Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-06-24

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Greek poet Anagnostakis dies, aged 80

[02] International Herald Tribune holds conference on 'Covering Religion'

[01] Greek poet Anagnostakis dies, aged 80

He was politically aligned to the Left, taking part in the Greek Resistance movement during WWII and the civil war that followed, while his poetry was marked by the terse, grim realism characteristic of left-wing poetry at that time.

Anagnostakis, also a writer of prose and essays, was born in Thessaloniki in 1925. He studied medicine and practised radiology. During the troubled post-war era, he was condemned to death by a military court and spent many years in prison and exile.

He had won many awards for his poetry, which has been translated into several European languages.

President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias and party leaders expressed their sorrow over the death of renowned poet Anagnostakis.

President Papoulias said in a statement "we will miss the voice of Manolis Anagnostakis as much as his silence in past years."

Prime Minister and Culture Minister Costas Karamanlis expressed his condolences and said "Greek literature and Greek culture lost a splendid poet and humble fighter today."

Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papariga said in a message to the poet's family "heartfelt condolences over the death of Manolis Anagnostakis, one of the most important poets of his generation."

Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) party leader Alekos Alavanos also extended his condolences to the family of the deceased, and expressed his deep gratitude for Anagnostakis' work and the example he set in life.

[02] International Herald Tribune holds conference on 'Covering Religion'

This was the conclusion drawn during the conference organised at the Zappion Mansion on Thursday night by the International Herald Tribune on the theme "Covering Religion:The Superpower of the 21st Century?".

Another necessity stressed during the conference was that of journalists covering such issues obtaining specialised knowledge and training.

Participating in the discussion were Serge Schmemann, a columnist for the IHT, M.J. Akbar, the chief editor of the newspaper "Asian Age", Costas Iordanidis, a diplomatic reporter for the Athens newspaper "Kathimerini", Nikos Konstantaras, a reporter of "Kathimerini" and Mirette Mabrouk, publisher of the Egyptian newspaper "The Daily Star Egypt".

Schmemann said "religion is a field of political struggle in the U.S. which shall continue", adding that "the development of fundamentalism reduces scientific progress."

Mabrouk said the most important problem is the increase of "political" religion and stressed that the religious phenomenon must always be examined in the specific cultural framework in which it develops.

Akbar said journalists must clarify meanings, while such titles as "The West against Islam" must be avoided and noted that "renewal takes place with the return to roots because in this way you overcome ignorance."

Konstantaras said people turn to religion when they feel insecurity and "we are living in times of stress." On the question of whether religion will be the "superpower" of the 21st century, he said the reply lies in political developments.

Iordanidis pointed out that the job of the journalist is not to "philosophise" but to try to approach empiric reality with great care since, as he said, a "philosophical approach" to day-to-day life might lead to even greater fanaticism.

The discussion was held in the framework of the 3rd Annual Meeting of the IHT and the newspapers with which it cooperates, which is taking place in Athens.

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