NWR’s Ελληνικά Themed Evening
2012
The Greek flag includes nine blue-and- ‘He who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel white horizontal stripes, which some the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite scholars say stand for the nine syllables disposition youth and age are equally a burden.’ of the Greek motto ‘Eleutheria e PLATO Thanatos’ or ‘Liberty/Freedom or Death.’ Blue represents Greece’s sea and sky, while white stands for the purity of the struggle of freedom. In the upper left- hand corner is the traditional Greek Orthodox cross.
The Olympics - in brief…
The Olympic Movement uses symbols to represent the ideals embodied in the Olympic Charter… 1. Why does the Olympic Symbol - the Olympic ‘Rings’, consist of 5 intertwined rings? 2. Why were the colours - blue, yellow, black, green and red - over a white field chosen? 3. When was the flag adopted? 4. When and where was the flag flown for the first time? 5. What is the most widely accepted date for the inception of the Ancient Olympics? 6. What events did the Ancient Games feature? 7. After the Olympic Games reached their zenith in the 6th and 5th centuries BC, why did they gradually decline in importance? 8. After the first demise of the Olympics, when were they held again? 9. When and where were the first Games held under the auspices of the IOC? 10. How many nations competed in how many events? 11. What does the Olympic motto - Citius, Altius, Fortius, mean? 12. What is the Olympic creed? Discuss! 13. When will the London Olympics take place? 14. How many times has London hosted the Olympics? 15. How many countries are expected to take part in the London 2012 Olympics? 16. When and where do the next Winter Olympic Games begin? 17. Which team was selected as preferred bidder for ownership of the Stadium after the Games? 18. When are the opening and closing ceremonies in London 2012?
Food & Drink ‘Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live’. SOCRATES Socrates
‘And what, Socrates, is the food of the soul? Surely, I said, knowledge is the food of the soul’. PLATO
‘He was a wise man who invented beer’. PLATO
Entertainment ‘What is pleasanter than the tie of host and guest?’ AESCHYLUS
What is the prime of life? May it not be defined as a period of about twenty years in a woman's life, and thirty in a man's? PLATO
On and off the tip of your tongue: you know more about Greece than you think!!! … Talk more about each of the following - just off the cuff, at first at any rate …. You will be surprised!
. Kalamata; Filo; Feta; Halloumi; Bouzoukis; Baklava; Halva; Souvlaki; Moussaka; Taramasalata; Tzatziki; Meze; Pita; Dolmadakia; Phyllo; Gyros; Kleftiko; Zucchini; Kalamarakia
. Retsina; Ouzo; Tsipouro; Anise; Metaxa Archimedes . Virgil; Euripides; Aristophanes; Aesop; Irene Papas; Melina Mercouri; Aristotle; Archimedes; Mikis Theodorakis; Hippocrates; Plato; Lord Elgin; Phidias; Zeus; Polis; Helios; Herodotus; Euclid; Pythagoras; Nikos Kazantzakis; Aristotle Onassis; Stavros Niarchos; Homer; Aeneid; Sophocles; Euripides; Galen; Georgios Papanikolaou (significant to women); Bouzouki; Maria Callas; Manos Hadjidakis; Vangelis Papathanassiou; Demis Roussos; Nana Mouskouri; George Papandreou; Olympia Dukakis; Telly Savalas; John Casavetes; Elia Kazan; Narcissus; Pandora; Hercules
. Lesbos; Rhodes; Crete; Delphi; Athena; Acropolis; Icaria; Doric; Ionic; Corinthian; Delphi; Naxos; Knossos Olympic Year Challenges Set your own, realistic ‘Olympic Year’ Challenges… EITHER Ask each member to put a challenge ‘In The Hat’ for a random draw by all members OR Members challenge themselves to do something they have not done before…
To be done by – September… Then tell us all about them! And send us your photos!
Answers: 1. They represent the unity of the 5 inhabited continents - America, Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe. 2. Because every nation had at least one of them on its national flag.
3. 1914
4. Only at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium
5. 776 BC - based on inscriptions found at Olympia, of the winners of a footrace held every four years starting in 776BC
6. Running events; Boxing; Wrestling; Equestrian events; and a Pentathlon which included a jumping event, discus and javelin throws, a foot race and wrestling.
7. The Romans gained power and influence in Greece.
8. The late 19th century
9. In the Panathenaic stadium in Athens in 1896
10. 14 nations, 43 events (241 athletes competing).
11. ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’ (in Latin).
12. The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.
13. The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will be held in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012.
14. Twice: in 1908 and 1948.
15. 205 nations are expected to take part in 300 events at the Olympic Games in 2012. (147 nations will take part in the Paralympic Games, from 29 August to 9 September).
16. 7 February 2014, in Sochi, Russia.
17. West Ham United (English Premier League)
18. 27 July; 12 August 2012
SSoommee SSuuggggeesstteedd CChhaalllllleennggeess…… Feel free to add your own! Try a new way of travelling/holidaying – narrowboat, sailboat, coach, caravan, train, bicycle, campervan A new form of sporty activity – hang-gliding, sailing, golf, squash, wall climbing, cycling, skating, bungee jumping, geocaching, rambling A new form of exercise – dancing, jogging, Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, Chi-gong, T’ai Chi A new form of self defence – Judo, Tai Kwon Do, Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, King Fu A different place to dine – Japanese, Indonesian, Greek, North African, Mexican, Polish, German, Lebanese Take up a new hobby - knitting, crochet, tapestry, embroidery, patchwork, quilting, painting in oils/watercolours/pastels, decorating, DIY of some form Try a new (for you) board game – Backgammon, Mah Jong, Rummikub, Cluedo, Cribbage, Monopoly, Scrabble, Absolute Balderdash Try different level crossword puzzles, sudokus http://playwithyourmind.com/online-brain- games/math-games/sumbler/ Introduce and retain a new member to your NWR group Go to a play by an unknown, challenging, disliked - writer Read a book you have always meant to and/or finish that book you started but never managed to finish Learn an instrument – guitar, piano, keyboard, flute, harmonica Organise an event - from murder mystery to dinner party to an NWR event Become an Area Organiser or volunteer as a Local Organiser in NWR Reach the top of: The Gherkin, Snowdon, Ben Nevis, 1 Canada Square, Holloway Circus Learn to – swim, trampoline, cycle, touch type, roller skate, ski, ice skate Try ballooning, paragliding, micro-lighting, gliding Volunteer to help an organisation Conquer (for you) a different form of technology – email, mobile phone, a tablet, taking & printing digital photos, Twitter, Facebook, Skype Attend an opera, musical, show, The Proms, Glastonbury Join amateur dramatics, a choir, bell ringing Learn a new language, redesign part of your garden, join the OU Write your first short story - for the NWR competition! Do something to help the environment – wildlife, canals, woods, trees, meadows Take a holiday in the UK instead of overseas Help set up/mentor a new NWR group Grow your nails Lose weight