 | Greek Independence Day is a national holiday in Greece celebrated annually on the 25th of March alongside the Greek Orthodox Church’s Feast of the Annunciation to the Theotokos. The celebration commemorates the beginning in 1821 of the Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution - η Ελληνική Επανάσταση του 1821. To honour the Greek Independence Day, villages, smaller towns and cities throughout Greece hold a school flag parade, during which schoolchildren march in traditional Greek costume and carry Greek flags. In certain cities, there is also an armed forces parade. Educational resources here, here and here. Απολυτίκιο Ευαγγελισµού της Θεοτόκου: here. Software in English here. Photo on the left: The sortie of Missolonghi, oil on canvas by Theodoros Vryzakis, 1855 |
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 The Greek Festival of Sydney is holding each year the "Dionysios Solomos Awards," a prestigious event hosted by the Department of Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies, University of Sydney, to commend the highest-ranking Greek language students in NSW. The 2019 Awards were presented on Sunday the 17th of February to the top 5% of NSW Higher School Certificate students and other high-achieving students in Modern and Classical Greek. In the presence of family, friends and distinguished guests, the hard work of this year's awardees was acknowledged, while they were further encouraged to continue to strive for excellence in Greek language studies.
 The dates for Apokries vary from year to year, but generally the festive Carnival season occurs between February and early March. “Apokria” or “Apokries’ in Greek refers to the ten week period before Greek Orthodox Easter. It lasts for three weeks and culminates on the weekend before “Clean Monday” (Ash Monday, Καθαρή Δευτέρα), which marks the beginning of Great Lent (Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή) and is on the 11th March this year.
Apokries literally means "saying goodbye to meat" as preparation for the fasting period during Lent. The focus of celebration mostly includes masquerading with the use of costumes and masks, float parades, playing jokes or dancing around big fires on the streets. Educational resources in relation to the theme of Apokries for stages 1, 2 and 3 can be found here.  The Directorate of High School Education in Pieria, Greece, and its Innovative Actions Department organise every year the International Youth Meeting of Ancient Drama, Music and Athletics which is set under Approval of the Greek Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs. The Games, a revival of the ancient games, "Olympia in Dion", take place at the foothills of the famous Mount Olympus, the home of the ancient gods, in the Ancient Theatre of Dion and last for nine (9) days during the second half of September. Each day is dedicated to each of the nine Pierian Muses: Calliope, Euterpe, Clio, Erato, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, Urania. The themes of the games include student performances of Ancient Greek, Latin and other people's Dramas, concerts and athletic meetings of archaic style. The event is not a competitive event and interested participants can be schools, universities and informal groups. Deadline for submitting an application form: 15 March 2019 For information about participation and the application form, please see attached files below. 
NESA has published a new K-10 syllabus for Modern Greek.
The registration for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek 2019 is now open. The Certificate of Attainment in Greek is the only national, officially recognised by the Greek Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs certificate that confirms the knowledge of Greek as a foreign/second language at 6 levels, starting from A1 for children 8-12 years old to C2 for adults. Candidates can register online for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek 2019 following the link below: http://www.greek-language.gr/certification/application/index.html This online environment gives candidates access via PC to the May 2019 application and questionnaire. We strongly encourage you to register online. However, if this is not possible, you can apply on a paper application form (see attached application form). Also attached are all documents required for the paper application along with informative material: 1. The Application Form 2. Examination Dates and Fees 3. Questionnaire for completion by candidates (the questionnaire will be used for statistical research purposes by the Centre for the Greek Language) 4. Questionnaire for candidates 8-12 years old (Level A1) 5. Price list for past papers 6. Order form for past papers 7. Candidates' Guide Applications for the Certificate of Attainment in Greek 2019 will close on 24 March 2019. Key examination dates (exact place and time tbc): 21 May 2019: Levels A1, A2 and B1 22 May 2019: Levels B2 and C1 23 May 2019: Level C2 Candidates who may reach the age of 8 on the 31st of May 2019 have the right to sit the exam. In particular, children 8-12 years old (8 years of age and not older than12 years old by 31 May 2019) have the right to participate in A1(8-12 yr) examinations. There is no other age restriction. Candidates under the age of 16 may not wish to take part in the B2, C1 and C2 examinations, as the content of the examinations requires knowledge and experience that younger candidates may not have. Candidates will need to: 1. Pay the registration fee 2. Register online (or using the paper registration form) 3. Expect to receive email confirming registration (please keep your deposit receipt as proof of payment until you receive the email from the Certificate of Attainment in Greek 2019 Sydney Coordinator confirming your registration) Once candidates complete the above 3 steps, their registration will be complete. Candidates should also expect to receive an additional email in April from the Certificate of Attainment in Greek 2019 Sydney Coordinator with their Candidates Card, which will detail their Identity Number, and the exact place and time of the oral and written examinations. For further details regarding the examination fees, please visit: https://hellenicedusydney.weebly.com/certificate For sample past exam papers, please refer to: http://www.greek-language.gr/certification/node/12.html For more information regarding the Certificate of Attainment and the appropriate level of candidates, please visit: www.greeklanguage.gr/certification
Registrations are still open for Languages at Sydney: Go Global 2019, an initiative by the University of Sydney's School of Languages and Cultures.
Whether students are continuing with a language or want to learn one for the first time, Languages at Sydney will give them a taste of the programs and languages that the University of Sydney has to offer. When: Friday, 1 March 2019 10am-2pm Where: The University of Sydney, Camperdown Campus To register: Every student and teacher needs to submit an individual registration via our Eventbrite booking page. REGISTER NOW Languages at Sydney is for:
Activities:
Languages offered at the University of Sydney:
For more information, visit the website: School of Languages and Cultures  February 9 has recently been declared as “International Greek Language Day” in honour of Greece’s national poet, Dionysios Solomos, who died on that day in 1857.
On the occasion of the second celebration of the “International Greek Language Day,” which also coincides with the “Dionysios Solomos Commemoration Day,” teachers and high school students alike can benefit from a reading of the inspiring work of another of Greece’s greatest poets: “Axion Esti” (“Worthy It Is”) by Odysseus Elytis. The extract in Greek that follows is a ‘hymn’ to the cultural value of the Greek Language and its endurance through time. Οδυσσέας Ελύτης Από το Άξιον Εστί: Τη γλώσσα μου έδωσαν ελληνική Τη γλώσσα μου έδωσαν ελληνική. το σπίτι φτωχικό στις αμμουδιές του Ομήρου... Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου στις αμμουδιές του Ομήρου... Εκεί σπάροι και πέρκες ανεμόδαρτα ρήματα ρεύματα πράσινα μες στα γαλάζια όσα είδα στα σπλάχνα μου ν' ανάβουνε σφουγγάρια, μέδουσες με τα πρώτα λόγια των Σειρήνων όστρακα ρόδινα με τα πρώτα μαύρα ρίγη... Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου, με τα πρώτα μαύρα ρίγη... Εκεί ρόδια, κυδώνια θεοί μελαχροινοί, θείοι κ' εξάδελφοι το λάδι αδειάζοντας μες στα πελώρια κιούπια. Και πνοές από τη ρεμματιά ευωδιάζοντας λυγαριά και σχίνο σπάρτο και πιπερόριζα με τα πρώτα πιπίσματα των σπίνων ψαλμωδίες γλυκές με τα πρώτα-πρώτα Δόξα Σοι... Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου, με τα πρώτα-πρώτα Δόξα Σοι!.. Εκεί δάφνες και βάγια θυμιατό και λιβάνισμα τις πάλες ευλογώντας και τα καριοφίλια στο χώμα το στρωμένο με τ' αμπελομάντιλα , κνίσες, τσουγκρίσματα και Χριστος Ανέστη με τα πρώτα σμπάρα των Ελλήνων! Αγάπες μυστικές με τα πρώτα λόγια του Ύμνου... Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου, με τα πρώτα λόγια του "Υμνου !.. Dear friends and colleagues,
I would like to welcome you and wish us all a happy, productive and creative academic year ahead. I am pleased to announce that I will be continuing working as the Greek Language Advisor for a second year. Serving in this position may be challenging at times but it is certainly a worthwhile contribution to the maintenance and promotion of the Greek language in primary and secondary education in NSW. I trust that, as colleagues, we can go on working cooperatively for the good of Greek language sharing ideas and practices, and engaging in projects together. Wishing us all once again a Happy New Academic Year! Warm Regards, Maria Dr Maria Harissi Greek Language Advisor Learning and Teaching Directorate NSW School of Languages is currently seeking casual teachers for Modern Greek to teach Stages 5 and 6. Interested teachers are invited to complete the attached EOI form. Please email your application of no more than 2 pages in length to Tomoko Takahata.
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