«Strofades. An unknown treasure in the middle of nowhere»

The educational program entitled “Strofades: an Unknown Treasure in the Middle of Nowhere” has as its focus two tiny, inaccessible and isolated Greek islands, Stamfani and Arpia, known together as the Strofades. They present a microcosm of important elements of both human history and the natural world. We will learn a lot from them! During the program we will hear fascinating stories about many things: ancient myths; a ship-wrecked Byzantine Princess; an imposing fortress church; pirate raids; a self sufficient community of monks; an old English lighthouse; dramatic earthquake activity; rich environmental and ecological resources; a resting spot for birds migrating between Europe and Africa. Our heroes are the people of Strofades: those who have lived and worked there, as well as those who have studied them and love this unique spot— a tiny dot in the middle of the sea. This program is based on the book “The Last Monk of Strofades” and the Benaki Museum exhibition of the same title. The book was awarded a prize by the Academy of Athens. It was first published by Patakis and Abbeville Press and was an initiative of photographer Robert McCabe and journalist Katerina Lymperopoulou. The protagonist is Father Gregory, who lived there almost completely alone but self-sufficient for 38 years, maintaining the monastery with care and love—the last monk of Strofades.

The program supports the Curriculum of Environmental Studies (3rd & 4th grade of elementary school ), Geography (5th & 6th grade of elementary school ), Geography-Geology (1st, 2nd & 3rd grade of elementary school) and other physical education courses (Physics, Biology), Greek Language (of all levels), as also as Prehistory and Greek Mythology (History 3rd grade of elementary school, 1st grade of high school, 4rth grade of high school), as well as History from the byzantine years to the modern ones (History 5th & 6th grade of elementary school, 2nd & 3rd grade of high school, 5th & 6th grade of high school, Religious (of all levels), Social and Political Education (Social and Political Education 5th and 6th grade of elementary school and 3rd grade of high school, Political Education of the 4rth grade of high school and Sociology of the 6th grade of high school) and finally Aesthetic Education.