Our stop in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, included contacts with institutions and many cultural events. Intercultural dialogue was a desire of the organizers and a goal of this Journey, that was achieved in many ways and with great success during our stay in the city.
During the day many official meetings took place between authorities of Kiev and the delegation’s chief Giorgos Karampatos (as delegate of the Central Union of Greek Chambers, President of the Messinian Chamber and Executive Director of the Cultural Foundation “The Routes of the Olive Tree”). In the framework of these meetings Cooperation Protocols were signed for the establishment of a fertile and sustainable cooperation.
In the afternoon a great cultural event organized by the Cultural Foundation “The Routes of the Olive Tree” at Contractore Square attracted many people and Ukrainian motorcyclists: the Exhibition “Routes of the Olive Tree, routes of intercultural dialogue” organised in cooperation with the Museum of Civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean of Paris (Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée Paris / Marseille) and the European Council (Institut Européen des Itinéraires Culturels). At the end of the Exhibition, the public had the opportunity to learn and amuse themselves at a tasting demonstration of olive oil and other traditional Greek products. Visitors were distributed printed material in Russian language about the Olive Tree Routes and olive tree. They also had the opportunity to participate in the workshop of creative painting about the olive tree, organized in cooperation of the Center of Environmental Training of Kalamata. The artists who took part in the Journey were honoured with an original presentation of their work: drawings and aquarelles of the painter Heike Kummer and selected photographs of the journey taken by the photographers who traveled with us, Andrea Bonetti, Giorgos Prinos and Tassos Vamvakas. Their work overwhelmed the public and the participants of the Journey, who had never seen it before! Another interesting part of this cultural itinerary “The Routes of the Olive Tree” 2008 was the presentation of traditional items from the Routes of Silk, collected and bought by the Cultural Foundation by A. Sagiannou, one of the Exhibition’s Stewards and participant in the Journey. The collection, consisting of hats real works of art, jewellery, silk and other items, completed in the best way the photographs, drawings and written information and underlined the human dimension of this journey from Greece to Kiev.
The same night the Ukrainian motorcyclists organized a feast to the honour of the Olive Tree Routes travelers in a special place, the Club «Route 66», a meeting point of motorcyclists from the whole country. The program included live rock music and delicious local beer that united us in an ambience of good mood that will always remain in our mind.
