Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Photo of the Day: 25th March - Greek Independence Day - Ζήτω ο Ελληνισμός!


National Day Parade through the eyes of a child: 
My 5 year old's drawing of the 25th March...  
With Greece's trials and tribulations over the last few years it becomes increasingly important for all of us in the Global Greek World to fight for the values and ideals passed down to us and for our future as Hellenes. 

 Let's teach our children to love their homeland.

 Ζήτω η Ελλάδα, 
Ζήτω η Κύπρος, 
Ζήτω ο Ελληνισμός! 

 Χρόνια Πολλά Βαγγελία και Βαγγέλη!
Xronia Polla Evangelia and Evangelos! 



At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!
 © GlobalGreekWorld 2014 All Rights Reserved

Friday, March 21, 2014

Today We Are 5!!! Χρόνια μας Πολλά! Happy Birthday to Us!


Happy Birthday  - Χρόνια Πολλά!
Original Photo: Elizabeth Karras 

Today we are ... 
5
21 March marks the beginning of Spring in Greece and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere while March is traditionally a month of renewal and new beginnings…



Our household is no exception to this. 

Our most precious and wonderful stars came to life, both literally and figuratively, during the month of March!

Our little Miss 13 turns 14 at the end of the month, the little sweetheart who little Miss 13 is Nona to turns 2 today, and with her, Global Greek World turns 5!!!

Hard to believe that it is already 5 years since the day we published our first post, 5 years since we started our journey into the wonderful world of the people we call Global Greeks, the world of the Hellenic Diaspora both in Greece and in our vibrant and dynamic Global Greek communities abroad.

Over these 5 years, we have made it our goal to focus on the positive aspects of Greece and our people in the world, selecting and highlighting our Global Greek shakers, movers and achievers.

We’ve focused on bright, creative, talented, dynamic and forward-looking Global Greeks who have turned adversity into advantage and excelled both at home and on the world stage. Despite the prevailing doom and gloom of the economic crisis which Greece has had to grapple with and which has led to dramatic changes across a broad spectrum of Greek society and life in Greece, these are the people who should serve as role models for the generations to come.

We've chosen some of these great role models to be part of a new section we will be featuring on our site from today, a section we have named  


We asked some of our Global Greeks the same 20 questions and told them to answer in any way they want! Well, we have had some really interesting responses which we are sure you will enjoy reading! Thoughtful and thought provoking indeed! Keep them coming!

In our first five years which have coincided with Greece's debilitating economic crisis, we have often been accused of sugar-coating the truth. It isn’t true. We try to look on the bright side of the economic crisis, looking at the opportunities and the benefits that can come out of such crises.

We’ve focused on Greece and being Greek and all that that entails.

We’ve focused on things that have made us feel good about being Greek, things that have made us feel good about Greece. Not that we haven’t done our share of criticizing the powers that be who have led this beautiful country into the worst debacle in its post war history, for their inactivity, inadequacy and general impotence to nip situations in the bud before they got out of hand, and the lack of controls in all forms of civil life.

Our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest pages are active and interactive and cover  all those subjects which are so relevant to our lives as Hellenes in Greece and abroad. 

If you follow us you will know we discuss everything: from Athens' Magical, Unforgettable Olympic Games, the Aganaktismenoi demonstrations in Syntagma, and the naming issue of FYROM to Greek traditions, the Greek Yoghurts and cheeses available in supermarkets in the USA and, of course, Mission/Pilgrimage/Campaign for the Repatriation of the Parthenon Sculptures which we support with passion!  




In these 5 years we have tried to give something back to our homeland, to do something for Greece. Under the umbrella of Global Greek World we have set up and run initiatives dear to our hearts, initiatives which we believe in and will develop even further in the next couple of years. 

Global Greek of the Year

In 2012 we held our first Global Greek of the Year Poll. Over 20 nominations of Greeks from various parts of our Global Greek World who have honoured their Hellenism came from our readers.

The Honorary Global Greek of the Year Award went to Mikis Theodorakis, our legendary composer, for his unique and tremendous contribution to Greek music, art and culture, for giving us such a rich and inspiring musical heritage. 

Greece's beloved international tenor, Mario Frangoulis, was our first ever Global Greek of the Year. Incidentally, Mario will be giving two charity performances today and tomorrow at New York's Lincoln Centre. The concerts in aid of New Yorkers for Children and Apostoli-Mission in Greece are sold out! Well done! Way to go Mario! 

Visionary brand strategist Peter Economides came in in 2nd place 
Every Honest Greek Citizen, not surprisingly, polled 3rd


Even Riot-Dog Loukanikos got a nomination!
Visit Greece this Summer 

Greek beaches and tourist spots were never in crisis but the unrest, the political and financial instability driven by the omnipresent threat of bankruptcy along with the persistent strikes almost derailed Greece's major income earner. 

The economic crisis and the foreign media's exaggeration of the problems brought thousands of cancellations from people who had planned to visit but were worried that they would end up stranded.

Along with other Global Greek groups and organisations we decided we had to do something to showcase the beauties of Greece and encourage people to continue to take their holidays here, especially our Global Greeks. With various posts promoting the beauties of Greece and showcasing all the positive aspects as well as the hundreds of high profile visitors such as Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, John Travolta, Russell Crowe, even the Kardashians!  We try to encourage EVERYONE to do the same, to Visit Greece this Summer and not only telling them that Greece is beautiful all year round! You can check out some of our posts on the relevant section of our blog.



 Our Keep Calm and Come to Greece Poster

As part of our Visit Greece this Summer campaign, we have also run 2 very successful World Tourism Day Photo Competitions asking people to submit a photo of Greece for readers to vote for. We got over 200 magnificent photos last year and we set it to music...
Watch the video of all the entries in the sidebar of our blog or on our Global Greek World You Tube Channel!



Over 200 magnificent photos of Greece make up this gorgeous poster

 
Buy GREEK 


The Buy Greek initiative started as a way of supporting and promoting Greek products and Greek jobs. It is aimed at encouraging people to support Greek products and services in the widest sense of the word and refers to all the things available in Greece, from physical products of the land or its industries to Greece's rich and unique cultural heritage, and everything in between, on land or sea.


 This includes supporting industries that have a positive impact on the economy and sustain jobs in Greece because ultimately that is the only way forward... In brief, anything that's Greek owned, produced, invented or made in Greece.

Keeping it in the family: this was created by our little Miss 13

As a by-product of this initiative, we have run a successful Buy GREEK for Xmas Facebook Campaign for the last three Christmases, asking people to prefer something Greek for their Christmas gifts each year. Last year we even had prizes for 5 lucky participants!

One of the many fantastic cover pictures created for 
Buy GREEK 
by the talented Sofia Georgaki of Celeb Photo Copy

Global Greeks for Greece

 Ask not what your country can do for you, 
ask what YOU can do for your country

Μην κοιτάς τι κάνει η πατρίδα για σένα,  
Κοίτα τί μπορείς ΕΣΥ να κάνεις για ΑΥΤΗ...

Global Greeks for Greece is about mobilising Greece's dynamic and resourceful diaspora, a pretty well untapped and underutilised asset, and showcasing those individuals and organisations coming through for our homeland.

We even started a Facebook Page called Enforce the Smoking Ban in Greece! Don't Back Down! hoping that we could do something to help in that respect!


Each of these initiatives will be developed extensively in the very near future, along with others as they come up! Stay tuned!

We welcome your suggestions and feedback on what you see and what you would like to see more of on GGW. We will be more than happy to follow-up.

Our thanks to all of YOU, our friends and followers around the world for your amazing and inspiring support these last 5 years! At GGW as we call it, we look forward to a stronger and more dynamic future. Our homeland is our inspiration, preserving our wonderful heritage for our children and yours is our objective. 

We thank each and everyone of you for joining us on our journey and hope you will stay with us! 

Special thanks must also go to all those friends who have been supportive and generous, donating prizes for our competitions and the prize draws.
 
With everyone's help we can do so much! 

As Peter Economides says...
ΓΙΝΕΤΑI 

or 
as We say...
YES, Greece CAN! 
Let's do it! 




At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!

Join the conversation - help us spread the word
Follow us on Twitter or Instagram
Join us on Facebook 
Pin with us on Pinterest
Link with us on LinkedIn



© GlobalGreekWorld 2014-2018 All Rights Reserved

Friday, March 14, 2014

Photo of the Day: Greek Humour - Don't Cut the Fruit...

 ΜΗ ΚΟΒΕΤΕ ΤΑ ΦΡΟΥΤΑ, ΔΕΝ ΦΥΤΕΨΑΜΕ ΜΑΖΙ ΤΑ ΔΕΝΤΡΑ!
DON'T CUT THE FRUIT, WE DIDN'T PLANT THE TREES TOGETHER!

The residents of this tourist spot getting the message across... 
in true Pangalos style who famously said
Mαζί τα Φάγαμε

Photo taken during our summer holidays in
Mani, beautiful Mani! 


At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows! 
© GlobalGreekWorld 2014 All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Photo of the Day: Global Greek Chef Lefteris Lazarou - Eat GREEK Buy GREEK!


Greece needs to look outward.
If Greece cannot sell her cuisine,
She cannot sell her products...

Lefteris Lazarou
Award Winning Chef
 Varoulko
Xryso Skoufo 2014 (his 21st!) 

Congratulations!

See the list of winning restaurants in the Athinorama Xrysoi Skoufoi 2014 here


At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows!
 © GlobalGreekWorld 2014 All Rights Reserved

Monday, March 10, 2014

Haralambos (Bobby) Tzanetatos: One of our Most Distinguished Global Greeks! Χρόνια Πολλά και Καλά!


Haralambos (Bobby) Tzanetatos
 Global Greek Businessman/Philanthropist
Panama


Haralambos (or Bobby as he prefers to be known) Tzanetatos, is one of our most amazing Global Greeks! 


Bobby left his native Sami in the recently earthquake stricken Ionian island of Kefallonia at the age of 16, in 1950 with one dream, one goal… to get enough money together to buy a car. That, he told me many years ago when we first met, was the only ambition he had when he went to Panama to join his uncle who was working there. He worked hard and got enough money to buy himself a car, but he did so much more than that.

Now one of Panama's wealthiest and most 'connected' citizens, Bobby, an astute and hard-working businessman has never forgotten his origins, his island, his people or his family values, remaining above all, true to himself, with enormous humility, generosity and a helping hand always extended to aid those less fortunate than he – a philanthropist in every sense of the word.


Influential, dynamic and forward thinking but characteristically low profile and unpretentious, Bobby, like so many of our Global Greeks, has put in a lot of time, effort and resources to ensure the Greek flag is flown with pride and honour in their part of the world. At the height of ex-President Noriega’s falling from grace, shortly before he was exiled, Bobby even spent a couple of days on the pretext of importing arms in containers marked as New Zealand Butter, simply because he was on the opposite side.


As Greece's Honorary Consul in Panama for many years now, he has used every single weapon he has to assist his home country and his countrymen when needed.  


Bobby has used the economic benefits he worked so hard to attain and was fortunate to amass to benefit the not-so-fortunate. He has contributed to many projects and charities in Panama and Miami, donating time and money and work behind the scenes for the benefit of Greece and all things Greek in that part of the world. He has donated the funds and the land for building the ATHENA  (ATENEA) Greek School in Panama and has also created the Museum adjacent to it.

Deeply religious and having offered a great deal to the Greek Orthodox Church, Bobby has been honoured with the title of Archon by the Patriarch of Constantinople. 


Given the special honour of hosting Bobby when he came to the other side of the world to meet his product suppliers, I took him on a tour of the city and took great pride in showing him around our city’s Greek Community Centre and of course our Greek Orthodox Church, Evangelismos tis Theotokou. I had the keys to the church as a committee member and he wanted to light a candle…  You can imagine the look on the face of the treasurer to find a couple of crisp 100 US Dollar bills in the pagari, when he opened it the next day.
When Archbishop Christodoulos of Greece was in Miami for the liver transplant he was going to get it was Bobby's house he was staying at and it was Bobby's cousin, the lifesaving transplant surgeon Andreas Tzakis who would perform that operation. Things didn't work out for him but that Christmas, Bobby came to Athens with Andreas Tzakis and went to see the ailing Archbishop in his home in Filothei.  
 
The next evening  Bobby, with his long-time friend and business associate, John Scurtis of Miami, held a small gathering really to honour Andreas Tzakis... We count ourselves lucky to have been among those invited to that function, simply because we were able to hear first hand the amazing stories of unheralded philanthropy from the people who had been the recipients...children, parents and others who had been touched by the magic hands of Dr Tzakis, the welcomed assistance of Bobby and of his close friends in Miami, John and Evangeline Scurtis, two wonderful people, two wonderful Global Greeks,  who have also made it their life’s work to willingly and generously help people in need. 


The Greek mother of a child who had been operated on by Dr Tzakis some years before told us how they arrived in Miami to be greeted by John and Bobby at the airport... at Bobby's request John introduced Bobby as his chauffeur! 


Sadly, life has not been as kind to the Tzanetatos family on a personal level… 10 years ago they lost their daughter Irmita in a freak road accident when she was only 21. 3 years ago their son-in-law, died while on holiday in Greece, and last year they lost another beloved daughter, Lucy. So much tragedy to people who have done nothing but good for their people, whether in Panama or in Greece.


In Greece and in Kefalonia, and Sami in particular, the open hearted generosity of Bobby Tzanetatos, who lets no call for help from his countrymen go unanswered, is well-known but not always recorded, as he is also a very private man working quietly and anonymously much of the time.


In Panama, apart from the Greek school and Museum, Bobby has contributed to many charities and philanthropic causes. He has established the Lucy Tzanetatos Neurological Foundation  and his latest project is the development of a giant hospital complex in Panama, a bio-feedback clinic in honour of his daughter Lucy doing bio-feedback studies and the Lucy Tzanetatos Home which provides free lodging, medical care, meals, clothing and activities for mothers who have very sick children in the hospital and have nowhere to stay. 


Bobby’s ethos and drive means that despite his personal tragedies he continues just as he has done for so many years, working hard and heavily involved in his numerous business interests, which are wide and varied, and encompass supermarkets, real estate and shipping, to name but a few. 


From us at Global Greek World, we want to thank him for all he has done for Hellenism and wish him a very happy nameday today. May he be blessed with many many more in the years to come! 


Χρόνια Πολλά και να είσαστε πάντα καλά!




At Global Greek World, We ♥ Greece...and it shows! 
© GlobalGreekWorld 2009 - 2023 All Rights Reserved

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails

IMAGES OF GREECE ...ABROAD

IMAGES OF GREECE ...ABROAD
Archangel Michael's Shrine, Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA

25th March Parade To Cenotaph Wellington, New Zealand

25th March Anniversary Parade, Wellington, New Zealand