EDIM INTRODUCTION

The European Delphic Intellectual Movement (EDIM) has set itself the goal of spreading the Delphic idea by establishing an internationally active scientific academy under the aegis of the European Academy of Sciences & Arts (https://euro-acad.eu/) and a workplace in Delphi, Greece. By using its pedagogical and cultural measures, the preservation of classical antique values in the sense of the Pythian Games, such as the strengthening of a harmonious and peaceful coexistence and the interdisciplinary interaction of culture, art, and modern technologies in science and practice should be supported. In the international context of the peoples, these traditions shall be preserved as well as the cultural heritage.   

The initial Academy of Delphic Studies (1991-1999) has developed to the informal International Academy of Delphic Studies (IADS) with the aim of reviving the Pythian Games, providing a unique Forum for Arts and Cultures of the world. The Pythian Games are historically a peace engendering competition of the Arts. They first took place in Delphi ca. 6th c. BC and for about 1000 years,  and had at the time a similar level of importance in society.

Just as the Olympic Games bring people together across the globe through their enthusiasm for the sport, the Pythian Games of modern times unite people of all nations and cultures through their fascination for the arts.

IADS with EDIM promotes scientific research, historical documentation, and the interdisciplinary are cultivated by coupling areas of arts, culture, science, and technology.

The 3 main purposes of IADS for the EDIM Delphic movement, in a theoretical yet mainly experiencing manner, include:

• Culture – To pursue cultural research and develop strategies to preserve our diversified cultural inheritance in conjunction with the development of society. To focus on the acquaintance and dissemination of the classical Hellenic Culture while being coordinated with similar or parallel cultural legacies.
• Science – To foster a scientific network for academic excellence with advanced ideas for development in education, research, and technology at an interdisciplinary level to assist the nation and world decision-makers. To conduct research on topical and timeless themes in art, ancient technology, philosophy, and literary evidence.
• Society – To increase awareness of the uniqueness of humanity and our cultural diversity while boosting subjects like education of teachers and advanced methods of pedagogic and didactic. The academy focuses on the emergence and worldwide promotion of the ancient Hellenic spirit with an emphasis on the Delphic Idea.

The International Academy of Delphic Studies turns scientific and research results into practice through its established International Conference Series on Environment & Ancient Cultures (www.shap-conference.com; www.huaxiahellas.com) and a currently developed worldwide Delphic network. The EDIM & IADS’s motto involves “the discovery of new worlds in cosmic space – for it is the privilege of those who never stop exploring knowledge”.

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF DELPHIC STUDIES (IADS)

The IADS was established as an informal entity to empower people and events of the EDIM knowledge sharing and experience in the field of art, culture, education, and science & technology. The IADS reinstates the 15 Delphic principles through its best practices and has envisioned a bright future for Delphi (put forward by Ioannis Liritzis 1994, Classical principles of Delphic Idea. Academy of Delphic Studies, No.1, 97-102, Proceedings Philosophical Symposium of Contemporary Problems Delphic Idea, Classical Hellenic Logos & Contemporary World, Ed. Liritzis, I, Athens).

IADS fosters the balance between tangible and intangible arts and culture and its impulses for peace and worldwide– besides the unique features of the Delphic Movement and Pythian Games.

VISION

• To create an environment where the Delphic spirit is promoted and nurtured
• To build a platform for the young generation, politicians, scientists and world leaders who can come together and reconnect with ecumenical values, visions, and virtues,
• To establish a new treasury to enrich and emerge the prestigious jewels of European culture,
• To develop a modern sanctuary that celebrates the beauty of life and humanity through arts, science, and philosophy.

In its endeavor to promote and foster the region of Delphi, IADS collaborates and cooperates with educational and technological institutes of the world. private and public entities, leading personalities.

Empowered by its principles and ideals, IADS aspires to bring forth the Delphic logos and enhance the torch of the eternal Apollonian light. The academy beautifully blends new lifestyles and modern ideas with Eva & Angelos Sikelianos’ 20th-century initiatives to deliver a new way of life.

EARLIER INITIATIVE

Prof. Ioannis Liritzis (born in Delphi 1953) in 1991 initiated the Academy of Delphic Studies (legal association, ISSN: 1107-3772, terminated in 1999), and was its President, with a vision to reanimate the Delphic Ideals.

The aims were:” a) the acquaintance and fostering of ancient Hellenic Culture, as it is emerging from the Delphic spirit, a cultural and spiritual cradle of Europe and at the same time an ecumenical symbol of knowledge, b) the scientific research on issues of ancient Hellenic culture and in particular the Delphic landscape and sanctuary itself with the aid of modern technology, and on the Delphic spirit, as this is shown from within the art, philosophy and philological witnesses….via various cultural-scientific activities (article 2 of the By-Laws of the association).

As a result, four bilingual collective volumes including articles from scholars were produced.

1. Liritzis, I (Ed.) (1994) Delphi Idea, Ancient Greek Rationale and Contemporary World, Proceedings of 1^st Philosophical Meeting Contemporary Scepticism, Academy of Delphic Studies, Νο.1,  109 p. (ISBN 960-220-584-9).(in Greek & English languages)
2. Liritzis, I (Ed.) (1996) Delphi Idea, Ancient Greek Rationale and Contemporary World, Proceedings of 2^nd Philosophical Meeting Contemporary Scepticism, Academy of Delphic Studies, Νο.2,  57 p.  (ISBN 960-85798-0-5).
3. Liritzis, I (Ed.) (1997) Delphi Idea, Ancient Greek Rationale and Contemporary World, Proceedings of 3^rd Philosophical Meeting on Contemporary Scepticism, Academy of Delphic Studies, Νο.3,  108 p. (ISBN 960-85798-0-5) (with extended summaries in English).
4. Liritzis, I (Ed.) (1999) Delphi Idea, Ancient Greek Rationale and Contemporary World, Proceedings of 4^th Philosophical Meeting on Contemporary Scepticism, Topic: Myth & Reality from within the Ancient Greek Texts and the Visions of Poet A. Sikelianos. Academy of Delphic Studies, Νο.4, 93 p. (ISBN 960-85798-2-1, ISSN 1107-3772) (with some articles in English).

2021-22 CHRONICLE

For the 100 years of the formation of the Delphic Movement, we planned a small scale Cultural-Artistic event on 17th Sept 2021, in the digital conference (intended for Delphi), on the occasion of the 2nd International Conference in Delphi on Global Issues of Environment & Culture (www.shape-conference.com), endorsed by EASA (https://euro-acad.eu/) and greeted by Dean of Class III Prof. Violeta Dinescu, and the inauguration greeted by President Prof Klaus Mainzer. The Cultural event took place on the evening of 17^th September.

You can see the whole day event; the cultural event is at the end 7.25-7.40 mins.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GBUJSiZq9FmvEaKuqBySNspPg990jFmH/view?usp=sharing

The four Parts of the Event are:

PART 1

We start the 1^st of our “quartets” act, a video that combines new technologies and 3D Digitization with actual drama performance in Delphic theater and Herod Oden Theater in 1920 and 1927, a new approach of contextualization and conceptualization of new technologies with tangible and intangible heritage.

20:00-20:10 Video from Delphic Festival /Delphiques Fetes 1927 with a 3D reconstruction of Delphi Sanctuary

PART 2

Our 2^nd quartet that follows concerns a cultural presentation from our co-organizer-partner, the University of the Aegean with the Henan university China, for which I must say I enjoy being affiliated and I am happy to collaborate with this famous Institution, which is situated in the yellow river environs, the cradle of ancient Chinese civilization. The 1^st Conference took place in Kaifeng and the 3^rd will be there as well. This video presents the significance of Kaifeng that hosts Henan University, and Henan province, in the course of time, regarding the cultural roots of China, the origin of writing, language, calligraphy, art, Kungfu, and martial arts- the heritage of skills-  then it gives a brief introduction to Henan University, and finally, an excellent show of theater and music.

20:10-20:30 Video cultural presentation from China-Martial arts, dance, etc

PART 3

Next, the 3^rd “quartet” is another merging of modern science & technology with cultural heritage material, the earliest ever ancient computing machine-the Antikythera mechanism- which calculates the date for ancient Pythian Games every 4 years taken place in Delphi, in modern times. Presented by my friend and pioneer in this extraordinary piece of work Prof Kyriakos Efstathiou, emeritus prof of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and ERA Chair for Digital Cultural Heritage, Technological Univ of Cyprus.

20:30-20:50 Prof Kyriakos Efstathiou (Cyprus Univ. of Technology & Aristotle Univ of Thessaloniki) “When ancient Pythian Games should be performed in the present era through the Antikythera Mechanism”

PART 4

Last but not least, our final 4^th “quartet” act presents parts of the World famous Greek composer Yannis Markopoulos and his Work “The liturgy of Orpheus”, while the composer himself explains his work which ultimately….from its mythological background represents Orpheus to draw ideas for harmony from the earthly environment – the faunal, the floral and the terrestrial landscape…most relevant to the duality of our conference-the Environment and the Ancient Cultures… culminating the outburst of this musical feast with the hymn to Apollo,  Paean Apollo-παιάν απόλλων.

20:50-21:00 Apollonian Paean from the Liturgy of Orpheus by Greek musician and composer Yannis Markopoulos (1994).

2022 FOLLOW-UP

The 2021 praeambulus event stood as a preparation for the Major Musical Premier Event on September 24, 2022 in Delphi.

The start of the Vision is the 2022 Musical event in Delphi, which shall be a modern Pythian Hymn.