Generations Meet at the STM: Memory Activates Creativity

The event "Generations Meet at the STM: Memory Activates Creativity" was held with great success on Sunday, May 19, 2013, at the Science and Technology Museum of the University of Patras. The event was co-organized by the Science and Technology Museum, the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Directorate of Primary Education of the Prefecture of Achaia and the Patras the Regional Department of Patras of the Panhellenic Association of Retirees of OTE in the context of the Celebration of the World Telecommunication Day and the Celebration of the World Museum Day which for this year is dedicated to the theme: "Memory + Creativity = Social Change".

The event was opened by the Director of the STM Prof.Evangelos Vitoratos. In continuation, welcoming greetings were given by Dr.Andreanna Koufou, Head of the Cultural Affairs of Primary Education, the President of the Patras Department of the Greek Pensioners' Association of OTE, Tassos Economopoulos and the President of the Municipal Council of Patras, City and Town Council Costas Bourdoulis.

The introduction to the event opened with songs by the 50^th Elementary School of Patras Choir and a screening of scenes from the Greek cinema for the phone. Then Mrs. Peny Theologi-Gouti, Architect Engineer-Ethnologist MSc, and Curator of the STM UP presented the experiential events and the groups were divided to form Parallel events:

A. For children (Coordinator Aggeliki Rodopoulou, Retired Employee of the UP- Postgraduate student at the Open University, Volunteer of the STM UP).

Groups of children participated in Experiential Actions for the telephone. Retired and active OTE employees talked about their memories and activated the creativity of the children with the help of animators of the STM UP.

Participants:

• OTE pensioners: Costas Bourdoulis, Retired Technician, Chairman of the Board. Municipality of Patras, Vice President of the Association of Friends of the STM UP, Costas Kaipanos, Retired Technician, Rena Palmou, Retired Telephone Operator, Lefteris Raptis, Retired Technician.
• Active OTE Employees: Dionysia Mylona, Telephone Operator.
• Animators: Maria Athanassiou, Kindergarten Teacher, STM Volunteer, Dr.Andreanna Koufou, Teacher, Head of Cultural Affairs of Primary Education of Achaia, Maria Kostourou, Kindergarten Teacher, Student of Museology ATEI Pathe Tsoulou, Architect Engineer, Volunteer at the STM UP.
• Assistants: Giannis Kalomiris, Student of the Department of Natural Sciences, Katerina Nikolakopoulou, Student of Philology, Georgia Papada, Student of Philology, Sevi Sfika, Student of Philology, Marialena Tsarouchis, Student.
• Students from: 3^rd Elementary School, 26^th Elementary School, 50^th Elementary School, 54^th Kindergarten School, Nautilus Pre School, Special School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

B. For the public – At the same time, the audience attended a speech by Mr.Giannis Mylonas, Retired OTE Technical Officer, and Collector on "The telephone and its history in Patras". A discussion followed.

When the parallel activities were completed, the groups of children presented the creative activity they developed. Then the children painted all together on the walls of the auditorium, while at the same time the musician Nikos Katsolis performed a piano concert.

The event closed with songs by the choir of the 50^th Elementary School, a tour of the permanent exhibition of the Museum and the "Exhibition of photographs of telecommunication material" from the collection of Giannis and Dionysias' Mylonas and a small reception.