The Athens Centre is about inspiring people.
The combination of classes in Modern Greek, semester and shorter university programs in the classics, formal and informal cultural events blend together providing an atmosphere that combines aesthetic facilities, outstanding instruction and a feeling of personal involvement.
The classes in Modern Greek are enhanced with Greek dances during class breaks, culinary events, gallery walks through central Athens, impromptu musical breaks, and interaction with participants from other programs in the courtyard of the Centre. There is always free tea and coffee and a bronze baby rhino.
The language instructors have unique communication skills which stimulate learning through games, theatre techniques and class participation.People of all ages and nationalities attend these classes and contribute food, their cultural background and sometimes bring musical instruments to play in the courtyard.
The summer poetry and art workshop extend their presence through public readings, exhibits of their art work, and visits to sites in and around Athens.
The university programs, most of them in the classics and Greek studies, use the Centre as a base and travel to sites all over Greece. The Centre organizes every detail of these programs; classes, field trips, events, housing. It is not just the event or a class, it is the attention to the details, the personal interaction with the Athens Centre staff who travel with the participants and who take them on museum and gallery visits, and see them on a daily basis.
At the Centre there are weekly evening film showings, guest speakers, book presentations, musical events. These are shared by the public, as well as by the program participants.
The Centre also organizes summer public theatre presentations of classical Greek drama in afiliation with different theatre departments. Performances take place in Athens and on Spetses with professional and amateur groups. To date over forty plays have been presented.
The most important elements of the Centre are the people who come to classes and participate in programs and attend cultural events. We at the Centre strive to make this relationship an inspiring experience.
The programs, the location, the facilities, the faculty, the staff, this combination of classes, cultural events, impromptu happenings, make the Centre a place which makes people enjoy learning.