Vassilopita 1996
Date and Time: January 14, 1996, 4:00 pm
Location : Society's offices
Type of Event: Social event to welcome the new year
Attendance: Open to members and friends
Thessaloniki Night
Date and Time: April 28, 1996, 4:00 pm
Location : Saint Johns' Church, 1385 Warden Ave., Scarborough
Type of Event: Dinner-Dance. Fundraiser with the purpose to enrich University and Public libraries with books and articles for Northern
Greece.
Attendance: Open to public. Tickets of $15. per person can be purchased at the door.
Other: Live music with the PAREA.
Byzantine Heritage - Cyril and Methodious
Date and Time: May 26, 1996, 7:00 pm
Location : Allumni Hall, University of Saint Michael's College (121 St. Joseph Street at Queens Park Circle)
Type of Event: Lecture
"THE CONTRIBUTION OF BYZANTINE THESSALONIKI TO THE WESTERN CIVILIZATION"
by
Professor Paul TZERMIAS , University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Attendance: Open to public. Entrance free
Other:
- Reception will follow (Common room, University of Saint Michael's College)
- Event is co-organized with the Greek-Canadian Association of Constantinople and the Greek Consulate in Toronto in cooperation with the Pontifical institute of Mediaeval Studies of the University of Toronto.
Dimitria'96 Lecture
Date and Time: October 3, 1996, pm
Location :
Lecture details:
"OLYMPIA AND MACEDONIA: GAMES, GYMNASIA AND POLITICS "
by
Professor Thomas SCANLON , University of California, Riverside
Abstract
Like the modern Olympics and modern sports generally, ancient
athletics are an accurate mirror of society. And the ancient region of
Macedonia affords many examples of this truism. In the fifth and sixth
centuries, Macedonian royalty sought to establish their Hellenic roots by
being admitted as competitors to the most Greek of festivals the Olympics at
Olympia. A parallel Olympic festival was founded in Dion in the fifth
century to further cement ties with southern neighbors. King Philip II
enjoyed victories in horse and chariot races at Olympia, and a building
honoring his family, the Philippeum, was constructed in the Olympic
sanctuary. Alexander the Great was too ambitious with other conquests to
compete at the Olympics, though he did take a real interest in sports and
recognized its political value. Philonides, Alexander's courier, however, did
have a monument set up to him at Olympia. Alexander's conquests opened
up the Eastern Mediterranean for the spread of athletic festivals for centuries
thereafter. Greek sports became the 'export model' for Hellenism of that
age. The century after Alexander sees the only other victories by
Macedonians at Olympia, including chariot-race victories sponsored by a
female member of the Macedonian house, Belistiche.
Finally, the political dimension of ancient sports is reflected in a remarkable
inscription on a large marble stele found in Verroia (Berea), Macedonia and dating to
the period prior to 167 B.C. It documents in great detail the laws
pertaining to the local gymnasium, including rules for the management,
membership, prohibition against certain people from entering the
gymnasium, holding of a local athletic festival sponsored by the
gymnasium, selection of judges, and regulation of revenues. The
inscription is indeed a unique window into the importance of sports in the
everyday life of ancient Macedonia, and it serves as a reminder of how
closely that enterprise resembles those of our own society.
Attendance: Open to public. Entrance free
Other:
- Reception will follow
- Event is sponsored
Annual Dance
Date and Time: October 19, 1996, 7:00 pm
Location : Q-ssis Place, 3474 Kingston Rd., Scarborough, Ontario
Type of Event: Dinner-Dance. Live music with the PAREA
Attendance: Open to public. Tickets of $35. per person ($20. for children) can be purchased at the door.