Katheti zooms in on Eleni Svoronou
Eleni Svoronou is a versatile person with a multidimensional action. She is a graduate of the School of Philosophy, specializing in Cultural Heritage Management. Award winning author of books for children and adolescents. She is also head of WWF Hellas Environmental Education department. Two of her works received an Honorable Mention (2014-15) by the Women’s Literary Team. Many of her books have been included in the shortlists of the Greek State Literature Prizes, the Circle of the Greek Children’s Book and the magazine “Diavazo”. Her book “Σκληρό Καρύδι” (Skliro Karydi, meaning Tough nut) received the White Raven award (one of the 200 best books in the world in 2016). At the same time, she teaches creative writing to children and adults. She also facilitates educational workshops about nature and culture. So, with great pleasure, “Katheti zooms in on Eleni Svoronou”! Talking with Fay Orfanidou, she talks about her career and expresses her views on the problems and challenges faced by people currently.
“Hone your intellectual weapons”
Many are the things which can hinder and disappoint us. Especially during the period of the health crisis, with the confinement, the difficulties and the lack of prospect we experience. Yet, Eleni Svoronou urges us to seize the opportunity for introspection and learning. As she says, “Life regains its rhythm. After such a circumstance, follows an explosion of creativity and financial activity. So, hone your weapons, the intellectual ones, to come up with new ideas.” She expresses the belief that change begins from the way we set the questions about our life, about our problem, about whatever hinders us.
“Build the narrative of your life”
Eleni Svoronou believes that the human of the future will be called to constantly learn. To have mental agility and technique, in terms of skills. To combine their experience with new knowledge. “And finally, all these tie in together as life goes on. Step by step, one builds up the narrative of one’s life and everything begins to make sense.” She suggests that we follow the road ahead and in the process we will see what paths it opens up.
In the paths that lead to our personal development she includes voluntary service. A lifelong volunteer herself and responsible for managing the WWF volunteer team for years. She has come to realize the value of voluntary service even as an educational tool. She emphasizes that voluntary actions offer us the opportunity to become familiar with new objects and realize by experience if they suit us. “It is an excellent learning process in a structured environment with experienced people.”
Poros and Katheti
“Katheti zooms in on Eleni Svoronou”, because there are many things that connect us. She has visited Poros as part of an environmental program, to present one of her books to the children of Poros, for a creative writing seminar in collaboration with Maria Aggelidou, but also for a personal trip. She expresses the desire to come back and organize, in collaboration with Katheti, a narrative walk in places of the area that tie in with some story.
An action in full accordance with the efforts of Katheti for the promotion of sustainable tourism, as well as literature, through its lending library. Another common denominator is voluntary service. Katheti is supported by volunteers and at the same time supports voluntary actions.
