Educational Tour of Cephalonia
The Institute for European Studies sponsored an educational tour of Cephalonia, Greece, October 3-11, 2007. The purpose of this tour was to continue to build upon the ties forged with our sister city in Greece, to make lasting connections and to collaborate through shared knowledge and information. In March 2007 the Institute for European Studies hosted a mayoral delegation from the Island of Cephalonia, Greece, as part of a twinning arrangement between the municipality of Elios Pronni and Ithaca, NY. The tour was partially funded by a European-Union Commission Grant.
Seven participants were selected through an application process coordinated by the Institute for European Studies. The group consisted of educators, civic leaders, a wine and tourism expert, a librarian, and a member of the Cornell press who chronicled the trip. The tour was led by faculty and staff members from the Institute for European Studies at Cornell University and their counterparts in Greece.
The tour was custom-designed whenever possible to match the interests of the participants. Highlights included a trip to Ithaca’s new ‘sister city’ of Elios Pronni; a trip to the island of Ithaka; meeting local government officials and touring the landscape; a tour of small-producer Cephalonian wineries; visits to ancient sites and other cultural attractions; and other activities intended to explore further the similarities between the Finger Lakes Region and the Island of Cephalonia, laying the foundation for future interaction, knowledge, and shared professional practices. Each participant produced a short report on the benefits of the trip upon their return.
Left to Right: David Romm, Wylie Schwartz, Gail Holst-Warhaft, Maryterese Pasquale-Bowen, Wendy Wright, Julie Conley Holcomb, Fred Bonn, Anne Ju, Sarah How