The Organizing and Academic committees would like to give you a general outline of the activities that include the Academic Programme (student papers and lectures by professors) and the Social Activities (receptions, excursions, visits to historic sites, entertainment).
You will be staying at the Theoxenia Hotel by the Messolonghi lagoonside. Tel: +30 26310 28098.

Please note that due to the constraints of academic and personal schedules, some participants will not be able to attend the entire conference.
Accordingly we have grouped the academic sessions tightly on the days when all participants will be in attendance so that even those who are obliged to leave early will experience in full the evolving conversation on ‘’Byron’s Life and His Eastern Tales’’.

WEDNESDAY 21 May 2014

17:30-19:00 Registration at the administrative office of the Messolonghi Byron Society and its Byron Research Center in the Byron House.

19:00 Visit to the Cathedral of Agios Spyridon (visited by Byron).

20:00 Visit to the Municipal Museum of History and Art Municipal Gallery with a welcome ceremony by the Mayor of Messolonghi, Mr. Panagiotis Katsoulis.

21:00 Dinner at ‘’Archontiko’’ restaurant at the Pedestrian Komitos Roma str.

THURSDAY 22 May 2014

10:00 The Academic Programme starts at the Byron House.

Welcome by the President of the Messolonghi Byron Society Mrs. Rodanthi-Rosa Florou, the joint President of the International Association of Byron Societies Professor Naji Queijan, and the Director of International Relations Professor Peter Graham.

10:30-12:00 First Session, of 3 lectures (of 20 minutes) with a discussion at the end.

12:00-12:30 Coffee break.

12:30-14:00 Second Session, of 3 lectures.

14:00 Lunch at the fish restaurant ‘’Yannis Dimitroukas ‘’ at the Pedestrian Razi kotsika str.

19:00 The Official Ceremony starts at Theoxenia Hotel; introduced by the Director of International Relations Professor Peter Graham.
Two keynote speakers will deliver their lectures related to the conference topic.

“Escaping the Doll’s House: Byron’s Imaginary East”
by Professor Jonathan Gross, DePaul University USA

“Byron’s The Giaour: the Early Reception”
by Dr Stephen Minta, University of York UK

The Messolonghi Byron Society would like to honour Professor Peter Graham, Professor Naji Oueijan, and Dr. Maria Schoina, who have generously and steadfastly supported with their presence the Student Conference from its beginning in 2002, and have encouraged their Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students to travel to Messolonghi to attend and deliver their papers.

The ceremony will end with a Gala in which Dr. Stephen Minta will introduce to the local citizens in Greek,’’ Byron’s Eastern Tales’’.

The Gala also includes a performance by Jonathan Gross who will play “Love So Soon” and jazz selections by Duke Ellington, featured on the Harlem Renaissance Remembered (2011), and Greek ethnic dances by “The Dancing Society of Messolonghi”.

FRIDAY 23 May 2014

10:00-11:30 Third Session, of 3 lectures.

11:30-12:00 Coffee break.

12:00-13:00 Fourth Session, of 2 lectures

13:30 Lunch at the restaurant of Theoxenia Hotel.

17:30 Following Byron’s footsteps to the Chapel of Panayia Finikias (the Chapel to the Virgin of the Palms, where Byron used to ride from Messolonghi), and where he got ill under the heavy rain on 10 April 1824. Also we’ll enjoy a tour to Aitoliko, the picturesque island town visited twice by Byron in February 1824.

Free night dinner on your own.

SATURDAY 24 May 2014

Following Byron’s footsteps in Messolonghi.

10:00
— Wreath-laying ceremony at the site where Byron breathed his last on 19 April 1824, and where the University of Athens dedicated a memorial column to Byron to commemorate the centennial of his death.
–Visit to the Garden of the Heroes, stretching alongside the defensive walls of Messolonghi. This is a big memorial garden with many Monuments dedicated to Greek fighters and to Philhellenes who fought or fell during the sieges and the Exodus (sortie). At the centre of the Garden of Heroes you will find the grave of Markos Botsaris as well as a statue of Lord Byron, underneath which are buried some of the poet’s organs.

13:00 Departure from the Port of Messolonghi for a wonderful sailing experience crossing the lagoon and visiting the historic isle of Vassiladi [Agios Sostis], where Byron landed on January 5, 1824 and from whence his remains left for England via Zakynthos on the ship “Florida” in May 1824.We’ll have a picnic on the isle and a chance to swim. Captain Jimmy Mylonas will offer the transportation to Vassiladi.

20:30 Dinner: Greek souvlaki and salad, at the “Spitiko” restaurant at St. Thomas’s village.

SUNDAY 25 MAY 2014

End of the conference after breakfast. Participants must find their own way to Athens or elsewhere.

Please Note the following:

A special notice, for the participants, before reading the usual instructions.

–There is Taxi transportation (local) from Messolonghi to Athens and from Athens to Messolonghi directly from the airport El Venizelos to Theoxenia Hotel and forwards.

Booking must be in advance to reserve seats (depending on your arrival).

The cost is around 60 euros. If you are interesting please contact now Mrs. Rosa Florou byronlib@gmail.com

The usual instructions are:

• On arriving at Athens airport, you will need about 45 to 65 minutes [depends on the traffic] to get to Kifissos bus station (tel. +30 210 51 29293), where you can catch a bus for Messolonghi. If you prefer a taxi from El. Venizelos Airport to Kifissos Station, the cost will be about 40 to 45 euros, but you must be careful of the taxi drivers, not to charge you more.
• The airport bus to Kifissos, X93, leaves every 35 minutes from just outside the airport exit door. The fare from the airport to Kifissos is about 3, 50 euros. You buy the ticket from the bus driver and then cancel it yourself in a machine there on the bus. For your information the website of the Urban Athens Transportation is: www.oasa.gr
• At Kifissos station you’ll buy your ticket at the front big hall at the desk which has a label “to Aitoloakarnania ” [ the name of the county]. Ask for the bus to Messolonghi. The bus from Kifissos station runs outside the GATE of Messolonghi. at 6 a.m, 07:45 a.m, 9 a.m, 10:30 a.m, 14:00 p.m, 14:30 p.m, 17:00 p.m, 19:00 p.m, 20:00 p.m, and 21:30 p.m. The ticket at the bus station ticket office, costs about 19 euros one-way. The 3:00-hour bus trip from Athens follows a scenic route along the south coast of the Gulf of Corinth and Patras, through a mountainous Peloponnesian landscape of olive and lemon trees, crossing back to the north coast by the new suspension bridge “Charilaos Trikoupis” that connects Rio and Antirio. On arriving in Messolonghi, you’ll have a 5-minute taxi ride to the Theoxenia Hotel. The Theoxenia Hotel provides complimentary wireless servise, so feel free to bring along your laptop or ipad.
• Participants during the conference should gather and board the coach at least 10 minutes before departure for any destination.
• Apart from the keynote event, dress throughout the conference is informal.
• In May the Greek weather is warm, so you can bring your swimsuit, your sunscreen a hat and comfortable chooses. A lagoonside beach is adjacent to the Theoxenia Hotel, and Tourlida beach on the Gulf of Patras is a five-minute taxi ride from the hotel. There is a local bus to Tourlida as well.
• Please note that the airfare to Greece and the travel expenses from Athens to Messolonghi and from Messolonghi to Athens need to be covered by the participants.
• During the conference, there will be abundant opportunities to learn about Greek life through first-hand experience. There will be a welcoming reception with traditional dancing, along with visits to historic and archaeological sites and museums of Messolonghi and its area associated with Byron in particular and more generally with the historical and cultural heritage of Greece.
• Detailed descriptions of the previous international student conferences can be found on the Messolonghi Byron Society’s web page www.messolonghibyronsociety.gr