Kallichoron Art Boutique Hotel, proud sponsor of Vivliodromies 2017 book reading contest, participated in the award ceremony that took place on Friday, 15th December 2017 at the Eugenides Foundation in Athens.
Contributing to the progress and welfare of the local community plays an integral part of Kallichoron's philosophy. Principally with the "Room2Give” Corporate Social Responsibility Programme - established in 2015, the hotel donates a percentage of each booking earnings to a number of social responsibility initiatives, mainly for children and young adults.
Eleftherios Geitonas, General Principal of Geitonas School and initiator of Vivliodromies, addressed the students and urged them to become "laborers, and defenders of a united Greek society to save [our] Greece. Vivliodromies breathe the dreams and visions of literaries, and interpret their reflections. We congratulate all the children that participated and wish them good luck. Furthermore, we congratulate the teachers and the parents that encouraged their children to cooperate. We thank Ms. Maria Mavroudi from Kallichoron who envisages great things for Astypalea. Congratulations on the investment she makes for her birthplace and in the new generation”, quoted Mr. Geitonas.
Ms. Maria Mavroudi, co-founder and Kallichoron's general manager, in her speech urged the children to dare, dream and passionately seek their own vision and move “the small world, the Great” forward as the Greek Nobel-winner poet, Odysseas Elytis, said. She congratulated all the participants including the ones receiving a distinction in Vivliodromies 20017 and declared "proud of this Knowledge and Culture unison. We feel double proud that with the backing of the Kallichoron Art Boutique Hotel’s Room2Give CSR initiative as well as the unwavering support of Geitonas Schools, the students of Astypalea will also participate in Vivliodromies”. Likewise, she thanked Geitonas School, Maria-Christina Ktistaki, President of the School Parent Group and the teacher, Giorgos Kiousis for their support.
The Geitonas School Parent Group was an active participant, with the President Maria-Christina Ktistaki declaring touched by the children's eagerness for learning and development. “In the age of rapidity and image, philanagnosia (love of reading) helps our children to dream and travel to unknown places. We have the obligation, as parents, co-readers and supporters, to establish the environment within which they can express themselves creatively, with the hope that our children will evolve into smart, good and happy people.”
Georgios Kiousis, a teacher and coordinator of the programme, stated an advocate of Kallichoron's efforts and proud "that the literary company from this year onwards will include Astypalea as well. We thank Maria Mavroudi, who ventures and aspires to make the school children “travel”, injecting life to her hometown."
The ceremony was attended by a large number of students and parents from all over Greece and Cyprus, and you can watch here a part of it.