Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-08-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greek-language teachers from former Soviet Union republics complete pilot programme

[02] 'Mamma Mia!' film director appeals to minister against Greek coast development

[01] Greek-language teachers from former Soviet Union republics complete pilot programme

The teachers, who are of Greek descent, came from Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Georgia to attend a pilot programme offered by the ministry's General Secretariat for Overseas Greeks (GSOG) and the Thessaloniki-based Centre of Greek Language on methodologies of teaching Greek as a second or foreign language.

The group arrived in Thessaloniki last week and had the opportunity to visit with the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, who held a dinner in their honour. Several of them told ANA-MPA that they tried to visit Greece as often as possible because they considered Greece their second home.

GSOG official Eva Papadatou said that it was important to support all 250 Greek-language teachers in the former Soviety Union countries. She noted that essentially they worked as volunteers, as the stipend offered by the ministry was very small while they are also called upon to cover work of the diminishing number of teachers sent from Greece's ministry of Education.

[In photo, Gerontopoulos (R) congratulates attending teachers at the closing ceremony in a Thessaloniki hotel on Monday. ANA-MPA]

[02] 'Mamma Mia!' film director appeals to minister against Greek coast development

The Greek island landscape "of incomparable beauty was the biggest gift to cinema-goers worldwide," she underlined, noting that it is inconceivable to all the people associated with the movie - filmed on the northern Aegean islands of Skopelos and Skiathos - to even think that the extraordinary beautiful Greek coasts "will be auctioned off" in such a way.

The whole world sees Greece as one of the last unspoiled destinations, she underlined, adding that in combination with the archaeological sites across the country, Greece is among the few places in the world that can be called "heaven on earth".

She noted that the movie was filmed in Greece because of this beauty, adding that there will be no return once the thin line is crossed and Greece's coasts are occupied by hotels and other facilities, as it has repeatedly been proven by the horrifically overdeveloped coastlines in other European countries.

Lloyd said that the catastrophic economic crisis has a negative effect on Greece, underlining, however, that if the country's unique contribution to the world cultural heritage is commercialized, the profits will be short-term but the disaster caused will be long-term both for the country's future and the entire world.

[File photo from "Mamma Mia!" cast in Greece, 2008. ANA-MPA]

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