Persons wander close to Zappeion in Athens, Greece, on May 30, 2020. Greece reopened restaurants and cafes on Could 25 as Greece is using ways to restart its tourism sector. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)
Strolling by means of the galleries of Zappeion, one particular of the emblematic buildings of Athens built for the to start with modern day Olympic Video games in 1896, Greek classical songs composer, conductor and educator Eugenia Manolidou is listening to what monuments have to say to go on the teachings to her college students.
Strong awareness of the past and sturdy inbound links to our cultural heritage make us stronger, enable us to experience the future, admit the magnificence of various cultures and notice the electrical power of collaboration, she told the Xinhua News Company in a new job interview, citing China-Greek friendship and cooperation as an example.
“Lifestyle blended with education and learning can deliver folks together, make bridges and break walls. Only through learning pretty tricky can just one respect the attractiveness of distinct cultures,” she pressured.
An artist and educator, Manolidou has contributed in latest many years to creating bridges of knowledge and collaboration concerning Greece and China via cultural exchanges.
In August 2008, when Beijing hosted the Summer months Olympic Video games, she was invited to give a concert at the Beijing Concert Corridor.
She done the China Countrywide Opera & Dance Drama Theater Symphony Orchestra and Choir, presenting her do the job titled Two Cultures, A single Spirit.
That was her 1st call with China and Chinese society. In order to develop a operate matching the spirit of the Games and the two ancient civilizations, she executed in depth analysis into the philosophy, tunes and mentality of the Chinese persons.
“I felt a really deep obligation to provide two of the most historical civilizations of the entire world. So, I put together what I knew ideal, symphonic songs, with the pipa, a four-string plucked lute, 1 of the most exquisite instruments of conventional Chinese new music,” Manolidou recalled.
She at last composed a concerto for pipa and symphony orchestra.
“We narrated a fairy tale that introduced the two peoples together,” she said.
“Apart from their welcoming applause, the viewers that day manufactured it very clear to me that they understood that those people two civilizations, no make a difference the length involving them, are united in their values, their philosophy, and their lovely previous.”
Manolidou is also head of experiments at Elliniki Agogi (Hellenic Education), an Athens-based mostly non-public university that teaches the language, record and philosophy of the historical Greeks to youngsters and older people. At the college, she focuses on little ones, as she did through a Greek-Chinese cultural exchange function in November 2021.
On the eve of the Beijing 2022 Winter season Olympics, the pupils of Elliniki Agogi and the Beijing Academy substantial university in the Chinese capital achieved by means of video clip link and recited excerpts from the functions of historical Greek and Chinese philosophers to every other.
By building a bridge via philosophy, they reminded the entire world of the widespread values and tips of the two civilizations and of their teachings on virtue, labor, friendship, truth, bravery, independence and joy.
Manolidou encourages other educational institutions to comply with in their footsteps due to the fact she believes there is a great deal to obtain from these kinds of initiatives.
“Alongside one another we are more robust. We have quite a few more options, lots of additional likelihood to attain what we want in the future,” she additional.
Xinhua