NKUA: First-ever welcome event for all our new students with a one-off musical celebration

For the first time ever, all of the NKUA’s first-year students participated in a highly symbolic event, an open welcome reception at the ‘Propylaea’, the University’s iconic main building. On Monday, 6 November 2023, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens awarded the candidates who excelled in the national exams for admission to Greece’s Higher Educational Institutions and distinguished themselves as the first in terms of score to enter each NKUA Department. Soon after, all first-year students from every Department of NKUA joined together for a lively, music-filled open celebration organized by the Departments of Music Studies and Communication and Media Studies. The atmosphere was one of youthful exuberance and melodies. Also present at the event was Ms Domna Michailidou, Greece’s Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports.

On behalf of the NKUA’s Administration Council, the Vice-Rectors, and the Senate, it was the Rector of NKUA, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, who heartily welcomed the new students as fellow members of the University’s academic community. While congratulating them, he mentioned, among other things, the following: ‘This day has a special significance. Your admission to our University marks the beginning of a new cycle in your life, one filled with challenges, new experiences, hard work, and many rewards. You are the highest-scoring entrants to the NKUA’s Departments because of your perseverance, dedication to goals, sense of fair play, and outstanding performance in the nationwide exams! Your decision to study with us at NKUA is truly an honour! In you we recognize and celebrate excellence, a virtue described by Aristotle as “all those simple or challenging things we carry out as habits rather than acts”. We also recognize and celebrate all our first-year students, who, through a combination of effort and performance, were admitted for study to the Departments of our University!’

In closing his address to the students, the Rector, Professor Gerasimos Siasos, made the following remarks: ‘The new generation of University students is crucial for the future of our country. It is our duty to support this new generation and give it the opportunity to progress and excel. I wish to emphasize that the University Administration will make every effort to guarantee that all new entrants to the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens receive the necessary qualifications and enhance their employment prospects. I congratulate you, everyone, and wish you all the best in your studies, especially lots of creativity, numerous academic and personal accomplishments, and good health for you and your families! I am confident that you will experience the greatest and most fruitful period of your life here at NKUA!’

Music Odyssey, a band of the NKUA’s Department of Music Studies, under the direction of Giannis Malafis, a member of the Laboratory Teaching Staff at the Department, and with the friendly participation of Giannis Nikolaou from ‘Lathrepivates’ performed the musical programme. The following musicians played in the band: Spyros Asimakopoulos (trombone, bass); Grigoris Vgontzas (bouzouki, voice); Panagiotis Ganotis (violin, drums, voice); Irilena Dimitrakopoulou (bass, voice); Eleni Katsouli (voice, accordion); Manolis Lianis (drums, voice); Vasilis Manthopoulos (electric guitar, voice, trumpet); Pinelopi Pierroutsakou (electric guitar, vocals); and Leontios Tsokas (drums, percussion).

Special thanks are owed to the sponsors of the event, namely ‘Athenian Brewery – Heineken Silver’, ‘Malamatina’, ‘Aqua Carpatica’, and ‘Kobatsiaris Bros SA Authentic Catering’.