Summer 2000: Travels, Gatherings and Impressions
The long hot days of summer are becoming distant memories for most of us, along with those fun-filled days and travels both here and in Greece. And now we are slowly preparing ourselves for the return to our schools and offices for another busy round of life. As for myself, before I get my own preparations underway, I can't help but find myself sitting in front of my computer wanting to recount and record my thoughts about those summer travels, impressions, sites, places and people that made this past summer so special.
The PAA Officer's Duty and Responsibility
Along with the summer fun and relaxation however, the officer's constant companion should be a sense of duty and responsibility for the position to which his PAA brothers and sisters elected him. That duty inspires the officer with the need and urgency to do the things that need to be done, attend meetings and engage tasks, and especially to meet with the people who will perhaps further the causes of our great Pancretan Association in general and, in my case, the Pancretan Endowment Fund in particular. The reason for this driving force is partly genetic and partly idealistic, for we too are Cretans: as the great fellow Cretan Nikos Kazantakis once said, "...it is a great responsibility to be a Cretan!' We all need to keep motivated in order to fulfill that responsibility.
Driven by this sense of obligation, this year the trustees of the Pancretan Endowment Fund (PEF) again decided to hold another meeting in Crete, paid for entirely independent from the Fund. The purpose of this meeting was to examine the progress of the various projects that the PEF has supported "up close and personal," but the secondary purpose of the meeting was to meet the people that toil for, and benefit from, such programs. This article recounts the gatherings and encounters we had with the Cretan people involved, while also speaking about the people's involvement in activities that transpired during this past July and August.
Meeting at the University of Crete
The PEF gathering this year took place in late July at the University of Crete in Rethymno. It was attended by prominent Cretans, friends and academics from the University of Crete, the Polytechnic School and the Center for Research and Technology (ITE). PEF Trustee Steven Zeimbekakis and Chairman Manolis Velivasakis represented the PEF. Rector Prof. Yiannis Fillis, along with Prof. George Kostakis and Mrs. Josephine Gounakis, the resident scientist of the Crete Botanical Park, represented the Polytechnic School. Prof. Lefteris Economou, Director of the ITE, and Prof. Stefanos Trahanas represented the Research Center and the University of Crete Press, respectively. Its Vice-Rector Prof. Damanakis and Prof. Sifis Lekakis represented the University of Crete. Also, the president of the local committee of the PEF, Mr. Michalis Prinarakis and TV executive Mr. Costas Papageorgiou of the KRHTH-TV, along with representatives of the Bar Association of Chania were in attendance. Mr. Papageorgiou and his TV crew covered our deliberations in their entirety by providing radio and TV coverage of the event.
The University
The gathering was opened by Crete University Vice-Rector Michalis Damanakis, who welcomed all to this most important event and to the campus of his university. He further praised the role that Cretan-Americans have played and still continue to play, both through the Pancretan Association of America and its Pancretan Endowment Fund, in cupporting Crete and its institutions of higher learning. Reference was made to the fact that Cretan-Americans follow in the footsteps of past great benefactors to the Greek Nation and its institutions. Prof. Damanakis continued by asserting that the University of Crete was grateful for the assistance it has received from the PAA/PEF and in return it too is looking for ways to assist Greeks abroad in their struggle to preserve their Hellenic identity and culture. He further made reference to an EU-financed program "Paidia Omogenon," which produces Greek-language books and other teaching tools, specifically designed for children of Greeks abroad, and also trains Greek language teachers via summer seminars at the University of Crete.
The Polytechnio
Prof. Yiannis Fillis and Mrs. Josephine Gounakis followed with a slide presentation of the status of the Botanical Park at Akrotiri and their plans for the immediate and long-term plans for the development of the Park. Prof. Fillis indicated that a road, which surrounds the Park in its entirety, was already complete. Also, more than 3 kilometers of internal paths have been completed since last summer. Plans for a new small building within the Park, designed to hold a museum and a "Liotrivi," have already been completed and its construction will commence sometime next spring. Prof. Fillis stressed that although the contribution of the PEF to the Botanical Park represents less than 10% of its annual budget, the amount was nevertheless very significant as it continues to be used as a catalyst to attract support both from the Greek government and Greek industries. To date the PEF has contributed nearly $100,000 to the Botanical Park, including this year's contribution of $20,000.
The Crete University Press
Prof. Trahanas then made a presentation concerning the Crete University Press (CUP). The CUP has enjoyed tremendous growth this past year as it has in the past. He attributed this success to the high standards they employ in selecting and publishing material.
To date, more than 200 tests and almost a dozen musical undertakings have been completed. A testament to the quality of CUP's products is the mere fact thatthey are not handed out free of charge to students, but are instead sold competitively in the marketplace. The actions of students who make the choice to purchase the CUP's textbooks instead of settling with the ones handed to them by our government speaks louder than words. The PEF has donated nearly $500,000 to CUP over the past 15 years. As their need for outside funding diminishes, however, so have PEF donations to this cause - nevertheless, this year's contribution was $10,000.
DIAS Summer Courses
Last, but not least, the discussion proceeded with an evaluation of the DIAS Summer Program at the University and Polytechnic School for our American college students. Dr. Yiannis Nathenas, the founder and Director of DIAS, along with Vice-Rector Damanakis and Rector Fillis, made assessments of the program and this year's participants.
A total of 25 students were enrolled this year in a total of 6 courses offered at Chania, Rethymno and, for the first time, Heraklio. Every one of the participants observed that, besides its inciental difficulties, the DIAS program has been a success. Furthermore, the role it plays is of tremendous national importance. DIAS is the only program ever undertaken or supported by the PAA on a systematic basis that allows the unique combination of college-level education and cultural enhancement of our youth. Dr. Nathenas extended an invitation to all to join with the students and cross the Farangi of Samaria the following weekend so that they would experience the excitement of the young men and women, many of whom were coming to Crete for the first time.
The following weekend, my family and I, along with Byron Ieronimides, Yiannis Nathenas and their lovely wives, traveled to Agia Roumeli at Sfakia to wait for the 25 college students and their advisors, who were crossing the Samaria gorge. The serenity and beauty of Agia Roumeli and its surroundings are likely impossible to find anywhere else in Crete. By late that afternoon, the tired but jovial youths started to arrive. As they walked by the kafenion we all gathered together. After the usual salutations and a quick drink of cold water, the students continued walking along the beach. There they "baptized" themselves, as they told us later, in order to seal and complete their unique experience and to "immerse" in the warm waters of Crete.
Later on that evening, the local priest, Papa-Yiorgi, the local doctor and many of the local folks joined us at a local restaurant. Young and old together joined in a fun-filled evening of tasty "stifado" and "sfakianopites," good drink and good music deep into the early morning hours. Our own PYA young Lyra and Lagouto players provided music, of course. Both these young musicians had only started their musical careers in the same DIAS program a few years earlier!
Papa-Yiorgi and our youths dances together and sang and drank raki, in the process forming unique bonds of friendship. These were bonds of respect for an old Cretan priest and a friend and fellow dancer, who despite his advanced years, was able to understand them and took the time to be with them.
After the late night, the next morning I saw many of our young people, one by one, come to the small chapel where they sang the liturgy with Papa-yiorgi and myself and received Holy Communion. Later one, all of us took the boat back home, as we had other places to visit, friends to see and, of course, the students had their classes to attend. On the way back, on the top deck of the boat where the students had gathered, I asked all those who were visting Visting Crete for the first time to raise their hand - I counted 15 of them! These are the intangible benefits the DIAS program has to offer to our youth! Unique opportunities for our youth to study and experience Crete, its people, its history and music. And they can do that not only from their professors, but also from an old Cretan priest from Sfakia! The PEF's support to the DIAS program so far has been more than $100,000, including $25,000 given this year.
Other Meetings
Several other meetings and gatherings that took place while in Crete are worth noting, as they relate to the PEF and its projects in Crete. An impromptu gathering at the home of Prof. Sifis Lekakis in Rethymno, along with Byron Ieronimides and Michalis Prinarais, gave us the opportunity to explore, over drinks of raki with "kalitsounia," the possibility of creating a new Museum of Cretan Music at the department of musicology of the University of Crete. Prof. Lekakis, himself an accomplished Cretan musician, undertook the task to study this idea further and report to the PEF trustees and our local committee at a future meeting.
Gatherings were also held at Heraklion: One at the office of Namolis Doulgerakis, press aid of the Heraklion Mayor, and another at the offices of the "Chamber of Commerce" with Michalis Karatarakis and Lefteris Avgenakis, President of International Cretan Youth. At these gatherings, we had the opportunity to examine the feasibility of various ideas, including the "Youth Village in Crete" (which incidentally welcomed ts first guests this past July), as well as ways for them to assist the PEF in its mission in Crete. All of these gentlemen, accomplsihed businessmen and public servants, expressed their desire to assist and promote the Pancrtena Endowment Fund, its goals and projects.
Closing Comments
The foregoing represents an account of my travels to Crete this past July, the gatherings I attended, discussions I engaged in and impression I developed, all concerning directly or indirectly the Pancretan Endowment Fund itself, its goals, and its projects. In closing, allow me to confirm that the "link between Mother Crete and us in America" - the PEF - is stronger than ever before and the benefits that are derived from this conjuntion are enormous for participants of both cooperating sides. It has been a privilege and honor to be PEF chairman for the past 3 years and I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue serving our great Pancretan Association in the future.
Via this column, I wish to thank all of the PAA members and Friends of the Universities of Crete who have taken an interest in and have supported the Pancretan Endowment Fund. I also wish to thank Steve Zeimbekakis who traveled to Crete with me for the summer meetings and has given me professional advice on investing our portfolio. But above all, I do wish to thank our PEF local committee members in Greece: Costas Papageorgiou, Sifis Lekakis, Jenny Stamatakis, Michael Karatarakis, George Kostakis, Vangelis Fotinakis, Grigoris Papadogeorgakis, along with its president, Michalis Prinarakis who continue to offer their talents and time unselfishly. By their actions, they honor those "academic pioneers" at the University and Polytechnic School of Crete, who under difficult circumstances and with personal sacrifice tried to do the right thing for their schools and for Crete. Lastly, I want to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to my friend Byron Ieronimides, who served the PEF ably and honorably for more than 12 years, and who stills cares for it and supports it.
In closing, I want to thank all of you - friends and PAA members - for your interest and support. I hope that you too found the foregoing as interesting and exciting as I did. Our Pancretan Association can create opportunities and offer a great deal to us all in our struggle to preserve our Hellenic and Cretan heritage. All that's needed is a bit of courage, imagination and creativity on the part of its leadership.
Regards,
Manolis Velivasakis
PEF Chairman