- In collaboration with the Hellenic Institute for the Study of Ancient and Medieval Alexandria (HISAMA), the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) and the Department of Geology of the University of Patras in the Program: “Study of the East Mediterranean Coasts Vulnerability of the to Tsunami Events,” a delegation was sent to Alexandria during March-April 2013, with the participation of the Foundation’s Chairman and Secretary Mr. C. Zerefos and Mr. C. Repapis, HCMR President Mr. K. Synolakis, a team from the Geology Department of Patras University with Professor G. Papatheodorou and the HISAMA team with its President Mr. Ch. Tzalas. It was mainly an exploratory expedition during which the foundations for this study were laid. The abovementioned scientists also participated in the Workshop titled “Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and Sea Change over the Long Term. Comparative data from Alexandria, Cyprus and Crete” which took place in April 2013 at the French Institute of Athens with a paper presented by Mr. Tzalas.
At the archeological site of Kom el Dikka in Alexandria, the Pillar that was hauled up by the HISAMA team. (From the left) The MKF Chairman Prof. C. Zerefos, the HCMR President Prof. K. Synolakis, the MKF Secretary Prof. C. Repapis and the HISAMA President, Historian Ch. Tzalas (Alexandria, 2013).
The team is getting ready to depart for diving. (From the right) The diver G. Nomikos, Egyptian archaeologist, the MKF Chairman Professor C. Zerefos, the HISAMA President Historian Ch. Tzalas, the HCMR President Professor K. Synolakis and already on the boat , divers and inspector archaeologists of the Department of Underwater Antiquities of Alexandria (Alexandria Nautical Club, 2013).
- In May 2013, within the framework of the Program: “Study of the East Mediterranean Coasts Vulnerability to Tsunami Events,” the Foundation’s Secretary Mr. C. Repapis and the Professor of the Geology Department, University of Athens, Mrs. N. Evelpidou participated in the Workshop held by Professor J. Empereur in Alexandria, where Mrs. N. Evelpidou gave a lecture on sea level indicators for the study of sea level. The workshop included an exploratory visit to the Nile estuary in Rosetta.
Visiting the Nile estuary in Rosetta (From the left) The MKF Secretary Prof. C. Repapis, the professor of the University of Athens Mrs. N. Evelpidou and the HISAMA diver Mr. G. Nomikos (Alexandria, 2013).
- On June 15, 2013 the MKF celebrated the 20 years of its operation. Its 20th anniversary was co-celebrated with the 50th anniversary of Europa Nostra (a member of which is the MKF). The ceremony took place in the gardens of the National Athens Observatory on Nymph Hill, where the late founder of the Foundation, Elias Mariolopoulos, had served as a Director and Chairman. The ceremony was addressed on behalf of the MKF by its Chairman Professor Christos Zerefos, Academician, on behalf of the National Athens Observatory by its Chairman Professor Kanaris Tsigganos and on behalf of Europa Nostra by its Chairman Maestro Plácido Domingo as well as by the Commissioner of the European Union for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, Mrs. Androulla Vasileiou. The ceremony ended with the Con Grazia Quartet who performed works by Chatzidakis, Theodorakis, Mozart, Vivaldi, Pachelbel, Piazzolla and Gardel. Afterwards, there was a Reception and a Guided Tour around the Museum of Geo-Astrophysics and the NAO facilities. The ceremony was attended by eminent members of Europa Nostra from all parts of Europe and by many Greeks. Prince Henrik Laborde de Monpezat, Earl de Kergorlay Denis, and former Prime Minister Mr. Grivas honored the event with their presence, and so did former E.U. commissioners, MEPs, MPs, Secretary-Generals, the Director of the Office of the European Union in Athens and other personalities from Greece and abroad.
From the lecture given by the Chairman of the Board, Academician C. Zerefos at the celebration for the 20 years of the MKF. Seated in the first row are Prince Henrik Laborde de Monpezat, the Ambassador of Denmark Mrs. Mette Knudsen, the E.U. Commissioner Mrs. Androulla Vasileiou, the Director of the E.U. Office Mr. P. Karvounis, the NAO Chairman Mr. K. Tsigganos, the representative of the Royal Danish court, the former Prime Minister Mr. I. Grivas, the Europa Nostra SG Mrs Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović and Earl de Kergorlay Denis (Nymph Hill, 2013).
Maestro Plácido Domingo, Chairman of Europa Nostra, during his address for the 20 years of the MKF and the 50 years of Europa Nostra (Sina’s building, Nymph Hill, 2013).
- The Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences, within the framework of the program concerning the “Dissemination of Environmental Problems to Students and Citizens” and the School of Applied Arts of the Hellenic Open University collaborated in order to hold a summer Workshop (through the E.U. Erasmus program). The Workshop was held in Athens from June 24 to July 5 with the participation of students and professors from various European Universities. http://ip2013.eap.gr
The students and professors of the Workshop during their visit to the monument of the Unknown Soldier (Athens, 2013).
- With the aim of exploiting the research and the scientific potential of Greece towards formulating proposals on the adaptation policies required to address the effects of climate change on the tourism sector, the Climate Change Impacts Study Committee of the Bank of Greece, the Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences and the Research Centre of Atmospheric Physics and Climatology of the Academy of Athens co-organized a scientific colloquium on: “Greek Tourism and Climate Change: Adaptation Policies and a New Development Strategy”. The colloquium took place on Tuesday 9th of July, 2013 at the Bank of Greece Central Branch with the participation of special scientists and representatives of tourism agencies. It was followed by the publication of a special report of the BoG with the conclusions of the Colloquium and adaptation proposals for the address of the impacts of climate change on Greek tourism. http://www.bankofgreece.gr/BoGDocuments/EMEKA_tourismos_2014_.pdf
- On September 24-26, 2013 the French Institute in Athens hosted a Conference titled: “Earthquakes, tsunamis and sea level changes over the long term; comparative data from Alexandria, Cyprus and Crete”. The MK Foundation was represented by its Chairman, Academician C. Zerefos and by its Secretary Professor C. Repapis with a paper titled: “Possible geophysical consequences of the 365 AD tsunami in Alexandria and the efforts and findings of the Greek Mission” in collaboration with Dr. C. Tzalas and Professor K. Synolakis.
- On Monday 7th of October, 2013 there was the award of the launched Prize for an excellent student originating from Magouliana, Arcadia in memory of the late Academician Elias G. Mariolopoulos. The Prize was presented by the Treasurer of the Foundation Mr. G. Mariolopoulos to the student of the UOA Dental School, Anastasios Nicolaos Charoulis, who was selected by the MKF Board, among many co-candidates, for his exceptional performance, for meeting all criteria of the competition as well as for his ethos.
A commemorative photo of the award-winner Mr. A. Charoulis with the MKF Director Mrs. Efi Xirotiri and the Treasurer Prof. G. Mariolopoulos (Foundation Offices, Athens, 2013).
- On December 1, 2013, the MKF Chairman C. Zerefos and the Board members K. Liatsos and A. Karamanos were officially invited to and attended the celebration for the 80th birthday of the Foundation Board member since 1997, Paul Crutzen (Nobel Prize for Chemistry, 1995). The event was organized by the Max Planck Institute in Mainz, Germany. Both the official ceremony on December 1, 2013 and the symposium held in his honor on December 2nd under the title: “The Anthropocene”, (a term coined by P. Crutzen), were attended by distinguished scientists from all around the world as well as by the German Ministers of Education, Energy and Environment.
From the left, the MKF Board member Mr. K. Liatsos, the MKF Chairman C. Zerefos, Paul Crutzen, the director of MKF Mrs. E. Xirotiri, the Board member Prof. A. Karamanos and Mrs. Tertu Crutzen (Chemistry Building,Max Planck, Mainz, 2013).