International Student Literature Conference
Mandoulides Schools - Zografeio Lykeio
An original and creatively conceived kind of student conference has been taking place, with great success, since the spring of 2012 in Istanbul, organized by Mandoulides Schools and Zografeio Lykeio, under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The student conference is aimed at Senior High School students and is dedicated to the life and work of a great Greek author each year. Each school participates in the conference with a student group consisting of 5 to 8 students. Students have the choice of performing 15-minute presentations or theatrical events, artistic compositions, musical compositions and videos. Each team works with an expert consultant who is a university lecturer, writer, or researcher. In parallel, recitations, musical and theatrical events, film screenings, exhibitions, discussions on board a vessal cruising the Bosporus, and tours of Byzantine Istanbul, take place. During the conference prominent figures from literature and the arts come in contact with students from Greece and abroad, and together share knowledge and enjoy the hospitality and the warmth of the Greeks of Istanbul. Responsible for organizing the student congress are Dr. Aspa Hasioti, Director of Mandoulides Schools and Yiannis Demirtzoglou, Director of Zografeio Lykeio.
“Antonis Samarakis. The Eternal Adolescent”
organized by Zografeio Lykeio of Istanbul and Mandoulides Schools of Thessaloniki, under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was successfully held at Zografeio Lykeio from 10 to 14 April. The attendance of the delegates exceeded all precedent.
About 450 participants, students and teachers from 19 public and private schools from Greece, Cyprus and Istanbul met with scientists, writers, actors and journalists. If Antonis Samarakis could see how many children uttered his name at this congress, he would have been happy. His wife, Eleni Samaraki, who made the opening speech, agreed that this is exactly how he would have felt.
The life and work of Antonis Samarakis emerged through the original ideas and presentations of the students, the contributions of the scientists and the discussions that took place. It is worth mentioning that the theme of the conference was multifaceted and highly interesting, while a particular reference was made to how relevant and prophetic Antonis Samarakis is throughout his work, still until today.
At the same time, issues related to his prose and poetry, as well as his relation to history and language were analyzed and discussed while the reasons for which his works have been translated in multiple languages were also examined.
The 7th International Student Literature Conference was broadcast live by Livemedia.
Giorgos Theotokas. Τhe Constantinopolitan
Giorgos Theotokas, the Constantinopolitan
March 14th - 18th 2018, Istanbul
Zografeio Lykeio and Mandoulides Schools are organizing the international student literature conference "Giorgos Theotokas, the Constantinopolitan" to be held at Zografeio Lykeio, Istanbul under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
This is the sixth student literature conference. The previous five were dedicated to Alexandros Papadiamantis, K. P. Cavafy, George Seferis, Georgios Vizyinos, Odysseas Elytis and were held with the participation of 250 students and teachers from schools in Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, America and elect representatives of literature and the arts.
Odysseas Elytis: The Poet of the Aegean
Odysseas Elytis: The Poet of the Aegean
March 30th - April 3rd 2016, Thessaloniki
The International Student Literature Conference entitled Odysseas Elytis: Poet of the Aegean,” organized by Zografeio Lykeio of Istanbul and Mandoulides Schools in Thessaloniki, under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, has concluded. Because of the recent tragic events in Istanbul, this year the conference was held at Mandoulides Schools in Thessaloniki, from March 30th to April 3rd, and was dedicated to His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch and the 25 years of his work. Some three hundred students and teachers from 18 public and private schools of Greece, Cyprus, the U.S., and Istanbul met with prominent academics, writers, actors and journalists.
It was a unique journey on the wings of a dream, with "art, luck, and courage" over the universal roads mapped out by the work of our great poet Odysseas Elytis. The conference theme was multifaceted and compelling. Particular reference was made to the universality of Elytis and the Byzantine echoes of his great work, "Axion Esti." Issues relating to the translations of his poetry, to numerology, solar metaphysics, and the artistic measure of the poet, as well as to Elytis’ theoretical exploration, and to his unique literary language were analyzed and discussed.
G. Vizyenos: The Road to Istanbul
G. Vizyenos: The Road to Istanbul
March 12th - 15th 2015, Istanbul
The 4th International Student Literature Conference "G. Vizyenos: The Road to Istanbul," organized by Mandoulides Schools of Thessaloniki and Zografeio Lykeio of Istanbul under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was held with great success at Zografeio Lykeio. The number of participants exceeded all expectations. About 300 students and teachers of 16 public and private schools from Greece, Cyprus and Istanbul met with literary scholars, writers, actors, and journalists in a unique and rare collaboration in honor of our great poet and novelist G. Vizyenos.
The tragic life and the multifaceted work of G. Vizyenos emerged through the students' innovative ideas and actions, the lectures of literary experts and the discussions held. Participants followed G. Vizyenos’s long life journey from Vizyi to Istanbul, to Cyprus, to the major capitals of Europe until his tragic death in Athens. The theme of the conference was multifaceted and highly interesting. Particular reference was made to the routes Vizyenos followed; issues related to his poetry, prose, and techniques; and the importance of his psychoanalytic and ideological interpretations. The use of satire in his work and his views on language were analyzed and discussed while his theoretical thinking and unique literary language were also approached.
G. Seferis: From Izmir to Istanbul
G. Seferis: From Izmir to Istanbul
March 20th - 23rd 2014, Istanbul
The 3rd International Student Literature Conference, “G. Seferis: From Izmir to Istanbul,” organized by the Zografeio Lykeio and Mandoulides Schools, was held at Zografeio Lykeio in Istanbul under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The hearts of the participants and others who were lucky enough to attend still beat to the rhythm of this extraordinary event.
The 180 students and teachers from 15 Junior - Senior High Schools of Athens, Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Volos, Chania, Nicosia, Istanbul and New York, along with the literary scholars, writers, poets, musicians, and actors, provided a unique source of creativity which, with its strength, originality, and imagination exceeded even the most optimistic of expectations of the organizers.
150 Years C. P. Cavafy
150 Years C. P. Cavafy
April 11th - 14th 2013, Istanbul
The 2nd International Student Literature Conference commemorating the 150 years since the birth of poet Constantine P. Cavafy was organized by the Zografeio Lykeio in collaboration with Mandoulides Schools of Thessaloniki, and held at the Zografeio Lykeio in Istanbul under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Students and teachers of 13 Junior - Senior High Schools from Greece, Cyprus, Turkey as well as Egypt, together with writers, poets, musicians, actors, performers and journalists, comprised a unique, never-depleting source of creativity which surpassed with its strength, originality and imagination even the most ambitious expectations of those responsible for its organization.
100+1 Years Alexandros Papadiamantis
100+1 Years Alexandros Papadiamantis
March 15th - 18th 2012, Istanbul
With great success, the 1st Student Literature Conference "100 + 1 Years Alexandros Papadiamantis," on the life and work of the great novelist from Skiathos took place in Istanbul, organized by the Zografeio Lykeio and Mandoulides Schools, under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Under this ambitious project, writers, academics and artists came together with students from throughout Greece and from Istanbul, to jointly study and approach the work of Papadiamantis. Specifically, 142 students participated in the conference from 12 schools of Greece and 3 of Istanbul, 40 teachers, 3 authors, 2 actors, 1 clergyman, 6 academics and His All Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos himself. There were 8 sessions, 21 readings of short stories, 1 theatrical performance, 4 theatrical events, and an exhibition with artistic creations of the students displayed in the halls of Zografeio Lykeio, in churches and onboard a vessel cruising the Bosporus.
