“Triton” Panhellenic Student Competition The Hellenic Maritime Museum has been making efforts to keep a more stable contact with students participating in the “Triton” educational programmes. At the same time it is trying to establish a communication channel with schools that are unable to visit us due to distance. As part of these efforts it has organized a Panhellenic Student Competition for all school grades. The subject of the competition is the sea, the vital and predominant element of nature covering the greatest part of our planet, encircling continents, giving shape to coasts and breaking rocks with its might. According to biologists, this is where life began. It has been the locus of historical events and dramatic sea battles which changed the course of history forever; a central point which helped different peoples and civilizations exchange goods and ideas; an inspiration for artists, which at the same time stirs romantic emotions, urging us to dream. Both individual and group projects can be submitted. These projects can be integrated into the school programme or occupy some of the students’ leisure time. This could depend on the preference of the participants or the decision of their teachers. The artistic means by which to present the subject can also be selected according to the students’ interests. Painting, sculpture, three-dimensional constructions, collage, mosaics, photographs, videos as well as original pieces of writing describing sea adventures can all present the grandeur of nature, the human action in it and the strong bond of the Greeks with the sea. All kinds of art and the creativity of students will find their place in the largest Maritime Museum in Greece which is one of the most significant of its kind worldwide. After sending the works, the participation of each school is confirmed though the dispatch of copies of the Hellenic Maritime Museum’s publications and audiovisual material to enrich their school libraries and support the work of teachers. At the end of the school year the competition committee (the Board, the educational team and artists-members of the Museum) will classify the projects according to the theme and age of the young artist or writer. Then, they will select and award the most original works, which will be exhibited at the Museum premises and published in the press. Moreover, presents will be given individually to all participants. We would also like to invite teachers to encourage students to visit the Museum and learn about the course of our maritime Tradition and Heritage, the History of Merchant Marine as well as our Naval History. This is effected by means of 2,500 relics: art works, items of historic value, nautical instruments, dioramas, representations, ship parts and models, displayed both chronologically and thematically to take us on a sail to the Greek seas and present the great marine feats of Greek Seamen in the seas all around the world. The Museum Administration and its scientific team believe that the role of a modern museum should not be restricted to silent and mouldy halls. The museum should find a way out and, through constant activity, make an active contribution to education and entertainment. In the Museum library, which is the largest maritime library in Greece and one of the largest in the Mediterranean, students will find a rich material to help them with their projects. Moreover, in the face of the Museum staff they will find supporters, advisors and assistants for all of their efforts. Starting date of Competition: 1st May 2007 Final date of Competition: 1st May 2008 Inauguration of the participants’ exhibition: 18 May 2008 Awards: The first award will appear on the cover page of Issue 63 of the Museum’s Journal, “Periplous of Maritime History” (July 2008). The first five awards will benefit from the advantages of the HMM Members for 2 years, free of charge, while they will also be entitled to a copy of the Museum publications for this period. All participants to the competition will receive presents in memory of the occasion, copies of the Museum publications as well as a certificate of participation. After sending the works (in the case of group works), all schools will receive books and audiovisual material to enrich their libraries. Each one of the works should bear the student’s data (full name, age, grade) as well as ways to contact him/her.