The Program's Official Start

The inaugural program of the Emmanuel College Summer Institute in Greece has officially begun. The EC Eastern Mediterranean Security Studies certificate program is officially underway with the best omens. We arrived in Crete last Friday, after a long flight -- three planes and two layover -- and have quickly adjusted to the 7-hour difference and cloudless skies of southern Greece. These last three days the EC students have had a chance to taste a sampling of local hospitality and visit a sites and beaches on the island and make some local friends already.

I'm often asked by students to hold class outdoors.
This time I gave in.

Last night in a brief and nice ceremony the EC faculty and students were welcomed by the President of the Institute of Cretan Studies, Professor Kapsomenos, and Ms. Katerina Kolokytha, representative of the Mayor's office of the municipality of Platania. They both expressed their hope that this EC program at the Cretan Institute is a first step in a long relationship that will foster greater mutual understanding of the two cultures, contribute to mutual academic learning, and help future leaders work toward greater economic opportunity and social justice.