With a beautiful closing ceremony and the delivery of the attendance certificates, the summer courses of the Centre for the Study of the Hellenic Language and Culture (HeLaS) of DI.K.E.P.P.E.E. « Stavros Niarchos» of the University of Ioannina, were completed. The ceremony was held in the outdoor theater of DI.K.E.P.P.E.E. « Stavros Niarchos» and was honoured with the presence of the Vice-Rector of International Relations, Extraversion and Lifelong Learning – President of HeLaS, Mr Xenofon Bitsikas, the Deputy Mayor of Education, Lifelong Learning, Sports, Migration Policy, Young Generation and Volunteering, Mr Stefanos Sintos, the cashier of the World Council of Epirotes Abroad, Mr Ilias Galanos, the President of Panepirotic Federation of America, Mr Ioannis Katsimparis, the member of World Council of Epirotes Abroad, Mr Spiros Ziogkas and the President of the Greek Federation of Greek Communities of Georgia, Mrs Evgenia Kotanidis.

n the beginning of the event the head of DI.K.E.P.P.E.E. "Stavros Niarchos", Mrs Panteli Vasiliki, adressed greetings and welcomed the invited people. The main part of the ceremony had the students of the three summer programmes that were held during July: the Summer Greek Language and Culture Learning Programme for Epirotes and Greek expatriates abroad, Summer Greek Language Learning Programme for Expatriates of Georgia, the Summer Greek as second/foreign Language and Culture Learning Programme. The students made a speech about the significance of Greek Language, recited some poems from the M. Anagnostakis’ collection «Υστερόγραφο », and a tribute to Odysseus Elytis. The ceremony was beautified by the students’ songs and the traditional dances that were presented by them in cooperation with their teacher, Vasileios Raptis.

For the implementation of the closing ceremony, the teaching staff of HeLaS collaborated: Mrs Theodora Zampaki, Mrs Anastasia Giannikou, Mr Emil Theodoropoulos, Mrs Konstantina Giakalara, Mrs Athena Vourvou as well as the administrative staff: Mrs Eleftheria Kontou, Mrs Anastasia Giannikou, Mrs Anna Douvali and Mrs Evangelia Apostolou.

It was a particular moving event in which the students expressed their satisfaction with the organization of the courses and the parallel activities, but also their sadness that the summer programs came to their end. Finally, they expressed their desire to return to Ioannina in July 2025 and continue their “journey” in the Greek Language and Greek Culture.