22nd STUDENT SYMPOSIUM OF ATTICA HIGH SCHOOLS- MEMBERS OF UNESCO ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS NETWORK (ASPnet)
On Thursday 29th February and Friday 1st March 2024, the 22nd Student Symposium of Attica High Schools- Members of UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) took place at the premises of Jeanne d' Arc Greek-French School of Piraeus. The subject of the Symposium was "Building Peace at personal level, in school life and in society" and it was organized by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO and Jeanne d' Arc Greek-French School of Piraeus. It was attended by 180 students and 40 teachers from 18 high schools- members of the Network in the region of Attica. Piraeus was represented by delegations from Jeanne d' Arc Greek- French School and from Ralleio GEL Thileon Peirea.
At the opening of the proceedings, addresses were made by the Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Mrs. Zeta Makri, the representative of the President of the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO Mrs. Tzitzikosta, the Head of the Directorate of European & International Affairs of the Ministry of Education Mrs. Vasiliki Makri, the Director of Secondary Education of Piraeus Mr. Dionysios Anastasopoulos, the National UNESCO ASPnet Coordinator Mrs. Vera Dilari and the Director of the Lyceum of Jeanne d' Arc Greek-French School of Piraeus Mr. Demosthenes Karyophyllis.
In his address, Mr. Anastasopoulos referred to the institution of the Student Symposia, which is an excellent opportunity for students of the member schools to meet and cooperate, an opportunity to explore, discuss and deepen their understanding of contemporary issues that concern the whole planet. Continuing, Mr. Anastasopoulos expressed his satisfaction that both the 22nd Student Symposium (for senior high schools) and the 9th Student Symposium (for junior high schools) are organized in 2024 by schools of the Directorate of Piraeus. He went on to stress the close cooperation of the Directorate of Secondary Education of Piraeus with UNESCO ASPnet National Coordination at the Ministry of Education through the European & International Programs Office of the Directorate. Within the framework of this cooperation and with the appointment of ASPnet Focal Point in the Directorate, two new schools from Piraeus applied for membership after the first joint event was held in October 2023 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of ASPnet. Concluding his address, Mr. Anastasopoulos said that the Directorate is looking forward to further cooperation since the priorities promoted through ASPnet fall within the objectives set by the Directorate and himself personally “to make school a place of joy and creativity and to strengthen the role of the teacher, in order for students to develop into integrated personalities and active citizens”.
The Symposium was also attended by the ASPnet coordinating teacher of the 8th Senior High School of Piraeus, a new member of the Network, as an observer, following the actions and under the guidance of the ASPnet Focal Point of the Directorate within the European & International Programs Office Ms. Aikaterini Christodoulou, who represented the Directorate during the two days of the Student Symposium.