The delegation included the Head of the Tourism Department of Thessaloniki, the mayors of three nearby municipalities (Naoussa , Kastoria , Kalamaria), the Director of the Center of Mount Athos, Vice-rectors of Thessaloniki Universities (The University of Macedonia, the Aristotle University , the International Hellenic University ) and private colleges, representatives of Medicine Chamber, tour companies, major hotels, business structures, Aegean airlines, the organizers of the exhibition "Philoxenia" in Thessaloniki.
The delegation included the Head of the Tourism Department of Thessaloniki, the mayors of three nearby municipalities (Naoussa, Kastoria, Kalamaria), the Director of the Center of Mount Athos, Vice-rectors of Thessaloniki Universities (The University of Macedonia, the Aristotle University, the International Hellenic University) and private colleges, representatives of Medicine Chamber, tour companies, major hotels, business structures, Aegean airlines, the organizers of the exhibition "Philoxenia" in Thessaloniki.
On May 25, there was a meeting of the Deputy Mayor of Thessaloniki Spiros Pengas with the Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg E.D. Grigoriev which also involved the Consul General of Greece in St. Petersburg Panos Beglitis. Cooperation prospects between the cities in 2016 were discussed during the meeting, taking into account the planned visit of the official delegation of St. Petersburg to Thessaloniki.
Participants of the meeting expressed their mutual interest in expanding cooperation of the cities in the sphere of tourism, cultural and educational exchanges. Vice Mayor S. Pengas confirmed their interest in the development of trilateral dialogue within the framework of the project "Universities' ideas into Cities' practice" between St. Petersburg, Thessaloniki and Limassol (the Republic of Cyprus).
Agreements have been reached on the signing of the action plan (road map) between the Government of St. Petersburg and the Municipality of Thessaloniki for 2017–2020 during the forthcoming official visit of St. Petersburg delegation to Thessaloniki as well as co-operative activities to mark the fifth anniversary of the partnership in 2017.
E.D. Grigoriev invited Thessaloniki delegation to take part in The International Conservatory Week Festival in October 2016 under the "intermutual" Year of Russia and Greece.
The presentation of Thessaloniki city took place on May 26 in Renaissance Baltic Hotel. Congratulations were expressed to the participants by acting Chairman of the Committee for Tourism Development of St. Petersburg N.M. Gvichiya, the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Science and Higher Education of St. Petersburg I.Y. Ganus, the Vice president of St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry E.N. Lebedeva. Bilateral meetings of representatives of scientific, tourist and business circles of the two cities followed the presentation. Agreements have been reached on the establishment of cooperative relations between the Head of the Administration of Krasnoselsky district of St. Petersburg E.V. Nikolsky and the Mayor of Naoussa Nicolas Kutsogianis.
During the meeting, the acting Chairman of the Committee for Tourism Development N.M. Gvichiya and the Deputy Mayor of Thessaloniki for Tourism and International Relations S. Pengas agreed on the participation of St. Petersburg in the international tourism fair "Philoxenia" in Thessaloniki in September 2016 and participation of Greek partners from Thessaloniki in the international tourism fair INWETEX-CIS TRAVEL MARKET, held in October 2016 in St. Petersburg, as well as the organization of a press tour in Thessaloniki for St. Petersburg journalists.
During the meeting held on May 25 in the State Museum of the History of Religion, Museum Director L.A. Musienko and the Director of the Center of Mount Athos Anastasios Duros decided to sign a cooperation agreement.
Additional information: 576-78-44 – Natalia Vladimirovna Strugova, chief specialist of the Central and Southern Europe, the USA, Canada and Israel International Cooperation Office