The successful conference of June 2019 will be again presented on a new date on 2022, with a rich programme and more lectures and presentations, under the auspices of the Club of UNESCO of Pireaus and Islands and the International Action Art.
Many people contacted us asking for this iteration.
“Well-being: The Ancient Wisdom in the Modern World”. Masters of ancient traditions (Hellas, Peru, India, China, Japan and Tibet) and University professors, also important conclusions on one issue that concerns us all: our personal well-being …
More details, will be announced soon.
Speakers
LEDA SHANTALA
Leda Shantala was born in Athens, the daughter of actress Smaro Stefanidou and singer Vassos Seitanidis.
JUAN NUNEZ DEL PRADO
Juan Nunez del Prado graduated as Antrpologist and Archeologist of the university San Antonio Abad of Cusco, where he also was a Profesor until 1997.
MANOS DASKALAKIS
10th DAN JU DO. Teacher. Born in Plaka, since 1976 in Argyroupoli, with studies in Economics, Physics and Health Sciences.
IVAN NUNEZ DEL PRADO
Ivan Núñez del Prado is the son of Juan Núñez del Prado and has been working with him for many years.
YIORGOS HATZIMANOLIS
I was born in Heraklion, Crete, in the winter of 1974. I grew up in the city of Athens. In the middle of my puberth, browsing the Daode Jing Classical Text of the Virtue of the Path.
CHRISTOS PANAGOPOULOS (Shì Yán Shān)
His parallel interest in martial arts brought him from an early age in contact with various types of martial arts such as boxing, Tai Chi, Aikido, Wing Chun and others.
“DORA STRATOU” ANCIENT DANCE RESEARCH GROUP
The Dora Stratou Ancient Theater Research Group has been operating since 1991 at the initiative of Alkis Rafti, Theater Chairman, and is coordinated by Anna Lazou.
LEDA SHANTALA
Leda Shantala was born in Athens, the daughter of actress Smaro Stefanidou and singer Vassos Seitanidis.
After graduating in French Literature from the Sorbonne University, in Paris, she went to India where she stayed for 3 years. There, she studied classical Indian dance Bharata Natyam (graduating from the Indian Dance Academy «Bharata Kalanjali» and the «Abhinaya Sudha» in Chennai) as well as yoga with T.K.V. Desikatchar and others, getting her yoga teacher’s diploma from Kaivalya Dhama, Lonavla, India.
Then followed her sojourns in Africa, where she studied in the Mitsogo tribe in Gabon, the African ancestral healing of “mombwiri” , being the only Westerner accepted and initiated by the pygmies. Later on she studied dance movement therapy with Dr. Marcia Leventhal, (of New York University), and humanistic psychotherapy (in France). She has also studied ancient Mayan Dances (in Mexico), the use of mask (in India) etc.
After her return in Greece in 1985, Leda Shantala founded her own institution, the Mandiram Centre, the only institution in Greece for Indian Dance and artistic research in the culture of ancient civilizations such as Greece, India and central Africa.
In 1987 she founded the Leda Shantala Dance Theatre, a unique culturally diverse dance company, which presents innovative multimedia productions combining the art of Bharata Natyam with the art of theatre and story telling and the contemporary dance idiom with the ancient Greek art form of the Muses. To this day, the Leda Shantala Dance Theatre has presented highly acclaimed productions in Greece, India and Europe, experimenting in new ways of tracing the ‘‘crossroads’’ between ancient and contemporary, East and West.
In the fall of 2003 Leda Shantala has built and directs the Shantom House of Culture, a three-storey building in Halandri, hosting regular courses in yoga, Indian classical dance, dance movement therapy, alongside with all kinds of dance, martial arts, alternative therapies seminars, as well as performances, exhibitions etc
KONSTANTINA GONGAKI
Studies:
Department of Physical Education and Sport Science of the University of Athens, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Athens, Drama School of the National Theater.
Postgraduate Studies “Philosophy”, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Athens (Headquarters of Evangelos Moutsopoulos 1982-1989), “Dramatic Poetry”, Classical Department of Philosophy.
She is a Ph.D. student of the Københavns Universitet, the Humanities Faculty: Institute for Nygraesk and Balkan Studies (1990-1991) and Danmarks Højskole for Legemsøvelser (1992-1993). Postgraduate Studies at the Københavns Universitet: Østeuropastudier: Græsk Klassisk «Philosophy» (1992-1993) and Institute for Nordisk Filologi «Aestetik og Historie» (1992-1993).
She attended the Københavns Universitet Postgraduate Studies, PHILOSOPHY: a) Institut for Graesk and Latin “Reflections on Kierkergaad’s Socrates”; b) Classics Institute “Søren Aabye Kierkegaard. The progenitor of 20th-century existential philosophy. ”
Also: Postgraduate Experimental Department of the National Theater “Aesthetics and Interpretation of the Art Work” (1988-1989), Det Kongelige Teater, Københavns, Semiotics of the Body (1990-1991) and Liss Burmesters Institut, “Aesthetics of the Body” (1991-1992).
She is a distinguished Doctor of the University of Athens since 1997. Since 1999, she has been a member of the faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, and she teaches the course “Introduction to Philosophy and the Philosophy of Sport”.
She is the author of the books, (2003): Ancient Greeks’ perceptions of sport, Typothito-Giorgos Dardanos, Athens, and (2013): The Olympic Ideal. Global Crisis & Prospects, Gutenberg, Athens.
She focuses scientifically on the philosophy of the soul and the body, in relation to the evaluation of the meaning of life.
She is a member of the Association Internationale des Professeurs de Philosophie, International Scientific Society of Ancient Greek Philosophy, International Association for the Philosophy of Sport.
JUAN NUNEZ DEL PRADO
Juan Nunez del Prado graduated as Antrpologist and Archeologist of the university San Antonio Abad of Cusco, where he also was a Profesor until 1997.
He followed the footsteps of his father Oscar Núñez del Prado, studying anthropology at the University of Cusco and specializing in the religious culture of the Inkas and Q’eros, the direct descendants of the royal line of the Inkas. During his studies, his contact with the Q’eros has led him to seek initiation into the Inka tradition. For more than 10 years, he studied under the Indian master and healer Don Benito Qoriwaman, who was known throughout the valley of Cuzco and whom Shirley Maclaine describes in her book “It’s all in the playing”; It was also Don Benito who sparked Juan Núñez del Prado’s interest in this ancient system of teachings on wisdom.
Subsequently, Juan expanded his knowledge further by working with other well-known old masters such as Don Andres Espinoza, Don Melchor Deza, Don Manuel Quispe, and Don Mariano Apaza and gained practically endless experience. For him, it is important to share his knowledge with students around the world, according to the only commandment of the Inka religion, Ayni.
Due to his innate curiosity and his scientific background as an anthropologist, Juan Núñez del Prado never grows tired of expanding his knowledge in the areas of astronomy, psychology, and other traditions.
MANOS DASKALAKIS
10th DAN JU DO. Teacher. Born in Plaka, since 1976 in Argyroupoli, with studies in Economics, Physics and Health Sciences. Historical researcher, newspaper and magazine correspondent. A teacher of many successful JUDO Greek coaches (Halatsa Bros, Moutsopoulos Brothers, A. Philipas, K. Karagiannidis, N. Panou, Pneumatics Brothers, K. Lymberi, A. Kremmyda, etc.).
Co-founder of EOF Judo and Arbitrator (1984). He first employed with the archaic kodokan and kawaishikan judo, in 1974 (Panhellenic GC), under H. Papailiopoulos, M. Iijima, Y. Uchida, S. Tamura, D. Zanicot, W. v. Vorstenbos et al.
Founder of the first Municipal Dojo of Greece, Argyroupoli, (1981 – currently judo Α.Ο.Ν.Α.). Founder of judo A. Glyfada (1986), in Mykonos (1991), Byronas (1996).
In 1985 he was taught yoga and worked with Satyanandasram. In 2001 he was appointed as Technical Director of JUDO Central Greece. In 2002, he was awarded a special ceremony for his contribution to the rise of JUDO in Central Greece. In 2010, the Municipality of Argyroupoli awarded him for the founding of JUDO of Argyroupolis.
He is elected Prefectural Observatory of Sport and Ecology of Athens (2006-2010). The only representative, certified by Master Lykoudis, of YAWARA (Advanced Method of Self-Defense, 7th century) in Greece. With his knowledge, from his long and continuous dissertation, study and research in Japanese (mainly) physical education systems (Toyo Igaku, Tsubo, Amma Massage, Yawara, Hatha Yoga, Seiki jutsu), he is one of the few experts of treatment systems in Greece. He organizes and continuously participates in cultural, social, charitable and ecological actions.
IVAN NUNEZ DEL PRADO
Ivan Núñez del Prado is the son of Juan Núñez del Prado and has been working with him for many years.
He studied Engineering at the Catholic University in Lima and then to the Andina University of Cusco.
He also studied Couching with the ICC International Coaching Community from London (in Lima).
Like his father, he found himself drawn to the Inka religion, the Inka culture, and the Andean worldview because of the living energies – and is still under their spell today.
He received his first initiation at the age of seven at the Festival of Qoylluriti. Later, he became a member of the Catholic Easter Movement, practiced Sufism, and participated in meeting of Presbytarian Easter groups in Cusco.
In 1991 he received the initiation into the 4th level of consciousness, called Karpay Ayni. The following year, he took part for the first time in the spiritual journey to the Inkas’ ancient places of power, in the Hatun Karpay.
Ivan Núñez del Prado organized the first meeting of the Inka religion and the Andean tradition with Tibetan Buddhism with the help of Lama Lopön Chechoo Rinpoche (Karma Kajyu). Having completed many different initiations with great masters of different traditions, he now teaches his knowledge to groups in Europe and the U.S. which are interested in the ancient knowledge of the Inkas, the Inka religion, and the Inka culture.
YIORGOS HATZIMANOLIS
I was born in Heraklion, Crete, in the winter of 1974. I grew up in the city of Athens. In the middle of my puberth, browsing the Daode Jing Classical Text of the Virtue of the Path, I found myself on the path of knowledge born by the ancient wise man Lao Zi. At the same time, I met Chinese thematic cinema about heroes who defended justice unselfishly, about fighters who fought for power and sovereignty. The opposition to their ideals was evident and through this play I came into contact with the traditional martial arts of China, as they were presented in a romantic era full of conflicts between the Good and the Evil. So I discovered a way to analyze philosophically and examine my social interactions and quests.
I started my martial arts practice when I was 14 years old as a member of the Japanese Karate and Korean Tae Kwon Do athletic clubs. In 2002 I came in contact with Chinese Qi Gong for the first time in the USA, where a year earlier I completed my studies in Exercise Physiology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. During my stay in the USA, I also did postgraduate studies in the field of Clinical Ergophysiology. Taking my postgraduate degree in 2003 from the Northeastern University of Bouvé College of Health Sciences, I returned to Greece. During my military service, towards the end of 2004, I started my study and practice in China’s Traditional Martial Arts.
For the next 7 years, I have remained athlete and helper of the Pan-Hellenic Association Wu Kung Fu and I have been in the field of championship with several successes. In 2007, for the first time, I taught Bao’s esoteric boxing of the Huo family. Starting in 2013, I practice and study the Tai Chen fist of the Chen family, as well as traditional Qigong from China, from 2012.
CHRISTOS PANAGOPOULOS
Panagopoulos Christos (Shì Yán Shān) was born in 1970 and raised in Athens. With a degree in graphic design from the School of Art Studies of Athens Technological Educational Institute he is working since 2002 as a freelancer graphic designer. His parallel interest in martial arts brought him from an early age in contact with various types of martial arts such as boxing, Tai Chi, Aikido, Wing Chun and others.
In 2006 his love and perseverance for the "authentic” led him to China to accept direct knowledge from its source at the Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of the famous Shaolin Kung Fu and the Zen philosophy (Chán in Chinese ). Since then every year with the help of his teacher Shì Yán Yè, 34th generation warrior monk of Shaolin Temple, he makes a hard and difficult journey in search of the paths that keep alive the tradition and knowledge of techniques maintained from generation to generation for centuries in China that lead to mental balance, physical well-being and longevity.
After a long training cycle in 2007 he officially took the title of “Shaolin Cosmic Apostle” by the teacher Shì Héng Jūn of the Fawang temple school along with all legally certified documents attesting to his responsibility as a teacher of traditional Shaolin Kung Fu. The same year he founded in the city of Corinth the Traditional Shaolin and Tai Chi School “Source of Young Forest” maintained as today.
Although his involvement with Tai Chi started in the early 90s, in 2011 he began training at the birthplace of Chen style Tai Chi, the village Chén Jiā Gōu with the teacher Wáng Zhàn Guó, nephew of Wáng Xīān one of the 4 greatest Tai Chi masters of China.
In 2013 he officially comes under the pedigree (34th generation) of warrior monks of the Shaolin Temple with the name Shì Yán Shān (释 延 山) given to him by the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, venerable master Shì Yǒngxìn, along with the relevant official document – a certificate as successor of the tradition of the Shaolin culture.
In 2014 he began training at the “Shaolin Wú Gǔ Lún Kung fu Academy” under the supervision of master Wú Nán Fāng, in the old training system of Shaolin Kung Fu known as “Xīn Yì Bǎ” or else “union of heart and mind”. Combining the “soft with the powerful” it’s characterized as the epitome of internal cultivation with physical exercise as the expression of “Zen”.
Christos Panagopoulos is official member of Hellenic Wushu Kung Fu Association, Shaolin Europe Association, certified coach from the Greek Federation of Self-Defense (E.O.A.) and holds a coach diploma from the Greek Federation of Martial Arts. He is the author of the book “The Temple of Young Forest – The Story of Shaolin Kung Fu” with ISBN 978-618-81022-0-0 and the design and editing manager of the websites www.taiji.com.gr and www.shaolin.com.gr. He also writes in blog.saolin.gr and in the Panhellenic Martial Arts Guide magazine (polemikes-tehnes.gr). Tel. +306936929950, web site: www.shaolincamp.gr e-mail: corinth@shaolin.com.gr
The Dora Stratou Ancient Theater Research Group has been operating since 1991 at the initiative of Alkis Rafti, Theater Chairman, and is coordinated by Anna Lazou. It includes actors, dancers, choreographers-directors, students and members of all age and social categories, from Greece and abroad, combining scientific and artistic research. The research and teaching program includes the theoretical and practical study and research of Greek ancient art (dance, music, ancient drama) as well as different dance traditions, with the aim of producing highly aesthetic dance performances; dealing with forms of dance therapy since ancient times; the relation of traditional dances to antiquity, to the philosophy of dance, to dance as an educational institution, but also to the free experiential dance (Isadora Duncan dance) inspired by antiquity.
