Events for the Unification of Crete with Greece, with the presence of the President of the Helelnic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, in Hania.

The President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, arrived in Hania in order to attend the events realised on Sunday, November 30th and Monday, December 1st, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Unification of Crete with Greece.
Apart from the established festive events, realised by the Prefecture of Hania, the Municipality of Hania and the National Research Foundation "Eleftherios K. Venizelos", festive events were organised in the Municipalities of Voukolies and Kolymbari.
It is worth mentioning that Napoleon Papoulias, the grand father of the President of  the Greek Republic, had been injured during the battle of Pyrgos Voukolion, and the events in Voukolies and Kolymbari had a commemorative character.
On Friday, November 28th, at 11 a.m., school students crowned the statue of Eleftherios Venizelos in Dikastiria square. This is the programme of the two-day event:

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30th, 2008 – KOLYMBARI, 10:50
-Commemorative Ceremony at the Statue of Timoleon Vassos
-Speech by the Mayor of Kolymbari, Polyhronis Polyhronidis
-Wreath laying by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias.

VOUKOLIES
11:35
-Commemorative ceremony at Pyrgos, Voukolies
-Speech by the Mayor of Voukolies, Nikolaos Bobolakis
-Reference to the events of the Battle of Pyrgos, Voukolies.
Speaker: Timoleon Vountourakis, Teacher
-Wreath laying by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias.
-The President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, receives the freedom of the Municipality of Voukolies (Town Hall)
-Placement of a commemorative plaque by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, for the victims of road accidents in the Prefecture of Hania.

NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION "ELEFTHERIOS K. VENIZELOS"
19:30
-Speech by the Foundation's Chairman, Irineos Galanakis, former Metropolitan of Kisamos & Selino
-Speech by the Foundation's CEO, Nikolaos Papadakis, on the topic: "Eleftherios Venizelos and the Cretan Issue 1877-1913. A review"
-Documentary containing snapshots of: i) the ceremony of the Unification of Crete with Greece (December 1st, 1913) and ii) the presence of Venizelos in the international scenery
-Awarding of the Foundation's associates:
i) Municipality of Ermoupolis of Syros
ii) Municipality of Nea Philadelphia

MONDAY, DECEMBER 1st, 2008
METROPOLIS ISODION THEOTOKOU (CATHEDRAL OF THE PRESENTATION OF VIRGIN MARY)
11:00
-Te Deum for the anniversary of the Unification of Crete with Greece

FIRKAS FORTRESS
-Speech for the anniversary by the Mayor of Hania, Kiriakos Virvidakis
-Flag raising by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias

CENTRE OF MEDITERRANEAN ARCHITECTURE - ARSENALI
-The President of the Hellenic Republic, Karolos Papoulias, receives the freedom of the Municipality of Hania.