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MEETINGREECE
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MACEDONIA - THRACE
most famous of which include the annual International Trade Fair
(HELEXPO) and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival.
Thessaloniki represents a wonderful collection of contrasts, with
the marks of three civilisations; ancient, roman and byzantine. It is
the crossroad between two continents, Europe and Asia and the
economic centre for all the Balkan nations. The city flourished
during the days of the Byzantine Empire and marks that era with
a wealth of monuments.
The Bride of Thermaikos Gulf – as many refer to Thessaloniki - is
divided into the Upper town (Ano Poli), which is what remains
from Ottoman Thessaloniki and the Modern town, which was fully
redesigned and reconstructed on a grid system after being
destroyed by fire in 1917.
Thessaloniki’s saint-patron is Aghios Dimitrios, who suffered
martyrdom for his Christian faith, and his church considered to be
the most important church in the entire city. Lying above the
remains of the agora and the Roman Forum, the church has three
side-chapels, a museum, and underground catacombs that also
include Aghios Dimitrios imprisonment chamber. The city lies in a
transitional climatic zone, so its climate displays characteristics of
continental and Mediterranean climates. Winters are relatively dry,
with common morning frost. Snowfalls occur almost every year,
but usually the snow does not stay for more than a few days. On
the other hand, Thessaloniki’s summers are hot with rather humid
nights. Rain is seldom in summer, and mainly falls during
thunderstorms.
CON F ERENCE & E V EN T S I N T HE S S A LON I K I
Thessaloniki is the home to a number of festivals and events,
including the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair, with an eighty-
year history. The showcase is hosted at the Thessaloniki
International Exhibition Centre, attracting over 300.000 visitors
each year. Thessaloniki International Exhibition centre is the home
to the annual Philoxenia International Tourism Exhibition, now
(2011) in its 27th year. The city is also known for the Thessaloniki
International film festival, characterized as the most significant
cultural event in South Eastern Europe, attracting local and
international celebrities. The International Film Festival offers new
and emerging filmmakers the chance to showcase their films to
the South-eastern European region. Notable film makers to
appear at the festival include Francis Ford Coppola, Faye
Dunaway, Catherine Deneuve and Irene Papas. The
Documentary Festival, founded in 1999, focuses on
documentaries that explore global social and cultural
developments, with some films candidates for FIPRESCI and
Audience Awards.
The Dimitria festival, founded in 1966 and named after Aghios
Dimitrios, focuses on a wide range of events including music,
theater, dance, local happenings and exhibitions. The DMC DJ
Championship is hosted at the International Trade Fair of
Thessaloniki and has become a worldwide event for aspiring DJs.
The International Festival of Photography takes place every
February to mid-April, attracting the interest of both the
photographic world and the public.
Thessaloniki is a leading conference city in Greece (20% of
conferences taking place in Greece. 16 International and EU
Organizations are based here while it is the largest university
town in Greece. Thessaloniki Convention & Visitors Bureau
supports Thessaloniki Conferences & Incentives and offers
services free of charge. Over 100 companies are TCVB Members.
The city has an International airport with direct flights to 25
European capitals and other cities (Berlin, London, Frankfurt,
Milan, Rome, Prague, Paris etc) along with boat connections to
the most popular Greek islands.
The most Popular Months for conferences in Thessaloniki are
February, March, April, May, June, September, October and
November. The city offers 18 Hotels with conference facilities
(meeting rooms for 10 – 1.050 persons) and 2 Congress Centers
(meeting rooms for 10 – 2.100 persons) and an International
Exhibition Center.
According to International Congress & Convention Association
(ICCA) statistics report, Thessaloniki is one of the top 100