ASPnet UNESCO, Γυμνάσιο - Λύκειο, Τα Νέα μας

“Gift a poem” Initiative – UNESCO

Lyceum of Hellenic College of Thessaloniki celebrated  World Poetry Day 2023 in by gifting and creating poems in the context of the initiative “Gift a poem“.

The activities of Hellenic college of Thessaloniki’s students serve the role and real meaning of poetry, connecting with real life and promoting their  creativityby using imagination and empathy. The activities andtheir purposes are the following

1. Poetry unites people and knows no borders and no discrimination.

It can help people improve their understanding of others and realize that we are all equal. Our student AthinaMavrika celebrated World Poetry Day by gifting the poem Like you” by Apostolis Zymbragakis to the Association of Disabled People “Elpida“. (Teacher Vasiliki Kontogogou)

2. Poetry, combining speech, soul, culture, and freedom of man,  manages to raise our spirit and promotes moral and universal values. It promotes intercultural dialogue in youth and as a means of cultural diplomacy can cultivate multiculturalism and create strong linkages among people worldwide building bridges and not walls. 

Poetry as an educational tool contributes to the socio-emotional development of people, enabling them to face the challenges of the digital era. In transformative education, it leads to the humanistic approach of technology and of sciences in general for a sustainable future, where students can be empowered and “agents of change”.

Our students Antoniou Georgia and NickolaosTsironis depicted their vision for the contribution of UNESCO  in transforming the lives of children and were motivated by the initiative of UNESCO “Gift a poem” to create poetry presenting its significant power.  Their 3 poems entitled: “Educational Linkages”, “A hidden hero: UNESCO”, and “Empower the Future” are dedicated to ASPnet UNESCO (Greece) for the 70th Anniversary. (Teacher Anastasia Psallida)

3. This initiative gave also a great opportunity to a group of students of a class during the lesson of Greek Literature  to think about the meaning of education in their life and its huge imprint. They wonder and express their views about quality education and learning and what it must offer according to them, searching in  literature’s books poems that reflect their vision. They wrote down, analyzed and discussed the lines that had an impact on them.

It was the most interesting and fruitful “dialogue” of the year among young people, in a class of 21st century facing all these global, social and digital challenges. The students had been inspired through the words of K. Kavafis, B. Breht, B. Borges, A. Zymvragakis by the universal values of freedom,  human dignity, humanism, friendship aiming at a meaningful knowledge, active democratic participation and awareness… The motivation of students was admirable and the most important for us…without using technology…

It was a great example for our students to understand that the Futures of Education needs transformation and humanistic tradition…

It was dedicated to all the students and the people involved  in education on the occasion of ASPnetUNESCO 70 Anniversary.

(Teacher Anastasia Psallida)

We are grateful to our National Coordinator, Vera Dilari, for giving us this great and amazing experience!!!

Τhe activities were co-ordinating by Anastasia Psallida, Head of the Department of International and European Programs of Hellenic College of Thessaloniki.