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The first international philatelic symposium on Greek stamps and postal history |
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After the closing of the first FIP sponsored stamp show of the 3rd millennium, BELGICA 2001, philatelists of Greek interests descended upon Athens to join their friends and colleagues for an unusual event that would take place. For the first time “The First International Philatelic Symposium on Greek Stamps and Postal History” was held at the Grande Bretagne Hotel in Athens on June 16-18, 2001. The symposium was organized and sponsored by the A.Karamitsos Auction House of Thessaloniki, the internationally known dealer of Greek stamps. Although in the past similar meetings have been held, this was an unusual event from the point that it was organized and sponsored by a stamp dealer with emphasis on philatelic studies. It was devoid of any business transactions and remained purely a philatelic affair. New studies were presented and old ones re-affirmed. Studies in the works and a new book were unveiled. The presentations encompassed several areas of collecting interests and the subjects showed the diverse interests of the collectors and the many topics available in the area of Hellenic philately.
The symposium took place at the air-conditioned Athenian Room of the Grande Bretagne Hotel, in the center of Athens over the weekend of June 16-18. The hotel, being centrally located, and the meetings taking place over a weekend gave the opportunity to local philatelists to attend. Foreign attendance was not lacking either with speakers and guests from England, Holland, Germany, Italy, the USA and others. Several attendees took the opportunity to make this an extended vacation in Greece either arriving earlier or staying later.
At the opening, the arriving guests were greeted by Mr.Karamitsos and his staff and were provided with translation aids, a handbag inscribed with the firm’s logo and writing material. Simultaneous translation from Greek to English and vice versa were available by a professional service. The approximately 100-person capacity conference room was most of the times full with standing room only for late comers.
Mr.Karamitsos opened the Symposium by welcoming everybody and briefly summarizing his aims. A short address by the President of Hellenic Philatelic Federation, Dr.A.Papaioannou followed and the meeting was turned over to the moderator A.Virvilis past President of Hellenic Philatelic Society, Athens, and presently the Secretary of the Hellenic Philatelic Federation.
Twenty two of the 23 subjects in the program were presented by the 13 speakers from Greece and abroad (one absentee). The wide area of Greek philately was represented well and was covered by local and foreign collectors with slides, overheads, handouts etc.
Several intermissions with sumptuous buffets, provided opportunities to collectors to trade secrets and discuss their interests. Excursions to tavernas in Plaka for lunches and nightly festivities were among the non-philatelic benefits.
At the closing of the Symposium, Mr.Karamitsos thanked the speakers for their efforts and for accepting his invitation and thanked all present for their support and their interest. He promised the repeat of a similar event within two years and his hopes are this to become a regular event in the future. A promise also was made that the proceeding will be published in the near feature in book form.
A standing ovation to the organizer and sponsor of this original event, A.Karamitsos closed this very successful, innovative and promising event in the annals of Hellenic philately. |
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