NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Τhe Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Albanians of Greek Descent conferred degrees upon 22 students

Press Release July 1, 2009

This year the Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Albanians of Greek Descent once again conferred degrees upon 22 students of the Pogoniani Vocational Training Centre and awards upon 11 University of Ioannina students.
This year’s graduation ceremony took place on June 26 and conferred degrees upon 22 graduates of the Foundation’s Vocational Training Centre, which has been operating since 1993 in Pogoniani, Epirus. Every year, we provide accommodations and training in Greece for approximately 100 Albanians of Greek descent, while from 1993 until today, over 1,000 students have passed through the vocational training programme. The current graduates trained in the fields of Cooking and Confectionery, and Hairdressing.

“The family of its founder, John S. Latsis, continues to support the Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Albanians of Greek Descent with the same regard, wishing to contribute to the efforts of the Ethnic Greek Minority (EEM) to achieve social and professional integration. The significant progress taking place during the past years in all sectors delights us all and attests to the gradual yet essential assimilation into Greek society of the EEM who decide to relocate to Greece. The Foundation Board of Directors monitors events unfolding not only in Greece but inside Albania as well, and adapts the Foundation’s current and future activities to new situations as they arise,” Foundation President and Latsis Group General Director, Vaggelis Chronis declared in his speech.

A few days later, on Wednesday, July 1, at the University of Ioannina, in the presence of Rector Ioannis Gerothanassis and Ioannina Mayor Nikolaos Gontas, Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Albanians of Greek Descent Board of Directors Member and former Deputy Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs Georgios Kalos presented the annual Foundation Awards to undergraduate and postgraduate Albanian students of Greek descent studying at the University of Ioannina. Specifically, for the academic year 2008–2009, awards were presented to 6 undergraduate and 5 postgraduate students of Greek descent.
In his address, Mr. Kalos underlined that “this year marks the completion of 3 years since the beginning of the Foundation’s university grants programme, which aims to reward the performance of Greek students of Albanian descent studying at the University of Ioannina, and provide them with financial support based on social criteria”. He added that “the Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Albanians of Greek Descent aims to continue and expand this programme over the next academic years, supporting the education, progress, and professional rehabilitation of students of Greek descent”.

Note for Editors: The Foundation for the Rehabilitation of Albanians of Greek Descent (www.latsis-iaoa.gr) was established in 1991 to provide assistance to the Ethnic Greek Minority living in Albania and is incorporated in the Foundation network established by the Latsis family, which is coordinated and funded by the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation.