Innovative Action "Education, Entrepreneurship and Culture": Cooperation of AUEB with the Diazoma Association, the magazine Xenophon and the AUEB Innovation & Entrepreneurship Unit

Innovative Action "Education, Entrepreneurship and Culture": Cooperation of AUEB with the Diazoma Association, the magazine Xenophon and the AUEB Innovation & Entrepreneurship Unit

 Proposals for the utilization of the cultural reserve of Eleusis as the cultural capital of Europe in 2023: Actions for the academic year 2020-2021

Culture is a key priority of AUEB Teacher Education Program. Especially, the involvement of prospective teachers with the ancient Greek culture has been deemed necessary due to the values ​​and messages deriving from its anthropocentrism which limits individualism and promotes the harmonious cooperation and integration of human in society.

For the academic year 2020-2021 a series of training activities and meetings has been designed by Dr. V. Brinia, head of the AUEB Teacher Education Program, in the context of innovative action "Entrepreneurship, Education and Culture" in collaboration with the Diazoma Association, the Xenophon magazine and the AUEB Innovation and Entrepreneurship Unit. Diazoma is an association whose members have focused on contributing to the promotion of natural and cultural monuments and their integration into the center of life, sustainability and sustainable development. The AUEB Teacher Education Program is a scientific helper in this effort of the Diazoma Association.

Eleusis, which is going to be the European Capital of Culture in 2023, has a significant cultural reserve. In ancient times its sanctuary was one of the most important places of worship in the ancient world. In recent years, its cultural stock includes festivals, folklore associations from all over Greece, citizens who are active in the artistic and creative field in general.

The educational activities planned for the academic year 2020-2021 concern the work plan (project) with proposals for the utilization of the cultural reserve of Eleusis as the Capital of Culture of Europe in 2023. The Capital of Culture is an opportunity for international promotion of Greek Culture and important changes in the city of Eleusis, which can be transformed, taking advantage of the opportunities offered to it, in terms of cultural infrastructure, the operation of the city, the development of the coastal front and the development of tourism. These activities consist of the following parts:

The first part of the educational activities related to Elefsina and the historicity of the archaeological site began on Friday 21/1/2021 with speaker Dr. Takis Mastrantonis, volunteer of the Diazoma Association and interlocutor Ms. Georgia Manolopoulou, Philologist- Museologist, responsible for organizing Communication and Educational activities, Exhibitions and Cultural routes at the Archaeological Museum of Patras and at Archaeological sites of Achaia of the Ministry of Culture and Sports / Ephorate of Antiquities of Achaia, volunteer of the Diazoma Association and member of the Board.

The second part of the activities related to the topics of the projects that will be prepared by the students regarding Eleusis as the cultural capital of Europe in 2023, took place on Wednesday 10/3/2021. The students talked with Dr. V. Brinia and Mr. G. Tziros, Economist-Educator awarded for youth entrepreneurship in Europe.

On Friday 19/03/2021, the third series of educational activities took place regarding the students’ project regarding the proposals for the utilization of the cultural reserve of Eleusis. The speeches focused on Eleusis as the cultural capital of Europe in the year 2023 and on the historicity of the archeological site, on the current reality, on the connection of the cultural reserve with the local entrepreneurship and the primary sector and on proposals for educational actions, with speakers Despina Geroulanou , president of the Cultural Organization Eleusis 2023, Mrs. Mary Belogianni, philologist, archaeologist, responsible for the educational programs of the Diazoma Association, Ms. Georgia Manolopoulou, Philologist-Museologist, member of the Board of Diazoma and Mr. Athanasios-Phoivos Argyropoulos, undergraduate student GPA, assistant member of Diazoma.

The next scheduled training action will take place on Wednesday 31/3/2021 with speaker Ms. Georgia Manolopoulou, Philologist-Museologist, Head of Organizing Communication and Educational activities, Exhibitions and Cultural routes at the Archaeological Museum of Patras and in Archaeological sites of Achaia of the Ministry of Culture and Sports / Ephorate of Antiquities of Achaia, volunteer of the Diazoma Association and member of the Board, which, among other things, will refer to the Cultural Route proposed by Diazoma "The Trilogy of Attica: Eleusis - Athens - Lavrio".

In the last part of the training activities, regarding the creation of a business plan in culture with the aim of sustainability, there will be cooperation of the student groups / three with the AUEB ACEin, on Monday 5/4/2021 ,as well as on Monday 19/4/2021 and on Monday 17/5/2021 with rapporteurs Mr. Georgios Tziros, Dr. Manos Sofikitis and Dr. Erifili Hatzopoulou. These workshops with a focus on Eleusis, will analyze the technical parts of a business plan and its development, order for it to have a sustainable, social and cultural sign.

Until the end of May, the students, in groups, will prepare a business plan with proposals for the utilization of the Eleusis reserve using a holistic and sustainable approach. The purpose of the project is:

• to examine how the cultural reserve of Eleusis can be utilized
• what actions / interventions can be made in order for the social and economic benefit from this exploitation to be the greatest possible for the sustainability of the city

Indicative topics:

• Entrepreneurship actions related to the archeological site and to the city of Eleusis in general
• Utilization of the stock of industrial buildings
• Educational activities etc.

In June, a special evaluation committee headed by Dr. Vasiliki Brinia, scientific manager of the action and members of the Diazoma Association, Dr. M. Belogianni, Ms. Georgia Manolopoulou and Dr. P. Mastrantonis, as well as Mr. G. Tziros on behalf of Xenophon magazine, will select the three best works which will be presented in the summer and will be awarded with a prize and praise at a special event that will take place in Eleusis.