Project meeting in Thessaloniki, Greece

Within the framework of the European Comenius program, a group of students and teachers travelled to Greece. The purpose of their visit was to participate in meetings that take place periodically with other secondary schools as part of the programmes´ association.

The event took place in the coastal city of Thessaloniki, which is located in the Macedonian region. For these meetings, groups of students from European schools such as Austria, Spain, Poland, Romania, and Turkey were brought together and invited to spend the week at the Greek educational institution. In collaboration with the other association members, those in attendance presented and discussed their projects about human rights, which they developed in Cordoba under the supervision of professor Barroso. In addition, they projected self-produced documentaries with collections of their experiences cleaning public places, parks, squares, or gardens in the participants’ cities.

A very emotional event consisted in planting trees at the host institute to serve a dual purpose: to commemorate the meeting, and to symbolize maintaining friendly ties among the different groups who participated. The ceremony was very colourful, due to the fact that representatives from each of the countries wore their traditional costumes. The festive event concluded with a demonstration of Sevillanas dancing put on by two students from the Dance School of Cordoba .

The Greek host families entertained their guests with a welcome dinner, where they sampled a variety of typical Greek dishes.

Demonstrations of Macedonian generosity and hospitality, two traits they are known for, were evident in this meal, as well as throughout their stay in this Greek region.

            An important part of the encounter also included visits to places with high cultural and artistic value. One that stood out, among others, was the visit to the archaeological site of Vergina, where the rich tombs of the Macedonian kings are found, such as that of Philip II, father of the military statesman Alexander the Great.

The highlight of the excursion to the city of Edessa, where water is the protagonist, was its spectacular waterfalls and cascades, and finally the outdoor Water Museum. There was also a guided tour of the main Byzantine basilicas and places where the apostle Paul preached, as well as other ancient Roman monuments in the city of Thessaloniki, from whose bay the participants could contemplate the snowy peak of mythical Mount Olympus. The last stop was Meteora, with its magnificent granite cliffs crowned by inaccessible orthodox monasteries.

            The culmination of this trip was a visit to the Greek capital, Athens, the cradle of European culture, and its most well-known monuments: the Acropolis, the Parthenon, Hadrian’s Arch, ancient Agora, the Plaka neighbourhood and Constitution square; presided over by the parliament building. This modern Agora; a silent witness to many protests in these times of crisis.     

The Spanish team

 Those participating in the encounter had the opportunity to visit a country on the verge of bankruptcy, which in spite of everything, is generous and welcoming.

 
The whole group in Edessa