Politics, art and ecology to meet at Megaron Plus
The development of critical and political thought as well as science, the environment and the arts, especially theater and cinema, without discarding prose and poetry, are just some of the principal themes of the Megaron Plus series of events for the next two years. At a recent press conference that was held in the presence of Culture Minister Antonis Samaras, Ioannis Manos presented the new program of events. He pointed out that activities such as cultivating international collaborations, hosting exhibitions, organizing children’s workshops and promoting further collaborations with the academic community complement the aims of the Megaron Plus series. It should be noted that often events focus on major current issues. Hence, one of the most interesting upcoming Megaron Plus lectures is bound to be that of banker and chairman of the Rothschild Group, David de Rothschild, who will talk about «What the Financial Crisis has Taught Us» on March 16. Other events that stand out are a lecture by renowned psychoanalyst and highly popular writer Irvin Yalom, who will speak about getting over the fear of death on March 31. On April 30, acclaimed Israeli writer Aaron Appelfeld will present his work and on May 26 a literary conference will take place, with the participation of three young and dynamic foreign authors – Niccolo Ammaniti, Daniel Kehlmann and Santiago Roncagliolo – who will discuss the contemporary character of European literature. Jacques Testart, honorary chairman of France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale) will talk about science and democracy on April 6, while on December 3 Aaron Ciechanover, the world renowned scientist from Israel and a Nobel laureate in chemistry, will lecture on the subject «Where is 21st-Century Medicine Leading Us?» There will also be plenty of interesting lectures on architecture, such as the one that Berlin-based architect Jurgen Mayer is scheduled to deliver on November 30. The program further includes public discussions on the fall of the Berlin Wall and on journalism, a symposium on the relationship between Byzantium and ancient Greek thought, as well as tributes to Greek poetry and prose. Exhibitions such as «The Transformation of Objects,» an art workshop in collaboration with the Pompidou Center in Paris and an educational display from Paris’s Cite des Sciences – La Villette are also on the agenda. Athens Concert Hall, 1 Kokkali & Vas. Sofias, tel 210.728.2333. For more information, visit www.megaron.gr.
