Today, Thursday September 3 2015, the Hellenic Navy’s tank landing ship LESVOS sailed from the Naval Station of Salamis in the context of a 10-days long range of cultural events and actions, as well as social contribution of the Armed Forces, to borderline islands of the South Aegean, the centre and touchstone of which will be the ship.
The mission includes the borderline islands of Agathonissi, Leros, Lipsi, Nisyros, Tilos, Astypalaia. The events, which will be concluded on Sunday, September 13 2015, after the return of the ship at Salamis, are conducted in cooperation with HNGS and with the contribution of HNDGS, HAGS and HAFGS.
The cultural actions include the following:
A group of students from the Faculty of Music Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens will give concerts at the islands. Moreover, a group of students from the Faculty of Theatre Studies of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens will develop theatre activity (theatre games, story reading and more) with elementary school students, accompanied by musicians from the Faculty of Music Studies.
Students from the Athens School of Fine Arts will offer paint and visual art workshops to the children of these islands and they will be at the local community’s disposal during their stay at the island.
During the ship’s stay at each island, events with music and theatre actions, where local musicians and dance groups will participate, presenting their own cultural traditions to the islands’ inhabitants, to the Military Units based on each island and to the ship’s crew.
The mission also includes a joint echelon of Military Doctors, in the context of the ongoing joint programme of preventive medicine, developed by the Hellenic National defence General Staff for the islands’ inhabitants. They will offer primary care and preventive medicine services during the ship’s stay at every island.
With the aforementioned actions, many of which are pilot actions, the Ministry of National Defence wishes to actively show its concern for the islanders and for the Armed Forces’ personnel, serving at our borderline islands. With the promotion of the Armed Forces’ cultural and social contribution, the existing bonds are enhanced, while a boost is given to the safeguarding and promotion of the local cultural tradition.
It is underlined that most of the cost of this mission is covered by offerings and donations. Also, offerings by caterings and cleaning products companies, which supply the Military Markets, have been raised, and the Military Markets themselves offer relative materiel that will be offered to the local authorities, so as to relieve those in need.
For the support of this initiative, assistance has been asked from the agents of the Local Government, who have responded positively.
