On the 23rd of June 2004 the Foundation of the Hellenic World presented its work and activities at the hall of the Senate of the Parliament, after an invitation by the Special Permanent Committee of the Parliament for Issues of Hellenism Abroad. It is worth mentioning that there were present Members of the Parliament from all the Greek parties, who showed great interest during the presentation that lasted for one hour. Present were also Greeks who lived and worked as journalists in Europe and America and who helped to create a picture of Hellenism living and creating abroad.
The presentation started with the warmest welcome by the President of the Committee and Member of the Parliament Mr. Evgenios Haitidis to the representatives of the Foundation. Then, FHW’s President Mr. Lazaros Efraimoglou took the stand.
In his brief speech the President mentioned FHW’s mission and its capabilities and, thanking the Parliament for their honorary invitation, he invited the members of the Parliament to a dialogue, in order to establish a creative collaboration with substantial results of the Greeks living abroad.
Then, the Foundation’s Managing Director Mr. Dimitris Efraimoglou, in his speech, presented the course of the cultural centre Hellenic Cosmos, but also the voluminous cultural and educational material available to all the Greeks, both in and outside the Greek borders, through the use of new technologies. He also mentioned the Foundation’s web sites, which possess excellent content and audiovisual material, and he explained how they constitute educational tools for Greeks and foreigners all over the world. Furthermore, he spoke about the creation of visual material, essential and suitable in the use and enhancement of students’ libraries –traditional or not– in Greek schools.
In this framework, FHW’s CD-ROMs “Path of Knowledge – Destination Hellenic History” were presented. This remarkable series, which is addressed both to children and adults, is an excellent medium to approach Hellenic history in a way that is both easy to understand and entertaining. Available in Greek and English, with more than 1,700 questions, including a complete encyclopedia of Hellenic history and various levels of difficulty in the questions and activities, the “Path of Knowledge” begins at the Stone Age and reaches the modern times. With the same educational rationale we have completed yet another version of the “Path” with material from the ancient and modern Olympic Games.
After the end of the presentation the members of the parliament-committee, who were rather enthusiastic and all of them supported the promotion of the educational CD-ROMs to every school and youth library. At the same time, they suggested that the “Path of Knowledge” should be sent not only to the Greeks living abroad but also to schools all over Greece and to offer it to those that participate in the Youth Parliament. The impressive warm response of the members of all parties and the intense interest they showed in the presentation is reflected in the words of the Member of the Parlimanent for Sinaspismos Rizospastikis Mr. Alexandros Alavanos, who not only prolonged his stay at the presentation, although he had to attend another meeting, but he also thanked and congratulated FHW for their initiative and contribution.
Among the comments, it is worth mentioning the observation of the Member of the Parliament for PASOK and First Vice President of the Committee Mr. Grigoris Niotis, who said: “Congratulations Mr. Efraimoglou, we wish you strength to continue your work. I hope that we, as the state, will not disappoint you every time you request our help and I hope that in our following meeting we will have something positive and creative for the Foundation”.
Mr. Nikolaos Gkatzis, Member of the Parliament for KKE and 2nd Vice President of the Committee, said: “We should take advantage of this opportunity for collaborating with the Foundation”.
Mr. Stilianos Matzapetakis, Member of the Parliament for PASOK said: “What is more living, what can be a greater contact with our country and its history, than such a CD-ROM and a Greek flag that sometimes is not even there. I would like to express my great joy; I would like you to continue your work. Invite us, since we are going to visit you anyway”.
Mr. Maximos Harakopoulos, Member of the Parliament for ND, said: “The minimum that can be done by the Greek State and the Hellenic Parliament is to promote in every way this knowledge existing in the Foundation, with the ways mentioned by my colleagues earlier".
