«Current translation pending review – For demonstration only».
More than 320 participants, about three times more than last year, enjoyed a unique academic experience as well as the beauties of Rhodes for five consecutive days, at the 6th International Rhodes Model Modeling Conference – RhodesMRC 2015, from 14 until 18 October 2015. About 250 students and 60 high school students participated as aspiring diplomats, volunteers and committee coordinators, together with their attendants and members of the Organizing and Scientific Committee of the Congress.
Organized missions from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the University of Macedonia, the Democritus University of Thrace, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the University of Piraeus, the Padion University and of course the University of the Aegean, as well as individual participants from other universities in Greece and abroad in Rhodes, simulating the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Black Sea Cooperation Organization, the Council of Europe, Euro-Atlas NATO-Community Cooperation Council, the Organization of American States and a special Summit on Peace in the Middle East. Accordingly, at lyceum level, students from the 1st and 4th Lyceum of Rhodes, Kremasti Lyceum, Gymnasium and Lyceum Afandou and the “Hippocrates” 1st Lyceum Kos, together with their classmates from other schools in Rhodes, Athens and Thessaloniki met simulating the Council of Europe.
The committees’ agenda was extremely interesting, from press freedom and bullying to the situation in the Caucasus and Syria. The preparation of the committees had been undertaken for months by students and young scientists from the legal and political sciences, while the introductory presentations were made by the professors of the University of the Aegean, Panagiota Manoli and Ioannis Strimbis, the Rhodian scientists Gabriel Charitos (lawyer) and Anastasios Hatzianastassiou , but also the Goldsmith of Thanasis Barakas.
The Opening Ceremony took place in the New Wing of Nestoridios Melathros of the Museum of Neohellenic Art of the Municipality of Rhodes. Thus, the participants had the unique opportunity to admire the unique exhibition with engravings by Panagiotis Gravvalos. Upon their entry, the participants stated in writing their support for Rhodes’ effort to obtain the title of the European Capital of Culture in 2021, an effort dedicated to RhodesMRC 2015 as an international event promoting youth participation and make Rhodes a center of dialogue and consultation on international issues.
During the ceremony welcomed, Mayor of Rhodes Fotis Chatzidiakos, the President of the Department of Mediterranean Studies of the University of the Aegean Ioannis Seimenis, the member of the Board of Directors for the European Network for Education and Training Marilena Sochianou, and the President of the House of Europe in Rhodes and the Head of the Organizing Committee of the conference Michalis Kavouklis. He was sent by the Region of South Aegean, Charoula Yassirani, Regional Executive Advisor on Volunteering and European Programs. The General Secretary of the Congress, Manos Kalaitzis, declared the opening of the work. The Deputy Mayor of Culture, Teris Hatziioannou, the Councilor of the Municipal Community of Rhodes, Fotini Karabela, the President of the Municipal Organization of Culture and Sport of Rhodes, Sergios Aivazis, and the Head of the Rhodes Candidate Office for the ceremony were also honored with their presence. European Capital of Culture in 2021, Aliki Moschis.
The work of the seven committees took place simultaneously in seven halls of the city of Rhodes: in the hall of the Municipal Council and the Hall of Etiquette in the Town Hall, in the Chamber of the Regional Council, in the “George Karagiannis” hall of the Chamber of Dodecanese and in the three rooms of the Plaza Hotel. Within the framework of the conference, the participants took a tour of the Medieval City, the Archaeological Museum and the exhibition “Rhodes, a Greek island gate in the East”, in the exhibition and the 9D spectacle of Throne of Helios, participated in two parties organized for them thanks to the good weather they met the beaches and various corners of the city.
Within the framework of the conference, the House of Europe in Rhodes, in collaboration with the Thessaloniki Youth Club for UNESCO, organized an open conference on “Refugees: the legal framework and the human side”. The main speakers of the conference were Professor of International Law, Mrs. Paroula Naskou-Perraki, Eleni Sotiriou from the Doctors of the Heart, and Martin Kanellakis, surgeon-ophthalmologist, representative of Rhodes volunteers who help the refugees arriving on our island. The event was open to the public and was held in Greek with a crowd of people. After placing them in their seats, a lively discussion followed.
The Closing Ceremony also took place in the New Wing of the Nestoridios Melathron of the Museum of Neohellenic Art of the Municipality of Rhodes. During the ceremony, Secretary General of the conference, Manos Kalaidzis, presented his report on the successful outcome of the conference, the committee coordinators presented the individual results of their work and bestowed the awards to the best participants. Following the announcement of the end of the conference, the President of the House of Europe in Rhodes and the Head of the Organizing Committee of the conference, Michalis Kavouklis, announced the people selected to host the next conference for 2016, as the preparations for Rhodes MRC 2016 have already begun in order to attract about 450 people to Rhodes.
The conference was held under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr Thorbjørn Jagland.
RhodesMRC 2015 was organized by the House of Europe in Rhodes, with partners from the South Aegean Region, the Rhodes Municipality, the Aegean University of Rhodes Department of Rhodes and the European Network for Education and Lifelong Learning (EUNET – European Network for education and training, with the support of the International Center for Black Sea Studies, the Chamber of Dodecanese, ΔΕΡΜΑΕ, ΔΟΠΑΡ, the Tourism Directorate of the Municipality of Rhodes, the Museum of Neohellenic Art of the Municipality of Rhodes, the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Dodecanese, the (IEK)’s Ministry of Tourism in Rhodes, the ΑΝΔΩ and the Europe Direct of Rhodes, the Best Western Plaza Hotel and Manousos Hotel and with the financial support of the European Union’s program “Europe for Citizens”.