This event has drawn considerable attention due to its strength and the potential implications for the local community Although there have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries conducting assessments to ensure the safety of residents and infrastructure The earthquake serves as a reminder of the region’s seismic activity prompting discussions on preparedness and response strategies for future incidents paid a courtesy visit to the Holy Metropolis of Ioannina where she was warmly received by Metropolitan Maximos The meeting took place at the episcopal headquarters of the Metropolis where the two officials discussed matters of mutual interest including plans for a joint cultural and spiritual event to be held in the fall Latsi with an album featuring the Christian monuments of the Metropolis as well as a book detailing religious tours of churches and monasteries across the region of Epirus The visit reflected the spirit of open dialogue and cooperation between the local Church and the Albanian diplomatic mission with an emphasis on fostering cultural understanding and strengthening ties between the communities the Patriarchate of Jerusalem solemnly celebrated the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women... Archbishop Elpidophoros of America celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of the Theotokos.. it was announced that two Roman Catholic institutions in Bavaria have decided to jointly.. A car once used by Pope Francis during his 2014 visit to Bethlehem is being transformed into a mobile.. the Monastery of Saint Vlash in Albania hosted a festal Divine Liturgy on the.. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece presided over the festal Great Vespers at the historic.. (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [] cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt callback: cb } ); } } }})(); © 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website The death has been announced of Zanet Nahmia the last Holocaust survivor from the northwestern city of Ioannina She attended primary school at the Alliance Israélite Universelle until the fifth grade when she left to help her mother with the chores of their large household was rounded up and deported to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp and was a forced laborer in a factory in Breslau (now Wroclaw) Only she and her older brother Michael survived out of their entire family After her liberation from the camps in 1945 she returned to Ioannina and married fellow Auschwitz survivor Israel Tsitos and they began to rebuild their life “We were saddened to learn of the unexpected loss of the late Zanet Nahmia from Ioannina the last survivor of Auschwitz in the city Zanet Battinou,” the Jewish Museum of Greece said Nahmia “supported the work of the museum through the donation of family photographs as well as by depositing her personal testimony in our oral history archive,” it added Her funeral will take place in Ioannina on December 5 Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox we probe the fundamental structure of particles that make up everything around us We do so using the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments Know more The Higgs Boson The W boson The Z boson The Large Hadron Collider The Birth of the web Antimatter Latest news Media News The research programme at CERN covers topics from kaons to cosmic rays and from the Standard Model to supersymmetry See all resources the CERN Council elected Professor Costas Fountas as its 25th President He will take over from Professor Eliezer Rabinovici who concludes his term at the end of December “Professor Fountas is an experimentalist of the highest calibre who has played key roles in the CMS collaboration at the LHC and also in the former ZEUS collaboration at DESY in Germany As Vice President of the CERN Council since 2022 his professionalism and advice have been of great benefit to discussions and I am confident that he will make an excellent President at this very important time for the long-term future of the Organization” said Professor Eliezer Rabinovici Professor Fountas is Professor of physics and heads the high-energy physics group at the University of Ioannina in Greece After completing his PhD at Columbia University in 1989 studying neutrino production at the Tevatron he worked on the data-acquisition electronics for Fermilab’s CCFR experiment He then moved to the University of Wisconsin and worked on the trigger system of the ZEUS experiment at DESY he started work at Imperial College London and joined the CMS collaboration where he took responsibility for the design and implementation of the Global Calorimeter Trigger; his group also developed the first model of the CMS track trigger he developed and built the CMS Barrel Muon Track Finder using cutting-edge FPGAs and optical-link technologies At the LHC his physics interests have focused on jet cross sections and searches for new fundamental interactions Alongside his expertise in delivering detector systems and conducting physics analyses Professor Fountas has held several management roles in CMS and been a member of many councils and advisory committees He was appointed Greek scientific delegate to the CERN Council in 2016 and Vice President of Council in 2022 “My focus will be to support the CERN Management and the experiments so as to ensure that the High-Luminosity LHC is completed successfully and in a timely manner I will also make sure that discussions on the next major project at CERN are held in such a way that everybody has a voice my commitment will be to do everything I can to bring consensus and guarantee the brightest future possible for the Organization,” said Professor Costas Fountas CERN Council is the supreme decision-making authority of the Organization composed of delegates of all its twenty-four Member States More Social Media Accounts The city of Ioannina marked the feast of its patron saint and protector with great ecclesiastical splendor and deep reverence at the Holy Church dedicated to the saint Metropolitan Maximos of Ioannina presided over the Festive Hierarchical Co-liturgy accompanied by Bishop Apostolos of Tanagra representatives from Municipal and Local Communities as well as members of the Military Authorities and Security Forces Metropolitan Maximos delivered a heartfelt sermon He highlighted the lives and virtues of St emphasizing the importance of honoring saints and martyrs in the Church He urged the faithful to follow their example as a guide in their Christian lives a grand procession of the Holy Relics of St George took place through the main streets of Ioannina The procession concluded at the Holy Metropolitan Church of St where the relics were ceremoniously deposited Metropolitan Maximos expressed heartfelt gratitude to Bishop Apostolos and the faithful for their presence and contributions to the celebration A vehicle lost control and crashed into the side of the road while passing through a tunnel on the Egnatia Odos highway near Ioannina in northwestern Greece on Thursday morning The driver managed to exit the car on his own before emergency services arrived No casualties or injuries have been reported The incident follows a fatal road accident earlier this week where a truck slammed into vehicles waiting at a toll booth killing two people and injuring five others the truck also crashed onto a toll station booth the prosecutor filed felony charges against the truck driver The Ministry of Civil Protection on Friday declared a state of emergency in the city of Ioannina following a severe storm last Sunday that pummelled the area Thomas Begas informed the municipal council of the development during a meeting on Wednesday saying he had filed the request with the ministry He also said that there was no warning from Civil Protection neither to the local authorities nor to citizens and that an emergency alert was sent to the public a day after the storm Streets flooded and the fire service received dozens of calls from people trapped in houses where the water had gushed in following torrential rain and hail The blaze which started under unclear circumstances around 2:30 a.m. originated in the women’s balcony of the holy metropolitan cathedral Firefighters worked through the early hours to bring the fire under control, deploying 20 personnel and six vehicles to the scene. While the flames were extinguished, the church sustained damage from both smoke and fire The Church of St Athanasios, designated as a listed monument, holds significant cultural and historical value amplifying concerns over the extent of damage The incident was managed on-site by the commander of the 1st Fire Station of Ioannina A preliminary investigation is underway by the fire service to determine the cause and circumstances of the fire A two-day conference focusing on innovation With a rich program and interesting discussions on digital nomadism and the strengthening of responsible tourism models which took place on April 4 and 5 in Ioannina The organization was carried out in collaboration with the Innovation and Digital Economy Hub and the C.Ioannina Cowork Community with speeches and interactive sessions that highlighted the city’s potential as an emerging hub for innovation and remote work Of particular interest were the interventions of digital nomads living in Ioannina who shared their daily lives and their experiences of working remotely in Greece Digital nomads & remote workers in the spotlight – Ioannina The Summit was opened by Nikos Diamantopoulos Co-Founder of the Innovation and Digital Economy Hub Diamantopoulos underlined that digital nomads are a specialized and dynamic audience that can contribute decisively to the strengthening of responsible tourism models Koutlas noted that innovation in the city draws strength from the connection of the university Deputy Minister of Tourism Anna Karamanli congratulated Marketing Greece for the initiative stating that Greece has all the resources to become a leading destination for digital nomads provided that all stakeholders cooperate and that infrastructure is continuously upgraded Vasilios Gorgolis (Deputy Governor for Environment) Christos Tatsis (Deputy Mayor for Commerce and Spyros Sourelis (President of the Hoteliers Association of Ioannina Prefecture) Walking tour of the historical business of Ioannina – A combination of past and future Through an organized Walking Tour in the historic center of the city participants had the opportunity to get to know the historical business of the region firsthand The action was carried out in collaboration with the Small Business Institute of GSEVEE and highlighted the continuity of business tradition with modern innovation The conference was coordinated by journalist Maria Akrivou while the program also included presentations by Androniki Kalfa (Marketing Greece) and Lotus Vrijma (Avnea) discussions on the exchange of know-how and extroversion and the final discussion with the participation of digital nomads who shared their experiences of life in Greece With strong support from institutions and sponsors The WORKFROMGREECE.GR Summit was held with the support of AEGEAN and COSMOTE and was under the auspices of the Greek Government The Wine & Cheese Cocktail was sponsored by Katogi Averoff S.A Nafplio at the epicenter of world yachting with the 10th Mediterranean Yacht Show Samaria Gorge “War Zone” – “Others Decide, We Pay the Price” Argosaronic Islands: Need for a long-term strategy and modern infrastructure FedHATTA | Tourism Bridges between Greece and the Chinese province of Guizhou Top distinctions for Greece and Santorini at the American Leisure Lifestyle Awards 2025 HOTREC | Supporting SMEs in European Hospitality Tourism | Promoting Crete in the Arabian Gulf Aegean and Emirates expand their partnership Delta | Athens is in 5th place in American searches for 2025 Promotion of Preveza on the metro and tram in Athens TripAdvisor Awards 2025 | Elafonisi Beach World's Best Beach - 9th in Crete, Sani Beach Award 12th BAJAGREECE: Motorsports Competition in Western Macedonia Crete also invests in cycling tourism - 13th Pediadas Tour Competitions with a summer and autumn backdrop: Attica runs at the pace of sports ATM'25 - Tourism | The fight against food waste at the forefront of sustainable development easyJet holidays | Fam trips to Santorini, Skiathos and Rhodes Chania: The next actions of the “Tourism Partnership” Navarino Challenge returns on May 9-11, 2025 Cruise Takeoff in Chania – Record Arrivals in the First Quarter of 2025 Three Greek beaches among the world’s 50 best – Triumph for the Ionian The “Typhoon” that saves the Greek coasts from garbage EOT at the “Arabian Travel Market” | Interest from Gulf countries, India, and Australia CERT to manage Vasilitsa Ski Resort – Investment of over 20 million euros Is American tourism in Europe “slowing down”? What do professionals see for 2025 and 2026 This is Athens & Partners | The 7 partners renew their collaboration - the joint actions FedHATTA: Dynamic presence of Greek travel agencies at the international Dubai exhibition ATM 2025 Ryanair announces new offer for Prime members on June flights Thomas Ellerbeck | “Rhodes can become a model of sustainable tourism internationally” The Times | The perfect time to experience the authentic side of Santorini Chania: The Alternative Tourism Festival returns to the Venetian Port Angela Gerekou: "Tourism is a force for good and Greece can play a leading role" New flights to Greece in 2025 from 4 airlines Crete welcomes Reveil 12 – Festival of Sounds and Ecology Greek tourism - 3rd quarter | 97% of arrivals in Athens and Thessaloniki Modernization aid for the marinas of Symi and Messolonghi HOTREC Assembly: Focus on challenges and reforms in European tourism AEGEAN 2025: Passenger growth and fleet expansion with an eye on the international market FedHATTA Cooperation with Shaanxi Province, China Greek academic in finalists of European Sustainable Energy Awards 2025 Thessaloniki museums join forces to promote the city GNTO introduces “Sustainable Greece” to British Agents Strategic meeting for cruises in Santorini A message of friendship and cooperation at the friendly Greek-Turkish football match in Chios Municipality of Xiromero | Diving tourism: Request for sinking of a decommissioned warship The first La Quinta by Wyndham in Batumi, Georgia Double racing event in Megalopolis on May 11: Festival Enduro and Theater Run 2025 Explora Journeys: Start of the summer season with the luxurious EXPLORA I from Piraeus Strong start in 2025 for Aegean and SKY Express Xanthi Tastes: A Gastronomy Festival with a Cultural Flavor Rhodes: These are the five-star hotels with the highest revenue – Which ones “fill up” first Greek Tourism/Webhotelier: The Winners and Losers in Online Bookings for 2025 GNTO | Promotion of Santorini in target markets Unprecedented blackout in Spain, Portugal, France Greece can play a leading role in the global sports tourism scene Rhodes | Event for the protection of biodiversity Attica, the …Caribbean of the Germans Agios Nikolaos | Cruise season kicks off with arrival of luxury Silver Spirit Operational Plan: “Cretan Food Culture 2026-2030” Destination Management and Promotion Organization in Thessaloniki Kefalonia: The authentic character of the island through the “Travel Reimagined” project Hoteliers vs. Booking.com: The European uprising has begun Tourism | Greece 4th choice for Europeans' holidays in 2025 - what the ETC survey shows New high-standard heated swimming pool in Chania, aimed at sports tourism Greeks Traveled (A Lot!) in 2024 – Where They Went, How Much They Spent Greek-American Dean Spanos brings the NFL to Greece – Opportunities for promotion in the USA Lesvos: The season begins with birdwatching tourists MSC Cruises: Strengthens its presence in Greece with 6 cruise ships New Luxury Arrival in Crete | JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa Opens on June 2 "Peloponnese Trails" inaugurated today: New network of trails for sustainable tourism Knossos: 125 years since the excavations of Arthur Evans The Spanish TV show “Viajeros Cuatro” in Corfu Wyndham - Soliteight | 40 Super 8 hotels in Spain and Portugal Airbnb: Final price now displayed in accommodation searches Investments in the beaches of the Attica Riviera The Municipality of Chania at the “From Crete to Side” Festival in Turkey Region of Central Macedonia: Tourism Promotion Activities in Poland and the Middle East Region of Crete | Connecting Minoan Palatial Centers with Archaeological Sites Biodiversity protection plan is in full swing in Elafonisi Record participation in the ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition | Chania 8 - 10 May Communities at the heart of tourism development Booking.com | No to limiting tourists, yes to infrastructure investments Thessaloniki’s dynamic presence at the World Tourism Summit in Hong Kong easyJet | Summer 2026 sales open Cruise | Turkey doubles its share, new opportunities for Greek ports Aid for the upgrade of the tourist shelter of Astakos and the Marina of Alimos Preparing the settlement of Kionia for the tourist season: An example to follow The action of the region of Crete "Let's go for... Greens" concludes this weekend “Art is our Language”: Campaign for the 70th Anniversary of the Athens Epidaurus Festival Tourism | Nostalgia drives Brits’ travel choices ΕΟΤ China | B2B meetings with Chengdu's t.os - Flights to Athens in June State-of-the-art conference center at Theartemis Palace Hotel in Rethymno Zagori: Collaboration with Impact Hub Athens for sustainable tourism and innovation Cooperation Memorandum between Development Athens and Piraeus University on Tourism Kos: New advertising campaigns with Jet2 and National Geographic Traveller UK Five cruise ships in Souda by Saturday Imbros Trail Run & Hike 2025: A sporting tribute to the History of Sfakia Cultural Days and Sea Routes in Piraeus Religious Tourism | The University of Palermo comes to Panagia Nafpaktiotissa Audio Walk in the Sitia Geopark: A Different Exploration Experience in Crete AEGEAN “takes off” Larnaca with a new direct flight to Rome FedHATTA | Tourism Bridges between Greece and the Chinese province of Guizhou Nafplio at the epicenter of world yachting with the 10th Mediterranean Yacht Show Top distinctions for Greece and Santorini at the American Leisure Lifestyle Awards 2025 Tourism | Promoting Crete in the Arabian Gulf HOTREC | Supporting SMEs in European Hospitality Samaria Gorge “War Zone” – “Others Decide, We Pay the Price” Argosaronic Islands: Need for a long-term strategy and modern infrastructure Aegean and Emirates expand their partnership TripAdvisor Awards 2025 | Elafonisi Beach World's Best Beach - 9th in Crete, Sani Beach Award Delta | Athens is in 5th place in American searches for 2025 Crete also invests in cycling tourism - 13th Pediadas Tour Competitions with a summer and autumn backdrop: Attica runs at the pace of sports 12th BAJAGREECE: Motorsports Competition in Western Macedonia Promotion of Preveza on the metro and tram in Athens ATM'25 - Tourism | The fight against food waste at the forefront of sustainable development PM at 1st Greece-Saudi Arabia High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council on Monday What to expect at this year’s ITB Berlin Exhibition from March 4-6 Greece's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO organizing concert on January 16 What the Israeli Ambassador discussed at the Chania Chamber Athens to host the European Film Awards in 2027 North Macedonia: Increase in foreign tourists in 2024 Alonissos tops the list of Greek destinations without mass tourism Athens Municipality Festival 2025 | The city's biggest celebration, with more than 200 events Cruise Takeoff in Chania – Record Arrivals in the First Quarter of 2025 German tourism: Advance bookings are the new "last-minute" Medievalists.net A conversation with Emily Neumeier about Ali Pasha of Ioannina (d a powerful Ottoman governor of Albanian origin who created a quasi-independent realm at a time when the Ottoman empire was feared to be collapsing We talk about how he crated his own brand-image in part by forging closer relations with his Christian Greek subjects and also through archaeological work and use of antiquities We also talk about the concept of the “post-Byzantine,” which is used You can also watch Anthony speaking on A Short Introduction to the Byzantine Empire – A Crusader Kings III Documentary: Top Image: Portrait of Ali Pasha by Joseph Cartwright in 1819 We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast and remove the advertising on our platforms This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce Member Login known for his Greek and Malaysian heritage recently spoke about his family history on Louis Theroux’s podcast Kyrgios mistakenly described his father’s hometown of Ioannina as a “small island.” Though Ioannina is a lakeside city with a small island I thought—with my grandmother and uncle to pursue a better life in Australia,” Kyrgios recalled While he might have been confused by Ioannina’s famous lake and its island Although he doesn’t speak or understand Greek Kyrgios says he feels deeply connected to his roots: “I lived in Melbourne for two years I felt the love of the Greek diaspora.” The tennis star also shared his early challenges with the sport I had a hoop outside that was barely standing and soon a coach noticed my potential.” Kyrgios and his parents were traveling to tennis tournaments across Australia “My mum would make my favourite mac and cheese and we’d stay in caravans on a budget but those are my best memories,” he said emphasising the hard work behind his success: “My journey wasn’t effortless; I worked ten times harder than most people.” Kyrgios has risen to a world ranking of No 13 and achieved a Grand Slam doubles title—a testament to the sacrifices his family made for him Divers cleaning the bed of Lake Pamvotida in Ioannina have unearthed a trove of historical artifacts ranging from German helmets to Ottoman grenades conducted by the Protected Areas Management Unit the recovered items are now on display in Ioannina’s Mavili Square led by specialized divers under challenging conditions stretching 3.5 kilometers in length and 30 meters in width The effort highlights the importance of preserving natural habitats and emphasizes the historical significance of the discovered artifacts The initiative seeks not only to clean the lake but to also educate the public about the impact of pollution and the value of historical preservation Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou AM and the Food for Thought Network shine a light on women’s identities and the future of Hellenic heritage in a landmark five-day event Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou AM and her volunteer team at the Food for Thought Network (FFTN) brought together Greek women from the Diaspora and Greece in an inaugural Global Women and Hellenism Conference and presenters praised the five-day conference and the volunteerism behind the event Exploring women’s multifaceted identities and roles The conference explored women’s multifaceted identities assistant professor of Neurology at the University of Ioannina and Dr head of business school at the University of Derby at Mediterranean College Virginia Tsoukatou discussed gender-biased technological changes and AI’s impacts Konstantina Dounis explored Greek-Australian women’s writings A panel chaired by executive coach Maria Papazoglou included publisher Dimitra Skalkos from The Greek Herald and Myrtali Organics CEO Vasiliki Kaskanakou Penny Sahinis later shared insights on women’s empowerment and mentorship drawing from her experience with Australia’s G20 Sherpa Greek identity and heritage across generations chaired by FFTN communications manager Dorothy Hatzopoulou delved into the complex themes of identity and sustainability Fromm explored the Greek identity of Jewish women from Ioannina Aspasia Stacey Rabba discussed strategies for maintaining identity and well-being presented on Greek philosophy through architecture PR Manager Pericleia Veremis chaired the session “Representation of Hellenism Past and Present – Sustainability & Identity.” Author Kalliopi Toufidi discussed her work while Vivian Pagourelias-Vassiliadis emphasised “the resilience of the Greek spirit” Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou presented Her Voice: Greek Women and Their Friends a book of oral histories that inspired the conference Sustainability of Hellenism in a global context contributions from scholars explored Hellenism and sustainability Kostando Baruta-Ksera examined the roles of Epirotian and Deropolitissa women in Greek history Other sessions addressed the sustainability of Greek language and culture in modern times Maria Karidakis and Professor Joseph Lo Bianco from the University of Melbourne discussed reversing the decline of Greek language and Professor Nikoletta Tsitsanoudis-Mallidis examined teaching Greek in times of crisis Presentations included insights on Greek philosophy and the power of music in preserving Hellenic heritage The conference concluded with a singalong led by Anthea Sidiropoulos vice president of the Greek Community of Melbourne who performed a song “I am a woman.” The closing evening featured a dinner at Parga’s renowned MED CLUB restaurant with panoramic views of Valtos Beach and the castle Parga Mayor Nikolaos Zacharias welcomed attendees with symbolic gifts of olive oil a tribute to the region’s deep ties to olive cultivation The organisers’ statement said that the conference “provided invaluable insights into the role of Hellenic women across the Diaspora and strengthened connections and inspired future discussions on identity The Ionia and Egnatia highways have done away with the old isolation The people of Ioannina do not want to repeat the mistakes of others They want to keep the sense of moderation that characterizes Epirus Before the opening of the Egnatia highway in 2009 Epirus was cut off from the rest of Greece Most residents tell stories of desperation and being trapped in the snow at the Katara Pass or of the difficult and time-consuming journey to Athens But the latter is now a breeze since 2017 with the Ionia highway It took the Kathimerini team just four hours to reach Ioannina from the capital who had been stranded alone on the Greek border suddenly saw their region become a north-south and east-west hub with Igoumenitsa upgraded as a sea gateway to Europe As Greece was plunged into an economic crisis in 2010 a new era of optimism began in this remote area after centuries of poverty How will the coming extroversion change the firmly rooted Epirus identity This was the question that sought an answer against the backdrop of the lake I have seen the city change for the better an Athenian who built an elegant boutique hotel called Lake Spirit in 2017 with her husband “The economic crisis brought many young people back to their hometowns With the improvement of economic conditions others from abroad came to merge in the best way with the society that is now opening up to the world despite having had trouble adapting to changing new conditions in the past These cosmopolitan 30-somethings will be the spearhead of progress That the bad precedent of ‘development’ that we saw when mass tourism came to the Cyclades and elsewhere does not happen in Ioannina I know that they have an inner sense of moderation and a tremendous love for their land that will protect them from the greed that has destroyed other places.” One of the young men who returned to Ioannina is 35-year-old Thanasis Tassos He was born in Konitsa to parents who own a hotel and restaurant in the Bourazani Environmental Education Park worked in Germany and returned to open the first creative cuisine restaurant in Ioannina where he cooks using crock pots buried in hot sand The cabbage rolls (“dolmades”) and the pork dish with leek celery and egg-lemon sauce that we ate were incredibly delicious “With Thessaloniki chef Ioannis Xristidis and the whole team at Thamon even making spoon sweets using giant beans we launched this new restaurant with a focus on tradition the restaurants here were mostly just selling grilled meat the restaurant market opened up,” says the chef but we also need the old to make room for the new We need a balance of boldness and respect from our generation I am most happy that I contributed a little bit so that other people from Ioannina who work abroad can come back.” Another representative of this dynamic generation is 40-year-old Thanasis Navrozoglou born in the United States to a Greek-American mother from Epirus and a father from Ioannina who met there while studying computer science his parents returned with the intention of opening a computer store “If you can find me three people who will buy computers in Ioannina otherwise we’ll go back to America,” his mother said to his father They quickly developed programs for basic accounting functions and one of their first clients was the Cooperative Bank of Ioannina [now Epirus],” he says has grown to produce software for small banks with Greek and foreign clients and is currently working with Piraeus Bank to create the country’s first all-digital bank “We are experiencing a period of great change in Ioannina with the technological community taking its first steps There are 500 people and companies that have come from abroad something in which we are still lagging behind It would also help a lot if there was a better connection with the university but in practice it is difficult to have a partnership to move forward with what we call industrial PhDs to produce new technologies that the market needs in collaboration with certain departments Professors prefer to be involved in European projects rather than in such ventures Sometimes I dream that Ioannina could become something like Zurich but also many problems to be overcome for proper development.” one of those responsible for the city’s economic progress and the appointed executive adviser of the Cooperative Bank of Epirus fully agrees with this optimism: “Forty years ago Money came from students and the remittances of migrant workers it is a leader in the bottled water industry Roads made it easier to do business and export products tourism from Central Europe will come here We are also waiting for the connection of the Athens-Thessaloniki highway with the Egnatia highway will also benefit when Preveza is connected to the Ionia highway All this offers an amazing quality of life and prospects that can bring even more visitors we met some of the foreigners at a networking event They are part of a community of digital nomads from all over the world who work remotely in Ioannina as architects like myself,” says the oldest member of the group “What attracts most people is the beauty of the area it was also the fact that my husband’s parents help raise our children We are now preparing our first co-working space in a building provided by the city This will give a new impetus for others to come.” I asked a 70-year-old Belgian woman sitting next to me why she chose Ioannina She surprised me: “I googled high mountains the municipality’s tourism officer and a talented photographer took us out on his small private boat to the lake’s island he explained that there were very few permanent residents left on the little island Our stroll around the island left me speechless by its beauty: listening to the ducks enjoying the distant view of the city amid the sound of outboard motors The tour of the Byzantine monasteries with their stunning paintings was unforgettable built thanks to the perseverance of a private citizen one could see the lack of taste and vision of the locals in the cheap souvenirs and in the totally touristy food offered in the tavernas The flow of visitors to the island stops with the last run of professional boatmen while the first guesthouse where a foreigner can sleep on the island is only just being constructed we were lucky: We watched the crimson sunset while enjoying a meal prepared for us by 90-year-old Evdoxia “We will go on and not lose anything of our tradition,” Kostas Belevetis who owns a famous tsipouradiko (a restaurant where along with your order of tsipouro they bring you a small appetizer to taste) in the village of Katsikas “My grandfather wore the traditional burazana and I wear sweatpants and sneakers but the soul of an Epirus man remains the same,” he told me the basketball game between Bayern and Baskonia was blasting on the television Kostas (as if in support of his opinion that Epirus is not threatened by globalization) had hung one of his grandmother’s needlework decorations Ioannina is also known as the city of silversmiths and although the number of jewelry stores has increased There was so much jewelry around him that he looked like a painted icon in an Orthodox church surrounded by votive offerings: “There goes the work People have learned to buy what is easy and cheap They don’t like the difficult and the expensive Is something in danger of being lost in Epirus is a policeman but plays the clarinet professionally then taught himself to play traditional songs “I learned how to play at festivals where old musicians still play; it’s like a school I went to the shops around Omonia Square in Athens to buy them The greats like Petros Loucas Chalkias had their own way of playing you’d hear ‘foo’ and you’d know who it was Each village had its own peculiarities and the musician was the bearer of a tradition The listener was equally knowledgeable and a strict judge because the songs were passed down from generation to generation the family would go and take a number so they would know when it was their turn to dance And the clarinetist knew all the family members he ‘read’ them in order to play correctly and earn his money he knew which note to put in between until they put their foot down There are songs being released on YouTube all the time with infinite influences As an audience you have hundreds of people like in the bouzoukia [the flashy nightclubs with live Greek popular music] They don’t listen to the music with their ears The identity of Epirus is not threatened by new roads The stately mansion belonging to attorney Niki Lappa’s family served as the headquarters for Greek dignitaries during Ioannina’s liberation from the Turks: “Ioannina later embraced the ambiance fostered by its villagers the Egnatia and Ionian highways ruptured this old order possessing the charisma and vision to revamp the city It was a profound loss for us.” How did a secluded society produce Greece’s first Jewish mayor “They elected the Ioannina physician who for decades demonstrated integrity and devotion to his homeland Ιn the historic gathering of Romaniote Jews Among those seated alongside me were Patra Elisaf General Secretary Periklis Ritas and Isaac Lagaris an esteemed emeritus professor at the University of Ioannina The Greek-speaking Romaniote Jews represent Europe’s oldest Jewish community 1,870 Ioannina Jews were deported to Auschwitz following German orders that encouraged the plundering of homes and seizure of assets with 69 having fled to the mountains with partisan aid or hidden among Christians many struggled to reclaim their properties and businesses their numbers have dwindled to fewer than 50 community members upon her return to Ioannina from Palestine encountered a woman adorned with one of her jewels ‘I wish that you never associate with this woman,’” Patra recalls I pondered if there had ever been a form of catharsis for the events of 1944-45 “We are a close-knit community; everyone knows who did what during that time It’s a collective secret without ever mentioning names,” Ritas reflects They couldn’t bring themselves to speak about the atrocities to rebuild their lives with whatever means they had,” Batinos adds publisher of the century-old Ipeirotikos Agon newspaper fondly remembers the late mayor Moses Elisaf: ‘Only after his death did everyone realize how great he was.’ [Nikos Kokkalias] A notable figure from this community was Elisaf cultured pathologist and university lecturer He provided free healthcare services twice a week at the university clinic and kept his phone line open 24/7 for those in need “He never made his Jewishness an issue,” his wife remarks “Some of his opponents appeared on television with religious imagery and the Greek flag as a backdrop I’ll never forget an elderly woman who told Moses then went to the priest and confessed.’” During his brief tenure he spearheaded projects such as the restoration of buildings in the old city Lina Mendoni played a pivotal role in this endeavor The culture minister also addressed the issue of the Jewish cemetery a portion of which has been designated as a historic monument resembling the white shells of ageless turtles there was an incident of desecration by unknown perpetrators who vandalized tombs and scattered ashes from the Auschwitz memorial crypt a symbolic human chain was formed by citizens and representatives of organizations who offered massive support to the Ioannina Jews the community’s concern is the future: “What will become of the synagogue and the cemetery when the last of us departs from life?” Romaniotes from around the globe gather [in Ioannina] for the Yom Kippur celebration “Only upon his passing did everyone realize his greatness,” says Loukia Tzalla editor of the historic Ioannina newspaper Ipirotikos Agon as the publication commemorates a century of existence this year “The mayor represented a break from cultural isolation He left behind a profound legacy of selfless devotion to the common good as we are currently experiencing the most promising phase in decades Our small town is growing and requires forward-thinking leadership This is a time of significant opportunities the only outsiders infusing vitality and funds into Ioannina were students departments affiliated with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki were established it stands as the most robust university town in Greece in terms of the resident-to-student ratio We met members of the student ensemble “6.5 Grades.” Originating from various parts of Greece except for the vocalist who hails from Ioannina they came together through the active association (Musical Society of the University of Ioannina) which they describe as having a perfect balance: “neither as vast as Athens and Thessaloniki surrounded by stunning nature that beckons exploration,” says drummer Vangelis “The problem is that we love the city as a landscape You only interact with them as customers at their shops or as tenants Younger Ioanniniotes are only connected to relatives and old friends They don’t function as a bridge,” observes saxophonist Giorgos Terzidis “I think because we pass through the city by the thousands for our studies they don’t see us mentally as a long-term investment and that’s a pity because many graduates would like to live here Only technology companies that have recently emerged have correctly perceived this need and – by offering job positions – retain some of us,” notes pianist Giorgos Manakos All these make the sole Ioanniniote of the group She says that the mountains and isolation made Epirotes family-oriented But matriarchy is also to blame,” says surprisingly Martha Papadopoulou head of the General State Archives in Epirus formerly the palace of Ali Pasha and now the headquarters of the General State Archives “Epirotes and Ioanniniotes always had commercial relations and networking with the Balkans while women stayed behind to manage household affairs Their outward orientation did not penetrate the family nucleus.” added another reason why the university and students did not integrate into the city’s life: “Old bourgeois Ioanniniotes were much more cosmopolitan experientially trained to coexist with Jews and Ottomans urbanization brought thousands of people here from nearby villages altering the human geography with the majority adopting a more conservative mindset University professors also remained confined within their competitive "Our government has developed and unrolled a very ambitious programme to settle a number of outstanding issues from the past and we are absolutely dedicated to this goal," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in Kalpaki The prime minister was in the area to attend the signature of a contract for the construction of an extension of the Ionia Highway (Ionia Odos) from Ioannina to Kakavia was building a more connected and better Greece "I personally place great emphasis on issues of road safety," he said Mitsotakis noted that the government had succeeded in guiding this to maturity and through a tender process and was now in the happy position to be signing the contract He said that the Ioannina-Kakavia road will be crucial for the broader development of the region and in creating a link with Albania is today perhaps the best-connected region the E65 that is approaching its completion We expect that all of the E65 will be delivered for use within the first four months of 2026," the prime minister said "This means that you will be able to approach Ioannina from two different roads and certainly that it will be much faster to come from the E65," Mitsotakis added Whether your circumstances make you feel isolated It depends on whether you choose to put a positive or negative spin on things he wakes up and boards the small boat with seven other children He doesn’t care if he leaves or stays on the island He simply borrows his father’s boat and crosses the lake by himself boards his caique and heads towards Ntrampatova through the thick morning fog that covers Pamvotida Lake which he will then sell to the merchant on the other side of the lake for €1-2.50 euros per kilo like that of all fishermen who fish the Pamvotida It has saved the people of Ioannina time and time again when locals traded their fish for wheat and other raw materials to the recent economic crisis and pandemic That’s how we survive when times are hard” and people who work in the tourism sector) live on “The Island” as it is known – one of the few inhabited lake islands in the world (in Greece the island of Aghios Achillios in Prespa is also inhabited) and the ferry boats to and from Ioannina run every 30 minutes to an hour from 08:00 to 21:00 The 50 boatmen who operate the 13 ferries are unionized and have established a system that allows everyone to work without competing with one another and the routes are marked with buoys to indicate which way to go on foggy days is 180 meters away on the far side of the island; locals who park their cars on the mainland come and go from here and that is also where the platform for refueling vehicles is located Everyone on the island tells the story of a visitor to the pasha in Ioannina who thought he was crossing a plain when he was riding his horse across the frozen lake “So and so drowned” is a phrase you will often hear used to the delight of everyone present That’s what the locals say when someone falls off their boat into the lake and they assure us that everyone has “drowned” at least once in their lives The 220 hectare island is covered in pines It is thought to have been first settled in the 18th century by Maniots the truth is that the first inhabitants were monks During the Byzantine and post-Byzantine eras forming Greece’s third monastic community alongside Mount Athos and Meteora The Monastery of Aghios Nikolaos (also known as Stratigopoulou Monastery or Diliou Monastery) and the Nunnery of Aghios Nikolaos of Philanthropenoi are the most important monasteries that are also open to the public The monasteries were named after the Byzantine aristocratic families who founded them after fleeing to the Despotate of Epirus following the Fall of Constantinople in 1204 These monasteries are significant architecturally and artistically which include a rare depiction of ancient philosophers are magnificent examples of artistry and beauty they contributed to the reputation of Ioannina as a city of the arts and sciences Today the Eleousa monastery is home to a community of three monks while the Philanthropines is inhabited by two nuns “The island’s monasteries are truly unique and deserve more attention very few people visit them nowadays,” says Fotis Rapakousis founder of the Ali Pasha Museum that is housed inside the Monastery of Aghios Panteleimonas Fotis Rapakousis exhibits his personal collection of authentic objects of the era People have begun visiting the island since we renovated the museum in 2012  The construction of the Ionia Odos motorway also helped,” he adds Tourism has always been vital to the island’s economy would serve the city’s wealthy residents who would visit the island to take boat rides visitors cannot stay on the island because there are no hotels with its distinctive Epirote architecture (stone houses with slate roofs) occupies a very small part of the island; the rest is owned by the forest service and the Metropolitanate This is the islanders’ main problem – if a construction ban that protects and preserves the island can be considered a problem at all Each house on the island is bequeathed to two or three children (and even more grandchildren) but only one of them can continue to live on the island at a time I came to the following conclusion: a family will only settle there if the wife grew up on the island hey will feel confined or find it difficult to live on the island if they are not used to the hard way of life this led to a decline in the island’s population Only about 70 of the island’s 150 houses are inhabited today The rest are summer homes or are vacant due to inheritance issues efforts to make houses available for rent are well underway the locals don’t seem very keen on changing their ways so they eagerly wait for the last ferry of the day to take visitors back to the mainland “People previously believed incorrectly that we did not need to raise the caliber of our services because the majority of visitors to the island only stayed for the day It’s important that people enjoy themselves and leave with good memories of their stay on the island But the truth is that we like to have our peace and quiet in the evenings,” says Kostas Thavmastos a boatman who also operates a souvlaki restaurant Souvlaki in Greece’s frog leg and eel capital Although frogs are no longer fished in Ioannina they are still purchased to keep the attraction alive and pastry shops offer visitors baklava and klostari (an Epirote baklava pastry) The town’s cobbled main street is lined with jewelry and souvenir stores; the pursuit for customers continues though thankfully less aggressively than in the past Popi Charatsari prepares the quintessential island dish: crayfish with garlic and walnut purée Another dish that is only made here is grivadi plaki (oven-cooked carp) there are still carp in the lake,” she tells us When the nearby Lapsista Lake was drained in the 1950s less and less water flowed into Pamvotida Lake and eels returning from their breeding grounds in the Sargasso Sea found their way back through the Kalamas River blocked construction along its coast blocked waterways that fed into the lake and destroyed the reed beds that filtered its waters sewage and heavy metals leached into the lake’s waters according to the Management Unit of the Protected Areas of Epirus which manages the Information Center of the Pamvotida Lake Management Body on the island efforts are being made to reverse the situation Local fisherman Tasos Charatsaris tells us that the fish population has declined considerably and talks us through the boutson (a cylindrical netting bag mounted on cones used to catch eels) fishing system Vasiliki Ratsika tells us how she used to weave straw to make wicker covers for the buoys while Froso Liaskou-Petsou shows us the old tools that adorn her award-winning garden and tulips: “I can get to the center of Ioannina in just three minutes How long does it take you to get to the center of Athens?” she quips The last visitors leave the island around 6 p.m. The town’s whitewashed alleys are completely quiet The sound of a bouzouki can be heard from a distance as the island’s inhabitants gather around woodburning stoves At the house of Rena and city councilman Nikos Siorokas where we had the pleasure of staying overnight we sit around the fireplace talking about their life on the island “I wouldn’t change the island for anything in the world,” says Nikos echoing a sentiment we’ve heard dozens of times being surrounded by water while being so close to the heart of a city Rena bids us goodnight with another phrase we’ve heard many times here: ”Feel free to come and go as you please The storms which brought heavy rainfall and lightning and the bad weather is expected to persist through Tuesday In Ioannina Several houses in suburbs like Perama and Neochoropoulos were inundated by rising waters with lightning strikes leaving villages in Pella without power and igniting fires Corfu also experienced significant disruption with flooded streets in the Liston and Spianada areas and flight delays caused by lightning The island saw temporary power outages and traffic congestion a team from the 5th EMAK was dispatched to bolster the local fire services in preparation for worsening conditions The National Meteorological Service (EMY) issued an emergency weather bulletin warning of more thunderstorms and heavy rains through Tuesday Residents are urged to remain vigilant as the storms continue Weather Forecast: General Conditions and Regional Details and virtually no room for any further losses as they are «stuck» in seventh place with 14 points from 14 games PAOK B departed on Sunday afternoon for Ioannina The team trained in the morning at the Souroti sports center without Hurtado who played with the Under-19 side yesterday It should be noted that Dimitris Hatsidis is included in the squad for the first time the 21-man squad for tomorrow’s game are: Balomenos the Greek subsidiary of Austrian company Berglandmilch as the cheese division of Minerva Edible Oils has been named after its recent separation from the latter which until now had only commercial activity the sale of Doriki does not mean that the sale of Minerva is imminent as there does not seem to be any interesting proposal on the horizon for the time being It is recalled that the sale of Minerva is scheduled as its main shareholder will complete its investment cycle at the end of this year Desserta Hellas acquires a feta cheese factory in Episkopiko as well as a milk collection station in the Andravida region in Ilia and under the agreement they will continue to be produced at the Ioannina factory The competent authorities have taken decisions for 5 hotels in Crete The building department of the municipality of Rethymno granted permission for the change of ground floor layout in an existing building for use as a 2-star hotel with the use of a restaurant on the ground floor Delimbasi Pagonas with a 25% ownership percentage and Delimbasi Kartl-Petrou Alexandra with a 25% ownership percentage.The Region of the Ionian Islands has conditionally approved the work plan for the removal and management of asbestos roof from a building owned by the company AKROTIRI BEACHES PALAIKASTRITSIS S.A by the Hazardous Waste Management Company Hellenic-German Waste Management and Environmental Applications Company SOUK HELLAS Ltd.The General Directorate of Spatial Planning Environmental and Agricultural Policy of the Decentralized Administration of the Peloponnese approved the Environmental Terms and Restrictions for the 4-star hotel ESPERIDES RESORT Karras OE.The Department of Modern Monuments and Technical Works of Epirus Northern Ionian and Western Macedonia of the Ministry of Culture approved the study concerning the interventions of the facades of the building on Garivaldi and Metsovo streets as well as its unification with the neighboring tourist accommodation because they do not affect the historical site of Lake Pamvotida the double opening towards the courtyard of the neighboring building (Z hotel) that is being unified the building in question to be formed with intermediate beams and the windows to be made of wood in accordance with the conditions that apply to the historical center of the city of Ioannina.The General Directorate of Spatial Planning approved the environmental conditions and restrictions of the 3-star owned by the company Georgios Lymberis MON AXETE