd with the songs of Hirai Ken that was given to all. A SWY14 PY had
kindly sent it all the way from Japan.
Zoi one of the students, surprised Yanachi and Michiko for her deep knowledge
in modern Japanese music and Anime, her main motives for starting Japanese
language. The following day she asked to meet the girls and presented to
each of the four a cd with Japanese songs including the bands “UVER world”,
“D-technolife”, “High-end Mighty Color” and so on!
When Yanachi revealed to them that the SWY program has inherited in her
a strong bond, the feeling that Yiota, Vassilis, Katerina and the other
Pys are family to her, she really moved us as we also feel the same.
When it was time to go, the students made in no time the Greek “origami”
that is a paper boat and offered it to each guest together with Thank you
Letters. They exchanged emails and we all wished MATA AIMASHYO.
* The SWYGREECE Alumni would like to thank the Head of XINI Foreign Languages
School, the teacher Mrs. Midori OTA, Tomoko Yanase (SWY14), Michiko, Ka
Young, Hye-Jin for their contribution.
International
Understanding Project between Greece and Egypt
 |
Cairo Citandel
After so many dreams and preparations, we arrived in
Cairo. When the sun has risen over the thousant minarets
of this magic city, our joy has risen to heaven meeting
our swy family members there. Ahmed Amin (swy6) and
Radwa Saad (swy10) were our first guides to the Citandel
and the old Cairo.
|
Al Fayoum Oasis
A trip to the desert showed us that Nippon Maru is always
in our lives, no matter where we might ever be. A small
boat in the middle of the desert, near Wady Al Rayan
lakes, proved to be the best place for a "photo session"
for both Greek and Egyptian swy members. Amani Rabei
(swy6-14), Radwa and Doaa Fathy (swy14) together with
Vasilis Tikos begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting (swy6) and Katerina Lygkoni (swy14) embarked
for a trip to memories.
|
 |
 |
International Understanding
Vasilis and Radwa, with the
help of Perihan Adel (swy14), Katerina and 4 more Athens2004
volunteers presented the educational material for international
understanding to the students of Hayah International
Academy, as it was created in the Ren03 program.
|
|
Olympic Games as a factor of International
Understanding
The recent success of the Athens2004 Olympic and Paralympic
Games, was vivified in the presentation hall with the
presence of the Olympic torch which amazed the students
and generated excitement.
|
 |
 |
Future Torchbearers?
Students of the Hayah International Academy
are getting photographed with the volunteers and the torch.
Their joy and smiley faces together with their passion to
knowledge and understanding illuminated the school like
another Olympic flame.
|
|
Commemorative photo of the school administration, the
swy members and the Athens2004 volunteers.
|
 |
 |
Certificates of appreciation and gifts presented by
the school administration to the Greek delegation and
swy members.
|
|
An olive tree was given to the school as a message of
peace by the Greek delegation. Moreover, about 70 letters
from Greek students were delivered to the Egyptian students
for the beginning of a pen pal project. Now, we are
looking for prospects to innitiate a student exchange
program between the two countries.
|
 |
 |
Even if international understanding does not involve
taking monuments back home, we definitely tried to and
Ahmed Barakat (swy14) did his best to help us...
Thank you Egypt for the warmest hospitality!!!
|
.
Agenta of the presentation:
25/01/2005
The importance of Education
International Understanding towards global peace
Olympic Games as a factor of International Understanding
The Athens 2004 Olympic Games and its contribution to
Olympism (first global torch relay, Cultural Olympiad,
Olympic Truce)
Volunteerism and its importance to the individual
and society as a whole
Presented by:
Vasilis Tikos (swy6-ren03)
Radwa Saad (swy10-ren03)
Perihan Adel (swy14-ren03)
Katerina Lygkoni (swy14)
Amani Rabei (swy6/14)
The Athens2004 volunteers:
Evgenia Grigoriou
Vivi Zissi
Viki Skandali
Christina Varlami
Special thanks to:
the Hayah International Academy in Cairo and the Greek-German
School of Athens Administration and staff.
Theodora Trigoni and Yasmeen Nizamy for their precious
help.
|
|
SANTA
BARBARA MEETS JAPAN
by Katerina Lygkoni (SWY14)
 |
Mrs. Akari greeted pupils in
Greek and Japanese language. First part of the
presentation was about the geography, population,
history, language and customs of Japan.
|
Photo session followed, between
Akari, Katerina, the teachers and the students
holding the Olympic Torch and the Japanese crane,
symbols of peace.
|
|
In the west of Athens lies the
municipality of Agia Varvara or “ Santa Barbara ” as
its inhabitants have jokingly nicknamed her. It is a
poor, underprivileged area, deprived of any greenery
or clean air.
A ray of hope for a better future that is, better educated,
open-minded active youths, is nested in a squeezed by
house apartments schoolhouse, the 2nd primary school
of Agia Varvara . It's knowledgeable, open-minded teachers
are working hard to expand their student's life horizons.
This explains why the whole school stopped all lessons
and 250 students assembled in the school's auditorium
to attend Akari Murata's presentation about Japan.
On the 30 th of May 2005, Akari Murata from SWY14, was
the first Japanese person to have entered the school.
It was the first time for most of the students to meet
Asia so close and their curiosity was high. Akari was
well prepared for it. In cooperation with the Japanese
Embassy in Greece , she obtained sufficient material
such as music and videotapes for display as well as
250 booklets in Greek language about the history, geography,
culture, economy and everyday life of Japan for all
students and their parents.
Music from Shamisen was in the air until all students
assembled. Akari greeted pupils in Greek and Japanese
language. First part of the presentation was about the
geography, population, history, language and customs
of Japan as well as SWY. This knowledge was new for
the excited students but whenever Akari asked about
Toyota , Suzuki, Panasonic and Sony and of course Pokemon
and other cartoons, all pupils knew them very well!
In the second part, students watched a short video on
one of the most famous Festivals in Kyoto , the Bon
Festival.
The third part of the presentation was the most exciting
moment for the pupils! Time for Origami! Akari spoke
about the meaning of the art of folded paper for the
Japanese people and to their surprise, a colored paper
was transformed in her hands into a Samurai's hat, the
“Kabuto”! It was time for each of them to put their
effort and make one under the directions of Akari. To
her and mine surprise, they did so well, having hundreds
of small Kabutos been waved happily in the air by proud
Greek students. For the proud teachers as well…
A touching moment when Akari ended her speech with the
advice that, no matter how far is Japan , no matter
how difficult Greek Language is for her or Japanese
for them, the friendship and warmth she felt from her
SWY Greek Family during her stay in Greece , abolished
the wall of the unknown and brought both countries so
close. She then urged them to participate in the same
and similar international programs.
It was time to end the presentation. Students did not
want to leave. They practically rushed at Akari asking
her about Japan , Origami, and Japanese writing, in
the hope for an exclusive talk! Teachers were trying
hard to put them back into lines to return to their
classrooms. Akari promised them that she would see them
very soon. She did, entering in every classroom to say
goodbye to the students and offering a huge colorful
origami crane to each teacher, a gesture of Peace, Friendship,
and Good Luck to all.
Later on, 5 th Grade classes attended short talk about
the Olympic Flame, its International Route , and the
similarities and differences between the Sydney 2000
and the Athens 2004 Olympic Games by SWY14 PY Katerina
Lygkoni. I was wearing the Sydney 2000 volunteer uniform
whereas Mrs Irini Lani one of their teachers, was wearing
the Athens 2004 Olympic uniform, being a volunteer herself
and setting the example for prospective volunteerism
from her students.
Photo session followed, between Akari, Katerina, the
teachers and the students holding the Olympic Torch
and the Japanese crane, symbols of peace.
The Greek SWY alumni would like to thank Akari Murata,
SWY14, for her contribution and well prepared presentation.
She certainly planted the seeds of wish in their hearts
for international participation, for more involvement,
for a better future...
|
|
|
