[Activities for 1997-1998] Continuing work of previous academic year, (1996-1997), the following major activities took place. October 1997: SEFL reniewed the previous year's agreement with Argo Travel, the major advertiser and supporter to the Union's magazine, "Enimerosi", for its free posting to all the members of the Union. In addition, the Board decided to retain the annual registration fee at the nominal price of £2). October 1997: SEFL participated actively in the celebration for the 75 years of the Archiodese of Thyateira and Great Britain. The members of the Board, along with other people from the Union, visited the hall of the venue hours before the start of the event, and assisted in preparations and execution of the program plan. President of the Cyprus Democracy, Mr. Glafkos Clerides, along with several Greek officials and major members of the Greek community in London, along with, of course, Archibishop Gregorios, attended the evening and addressed the (hundreds of people of) the audience. October 1997: SEFL President, Pavlos Athanasoulas, resigned due to heavy workload at his University. The Board voted Aris Tziambiris, by then Secretary, as his substitutor until the elections. 30 November 1997 (Saturday): The annual elections for the Board of SEFL took place at the London School of Economics (LSE). The participating groups, DAP ("Dimokratiki Ananeotiki Protoporia"), PASP ("Panellinia Agonistiki Sossialistiki Parataksi") and "Neoi Orizontes" earned 5, 3 and 1 of the 9 seats, respectively. George Bakatselos, by then Vice-president, was unanimously elected as President by the members of the Board. December 1997-May 1998: SEFL very actively participates in the events organised by the Greek Embassy in London, under the general title "Greece in Britain". The Union promotes the activities of the program within the student community, dedicates two issues (issue 16 and issue 17) and organises parallel events for the same purpose (see following paragraphs). December 1997: Following discussions and work done during the recent previous years on the matter, the Board of the Union appointed a 9-strong committee of people to investigate and conclude about the possibility of creating a UK-wide student organisation, independently of SEFL. (Later on the year, the conclusion from the work of this team was that such an initiative would be rather over-ambitious, given the frequent status changes inside the Greek student community, with people continuously arriving and/or leaving Britain, as well as the prohibitive finacial and other costs involved. SEFL continues to work as usual, as it would have done even if the suggestions of the committee were the opposite). 7 February 1998 (Saturday): The "New year pitta" event took place at the Crypt of Agia Sofia, at Bayswater. President George Bakatselos cut the cake and several people attended, including representatives of the Church, officials from the Greek Embassy and the General Consulate of Greece in London (the Consulate Mr. Psycharis), Hellenic Societies presidents, and several SEFL members. 12 February 1998 (Thursday): Continuing the close co-operation between SEFL and the weekley Greek State Radio (ERA-5) program "Voice of Greece" during the 1997-1998 academic year, the then President of SEFL, George Bakatselos, participated in an open discussion titled "The problem of recognising British 3-year Bachelor degrees in Greece", along with representatives of Greek students from Newcastle and Manchester and the Manager of the Greek State organisation responsible for the recognition ("DIKATSA"). Most important excerpts from this interview were published in the double summer issue (19&20, June-September 1998) of the SEFL Magazine, "Enimerosi". 15 February 1998 (Sunday): The monthly electronic Newsletter of SEFL is launched, aiming at informing members about its activities and upcoming events. 19 February 1998 (Thursday): Celebrating 2 years of circulation of its magazine, "Enimerosi", the Union organised a major Dance Ball, on the Thursday before the Greek Haloween week ("Tsiknopempti"). The place was the "Elements" Club (Club Volante, near Oxford Street, behind Debbenhams). More than 400 people were present. Editor-in-chief Dimitris Terzis cut the birthday cake of the magazine that night. March 1998: Under the direction of George Bakatselos, SEFL President, the Union organises "Weeks of Greek Spirit" in more than 10 Universities of London, aiming to promote Greece in the UK academic community. This circle of events Material from SEFL and the Greek Tourism Organisation (EOT) is distributed at special stands. 4 March 1998 (Wednesday): SEFL co-organises a major concert by the most famous Greek music group, Pyx-Lax. The venue of the event, London Astoria, at Charing Cross Road, is overcrowded with some 2,200 people, while hundreds fail to get a ticket in. Hours before the concert, during rehearsals, Manos Xydous, one of the basic members of the group, gives an interview for "Enimerosi" to its Editor-in-chief, Dimitris Terzis. 26 March 1998 (Thursday): SEFL, in co-operation with the National Student Union of Cypriots ("EFEK") in the UK, organised a common celebration for the Greek Day of Independence (25 March 1821) and the Cypriot Day of Independence (1 April 1955). The event took place at a modern hall of the Southbank University, were present, among others, was the High Commisionner of Cyprus in the UK and other officials. April 1998: Continuing a long relationship and co-operation with the London Greek Theatre Group, "ETHOL", SEFL was a major partner to the "Greek Expressions" program of the Group. "Greek Expressions" was a series of (mainly) theatre-related events, inside the "Greece in Britain" circle, lasting for one month (20th of April until 17th of May). SEFL claimed a considerable part of the success of the program. Nikitas Tsakiroglou, a famous Greek actor, one of the well-known artits who came to London to participate in the events, gave an interview to "Enimerosi", for issue 18. 14 May 1998 (Thursday): One of the most popular political authorities of Greece, the major of Athens, Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos, after an invitation from SEFL, visited London for a talk on "The role of cities in the world community". The talk was given at the London School of Economics, after Mr. Avramopoulos had inaugurated an exhibition titled "The Greeks in Britain", at the Crypt of Agia Sofia, in Bayswater, where SEFL hold a special stand, with copies of the magazine and posters relative to activities of the Union. 23 May 1998 (Saturday): The Board of SEFL, led by President George Bakatselos, along with representatives from a number of Hellenic Societies, visited the Archiodese of Thyateira and Great Britain, where it was addressed by his Eminence Archbishop Gregorios, reafirming the continuous strong relations between SEFL and the Archiodese. 12 June 1998 (Friday): George Bakatselos, by then President of the Union, having fulfilled his obligations as a student, resigned to move to Greece. The Board, after thanking George Bakatselos for his invaluable contribution to SEFL, unanimously elected Dimitris Terzis, by then Vice-president, as the new President. Giorgos Sioufas, by then Public Relations Officer, was promoted to the position of the Vice-president, while a new member, Christos Kalapothareas, joined the Board to fill the position of the Public Relations Officer. After concluding the meeting, the Board interrupted for summer, deciding to resume meetings on Friday, the 25th of September. July 1998: Under the supervision and active participation in development of Dimitris Terzis, SEFL President, the new, vastly improved website of SEFL started preparation, programmed to complete by the new meeting of the Board. Appearance was modernised and several new sections were added in, including history and activities of the Union for the past 3 years (since the 1995-1996 academic year). September 1998: "Enimerosi", the SEFL magazine, produced a record 60-page double issue (19&20) (June-September 1998, apeeared early October), with many articles, interviews and news from SEFL and the world. This issue was published at an equal to the all-time high number of 5,000 copies. Listed above are, of course, only the major of the activities of the Union of Greek Students in London (SEFL) during the 1997-1998 academic year. Back to the start of the "Activities" section