HIGHLIGHTS

In October 2019, much to my delight, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) approved a grant to the Holy Metropolitan Church of Monemvasia and Sparta for the design and construction of a new building to house the Schools of Hagiography and Byzantine Music.

Outdoor public spaces have always been important, but perhaps never more so than during the months of the pandemic, when they’ve become havens for relaxation, exercise, and escape from the same few rooms we’re spending all our time in.

A little kid floating on a unicorn inflatable in the water makes for a cute image. Unless, of course, you zoom out to find that she’s floating out in the open sea, alone, miles away from the beach and her parents.

As we begin the month of November, I am thinking about International Children’s Day, which is celebrated on November 20. This day was first marked in 1954 and has been celebrated every year since to promote children’s rights and improve their welfare.

It was spring 2014 when Stefanos Trachanas visited the offices of our foundation for the first time. Although we were already familiar with Crete University Press from its successful thirty-year record, during that first meeting, we found out about its new vision for the establishment of the Mathesis Open Internet Courses Center.

“We don’t give out food or clothes. We give tools and resources so that they can provide for themselves when they grow up,” says Angelos Kostamparis, Community Liaison for Victoria Square Project, summing up the organization’s philosophy.

The Street Vendor Project put New York City street vendors back to work preparing thousands of free meals for communities in Brooklyn and the Bronx facing food insecurity.

When you think of Athenian architecture, there’s one particular building that’s likely to come to mind first—and it sits atop the Acropolis. But Athens has a rich and varied architectural history from recent centuries too, notably the period between 1830 and 1940. It’s a heritage that until recently was overlooked.

Some of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) grants that have the greatest and most direct impact for people in need are the most straightforward.