Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-04-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cosmopolitan Mykonos launches new tourism season

[02] Erdogan to visit Greece

[01] Cosmopolitan Mykonos launches new tourism season

The events include the 2nd International Meeting on Aesthetic and Reconstructive Facial Surgery on May 13-16, the 48th Panhellenic Congress on Pediatrics on May 21-23, and the 2nd International Symposium on "Green Chemistry and Environmental Health" on September 27-29.

Further, a series of concerts, dance and theatrical performances, and art exhibitions have been planned spanning on the island from May to end-September, with the main thrust in July and August.

Events will also be held on the nearby islet of Delos to celebrate the August full moon.

Mykonos, which is also known for its golden sandy beaches, cobblestone streets and windmills dating from as early as the 16th century, is believed, according to local legend, to have been named after a local hero -- an offspring of the ancient Greek god Apollo -- who was worshipped locally in antiquity.

According to Greek mythology, Mykonos was the site of the battle between Zeus and the Titan, and the island was named in honor of the mythical god Apollo's grandson Mykons.

The island's world-famous landmarks include: Petros the Pelican, a white pelican that has been the official mascot of Mykonos for over 50 years, since the first Petros, a wounded pelican, was found off the coast of Paranga shore by a local fisherman in 1958 and was nursed to health; the windmills, most dating back as early as the 16th century, built by the Venetians, and used to grind wheat up until the early 20th century; the settlement of Alefkantra (Little Venice), with its houses, dating back to the middle of the 18th century, built right on the sea's edge and their balconies overhanging the water; the Archaeological Museum that houses marble sculptures, ceramics and jewelry recovered from Mykonos and the nearby islets of Delos and Renia; the Aegean Maritime Museum, with its models of a collection of ships from the pre-Minoan period through to the 19th century and ancient artifacts recounting the history of shipping on Mykonos; and the Church of Panagia Paraportiani (literally, Our Lady of the Side Gate' in Greek, as the church's entrance was found in the side gate of the entrance to the Kastro area), one of the most famous architectural structures in Greece, with the name meaning inner or side door, which it was to the Medieval stone walls that encircled the area. The impressive white-washed church, the construction of which began in 1452 and was completed in the 17th century, in actuality consists of five churches attached together. The four other churches (Saint Efstathios, Saint Sozon, Saints Anargyroi and Saint Anastasia) are all on the ground and constitute the base of the 5th church (Panagia) build on top of them.

[02] Erdogan to visit Greece

It was also announced after the meeting that preparations will commence for establishing a High Cooperation Council between the two countries, comprising 10 ministers each from Greece and Turkey.

The two sides also agreed on intensifying the exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey, as well as on five new Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) aimed at further improving the climate in their bilateral relations.

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