EDESSAIKI GREEK NEWSPAPER
22nd of July 2006
The Lithuanian newspaper „Siauliu krastas“
2006-07-19 Petras Balciunas
The Greek Educational and cultural association Friends of Baltic countries after his visit in Lithuania last summer 2005, welcome the music dance group Salduve and the association "Lieporiu Mokyklos Bendruomene" from Šiauliai of Lithuania. Our friends stayed here in Greece for 8 days in Edessa and Halkidiki.
In our town Edessa they visited the area of “Peritechno” (department about people with special needs) and was discussed the future collaboration with similar institutions in Lithuania. Then we visited the Municipality of Edessa and met the vise Major Mr. Nikolaos Tsakiris and he accepted the proposal of the Major from Siauliai for future visiting his town of Siauliai. After it the group had an excursion thought the town of Edessa and visited many monuments and the famous waterfalls. The Lithuanian people called the town “Paradise”
The same night they had a performance in open theatre of Gavaliotissa. They song and danced many Lithuanian songs and dances. Also in this performance took part the choir from Halkidiki “To kinon ton Tenedion” with traditional songs from Halkidiki.
The other days we visited the place Pozar (thermal spring waters) and we walked with members from the climbing association from Edessa through the canyon, the ancient area of Vergina, the town of Veria, the National park of St. Nikolaos in Naousa, the ancient area of Pella, the city of Thessaloniki, the cave of petralona, the penincula of Sithonia, many monasteries and famous churches and at last they enjoyed the cruise around the Holy Mount of Athos.
In their duration in Greece we had the possibility to show them dances from the associations “Agios Theodoros Gavras”, dances from association “I Biga” and the association from Ano Zervochori “Ta Pontiaka niata” and the association from Nea Tenedos Halkidikis.
Our friends from Lithuania told us that it was their nicer trip. They first had the chance to know many new places, the Greeks and their way of life, their hospitality and their lordliness.
Next august 2006 our association will do his trip to Lithuania and Latvia from 15 days with similar activities and performances. Of course we will meet our friends from Lithuania in Siauliai too.
The President of the association
Friends of Baltic countries
Lazaridis Antonios
The greek people asked, why lithuanians dance by twos...
The asociation „Lieporiu mokyklos bendruomene“ and folk group from culture centre“Laiptu galerija“ came back from cultural- educational trip from Greece and shared some impressions in a press conference. They shared with everybody with cheese and olivs from Greece.
Friends of Baltic countries in Greece
Last year in Greece there was created association „Friend of Baltic countries“. The association is interested in Lithuanian culture, folklore and heritage of food. They have contacts in Latvia, Estonia too.
Association „Friends of Baltic countries“ made an impulse to create association „Lieporiu mokyklos bendruomene“and it is a great example, how people can make actyvities together. But greek people are the best creators of that kind of associations in Europe.
People involved in association“Lieporiu mokyklos bendruomene“are parents, teachers, pupils. They are searching for partners in other countres too.This association have friends in Italy, Spain, Turkey, but friendship with greeks is more close.
Last year guests from Edessa visited our city and municipality. Greeks were telling, that it was not that easy to make first trip to unknown country, like Lithuania, but now lithuanians are the best friends.
And now, association „Friends of baltik countries“ made an impulse to municipality of Edessa, to become municipality of Siauliai as friends.
Lithuanians were really happy to visit that wonderful country- Greece. The country with an old and important culture.
The project“ Traditional art is like a bridge between greek and lithuanian cultures“ have a suport from municipality, and fund of culture and sport.
Greek people made us a surprice . They learned lithuanian dances. The videotape was made and sent from „Salduve“. But greeks were asking many times“why are you dancing by twos, not all together“
The greeks are dancing all together. Grown up people and children. Like we were told by R.Stankuviene, greeks like to be in comunity, and those dances are like this.
The last match of football was not a problem
Like told L.Tamulaitiene,who is a member of association „Lieporiu mokyklos bendruomene“ and „Salduve“, we can learn from greeks communication, heartiness, advertence and how to hold in respect our traditional culture.
And lithuanians shown , how important is to be on time and never late.
More then 40 people, who were taking part in this trip, were so happy, not only because Greece is a nice country, but because many people of Edessa waited for them from Lithuania. The girl from Lithuania, Virginija, who worked in Greece at this project, told us, that she have a lot of attention because she is from Lithuania and has discounts in the shops.
One concert of „Salduve“ was in the small village Zervochori. And organisers were afraid, that there will be no people in that concert ,because of the football match – final of Mundial on the same day. But they were wrong. People came to concert and were really enjoying–all together stayed till the deep night, with greek and lithuanian dances.