Η&Μ Students Contest for schools in Attica
"Painting Europe, Mythology, Tradition, Museums"
1st Prize a visit to MuCEM in Marseille
Under the Auspices of the Embassy of France in Greece
The successful students’ drawing contest “Painting Europe”, which was once again organized by the non-governmental organization Η&Μ, Heritage & Museums, last April, was concluded by materializing the 1st price, which was a four-day cultural trip for the winner and one of their parents as had been announced by President Lila de Chaves, notably a visit to the state-of-the-art MuCEM "Museum of the Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean” in Marseille, awarded as the best European Museum by the Council of Europe in 2015 (ΕΜF, ΕΜΥΑ 2015).
“Painting Europe” has become an established event and is honored by the co-operation of the Ministry of Education and Religions, of the Cultural Sports and Youth Organization of the City of Athens, of the European Parliament Bureau in Greece and of EMF, the European Museum Forum, Council of Europe.
The purpose of Η&Μ is to offer the winner a sense of optimism and interactive knowledge through the contest and the cultural trip abroad, especially in times of crisis for our country.
In the same line, the winner’s visit, accompanied by a parent, to what was awarded in that year by the Council of Europe as the best innovative European Museum, may also function as a modern-time business orientation tool for the student.
Finally, we believe that Η&Μ’s initiative has been proven to strengthen the transnational bonds between entities of education, art, museums and cultural heritage in a spirit of “Cultural Diplomacy”.
This year, on 3-7 September, the President of Η&Μ, Lila de Chaves, the talented winner of 1st Lyceum of Piraeus Panagiotis Gafos and his mother visited Marseille.
Marseille, Cultural Capital of Europe in 2013 and twinned city with Piraeus, is a port-city which has displayed a great progress in all fields, including urban-planning, architecture, culture, sociology. It is a gem full of Hellenic aspects.
The first event for the Greek committee of Η&Μ in Marseille was an invitation to the Greek Consulate, where the General Consul of Greece, Stelios Gavriel, known for his cultural activity, praised the winner by displaying the renowned Greek hospitality.
The event was also attended by the Chairmen of the Hellenic Associations in Marseille, the Chairman of Greek Community Stavros Petalas, the Chairman of the “Hellenic Association” Dimitris Akartzou, Marie Christine Viviers, Chairman of the organization “Greece-France”, and the editor of “Hellenic Diaspora” magazine Yannis Stavrinos.
Winning student Panagiotis Gafos made quite an impression with his talent, who in his painting and symbolic work presented the evolution of European culture.
Starting with the abduction of Europa by Zeus, the Hellenic classical era with Democracy, and continuing with the role played by other European countries, such as in art during the Renaissance, and in humanism during the Enlightenment, which demonstrates the interaction and great cohesion despite individual differences found in the great European family.
MuCEM, which was the main even of the cultural trip, honored both H&M and the winner of “Painting Europe” with their exemplary hospitality.
The Greek Committee of Η&Μ, Global Cultural Heritage and Museums, was treated to a special presentation of the museum’s Strategy and Philosophy, and the event was also attended by other members of the board and intellectual community of Marseille, including professors, Art School Supervisors, who offered the winner the opportunity to continue his special studies on Art and Design in France and displayed particular interest in following up his progress.
Furthermore, the Director of MuCEM, Εdouard de Laubrie, gave the Greek committee a tour around the impressive museum which is surrounded by a lace-like shell, the work of architect Rudy Riccioti in 2013, and explained that the museum’s collections mostly consist of ‘loans’ from other museums of neighboring Mediterranean countries accompanied by sociology studies.
It is worth noting that Greece has contributed collections from notable Greek museums such as the National Archaeology Museum, Benaki Museum etc.
With this philosophy and frequent changes in the works exhibited, MuCEM will always be in the center of public interest, with exhibitions which bring up the common elements and interactions of the cultures of Europe and the Mediterranean as formed throughout the centuries, marking the uncontested role of our country in the course of this evolution.
Moreover, the Chairman of MuCEM ‘Friends’, General René Faure, gave Panagiotis Gafos an honorable mention and appointed him member of the Young European ‘Friends’ of the museum, also expressing his wish for establishing a co-operation between Η&Μ, Heritage & Museums, and ΜuCEM, with similar students’ contests.
The Greek committee was also accompanied by Marineta Kritikou (film, stage & multimedia director) and by photographer Christina Moumouri, who covered all cultural events and visits such as to the conspicuous “Historical Museum of Marseille” which exhibits rare parts of ships of the first Greek colonists from Fokea, Asia Minor, in the 6th century BC.
Η&Μ Trilogy 2015
A very successful trilogy (Η&Μ T2015)
-Student drawing contest
-Work exhibition
-Meeting for the education and art through Museums, which was successfully completed with a cultural trip to MuCEM in Marseille, offered to the winner of “Painting Europe”, Panagiotis Gafos.
