2 August 2008: Almaty
We stayed one more day at the Panfilovo camping site. During the day, several collaboration protocoles have been signed by the Routes of the Olive Tree cultural Foundation, the Messinian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Greek Chambers of Commerce Union, represented by George Karabatos. The first one has been signed with the Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce and Industry with its president, Mr. Yerlan S. Kozhasbay; the second one has been signed with the Ablai Khan university, with the rector, Dr. Salina S. Kounanbaeva. Those meeting have been a success and promise a lot of fructuous projects in the future, following the deep attachment that Greece has for the Almaty region.
In the evening, the Greek community in the Almaty region organised a party on the occasion of the Routes of the Olive Tree’s passage in the city. In the midst of this musical and dancing moment, Kazakh folkloric traditions met artists of greek origins in one show. The event attracted a lot of people. The audience was really warm and enthousiastic, and entered in the spirit of the game very easily. Numerous activities were organised by the Foundation on this occasion : tastings of olive oil products, introduction of the Routes of the Olive Tree’s programme;etc. A workshop for children has pleased tens of them coming from Panfilovo city, each of them has given its hand imprint for the realisation of a huge frieze giving honour of the olive tree. This pedagogical activity enters in the framework of “Small Friends of the Olive Tree”, one of the Foundation’s projects, that was first organised two years ago, in collaboration with Environmental Education Centre of Kalamata. In the midst of this ceremony, an Kazakh traditional costume, “the one we offer to good people”; was generously offered to George Karabatos, in order to thank him for its initiatives that lead to a better collaboration and dialogue between Greece and Kazakhstan.
