HELLENIC STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO Hellenic Heritage Foundation

CATCHING APOLLO’S FIRE HELLENIC LANGUAGE & EDUCATION The Hellenic Heritage Foundation (HHF) Partners with the University of Toronto One of the Hellenic Heritage Foundation’s core missions is to promote Hellenism in Canada. We believe that this is best achieved through educational initiatives. In 2002, for example, with funds raised by the HHF, the first permanent Chair of Hellenic Studies was established at York University. This was a momentous achievement for the HHF, together with the establishment of our two HHF Graduate Fellowships in Modern Greek History (2006 and 2010) and the five undergraduate scholarships in Hellenic Studies, also at York.

The HHF has long hoped to see Modern Greek studies restored at the University of Toronto (U of T) after an over decade-long absence. Although Greek language and history courses had not been offered at U of T in years, the university’s Greek Students’ Association (GSA) was undaunted and made a strong case for their revival. Their enthusiasm for the restoration of Modern Greek studies at the U of T aligned with our Foundation’s mandate and mission, and, inspired by their unrelenting commitment, we responded by raising the initial $180,000 needed to fund Hellenic Studies for the first three years.

A Vision and an Opportunity This is a timely opportunity to establish a permanent Hellenic Studies program at the University of Toronto, one not to be missed. Our proposed endowment will ensure that Modern Greek studies will continue to be offered at the University of Toronto, in perpetuity. An endowed Hellenic Studies program will build on the distinctive characteristics and notable strengths of the European Studies curriculum at CERES, informing new generations of students interested in this part of the world. As well, with additional support from donors, the University will be able to expand important opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to study and conduct research in Greece. Our partnership with the University of Toronto through CERES furthers the fulfillment of the HHF’s founding vision to build broad and advanced awareness and understanding of Hellenism, thereby promoting diversity and multiculturalism in Canada. University of Toronto

In the Fall of 2014, in collaboration with the Centre for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (CERES) at U of T’s Munk School of Global Affairs, a Modern Greek program was reinstituted on a three-year pilot basis. Since its reintroduction, the program has attracted remarkable and widespread interest and is cited as one of the most popular Modern Greek programs offered at a North American university. The extraordinary success of this program has been more than encouraging — it has been overwhelmingly positive. Thus, in 2016 the HHF committed to raise $2 million towards an endowment to establish a permanent Hellenic Studies program at the University of Toronto. Devoted to the history, politics, language, culture and current affairs of contemporary Greece, it will have an important place in the undergraduate curriculum. Munk School of Global Affairs

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THE HELLENIC HERITAGE FOUNDATION

THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO “At the Munk School, we believe that the world needs better public policy and better governance. Citizens of all countries deserve greater security, wider opportunity, and the chance to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. We draw together the most creative minds, people whose research can improve our collective future. We educate great students who move seamlessly across disciplines to tackle global problems. We engage our community by convening enlightening discussions, and by identifying and sharing opportunities for action.” Director, Stephen J. Toope

The Hellenic Heritage Foundation is a charitable, not-for-profit organization founded in 1996 with a mission to preserve, promote and advance Hellenic education, culture and heritage in Canada. From the outset, one of our main objectives has been to provide Canadian youth, of Hellenic descent or not, with ample opportunities to learn about Hellenic language, history, heritage and culture. Over the years, the HHF has raised more than $5.5 million to fulfill this mission and has successfully funded and supported many projects, facilities and services that have shared Hellenic culture and heritage with the broader Canadian community. Recently, we articulated an ambitious and comprehensive plan to ensure ongoing support for our cultural, linguistic and educational initiatives at both the university and primary levels. We have aptly named it the “Apollo Project.” 4

One of the Apollo Project’s strategic objectives is to create a first-class experience in Hellenic Studies in partnership with the University of Toronto. The underlying goal, achieved through a culture of collaboration and partnership, is to expand the broader understanding of the significant role Greece has played in modern history and continues to play on the world stage to this day. Clearly, the University of Toronto’s Hellenic studies pilot program to date has demonstrated significant student demand and interest, validating every effort to make this a permanent program.

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada’s premier institution of higher learning, with one of the strongest research and teaching faculties in the world. The University of Toronto offers students an intellectual environment unmatched in depth and breadth on any other Canadian campus. U of T is home to the Munk School of Global Affairs, an interdisciplinary academic centre whose renowned research and educational programs bring together the best minds to advance the latest thinking on global issues. As part of the Munk School of Global Affairs, the Centre for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (CERES) is one of North America’s leading academic institutes for the study of the member countries of the European Union, the countries of the former Soviet Union, and Central and Eastern Europe. Drawing upon the expertise of more than fifteen departments and dozens of faculty members, CERES promotes interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching in the social sciences and humanities.

The HHF is proud of its partnership with the University of Toronto. By providing the platform for serious academic inquiry, the University of Toronto is giving students the opportunity to understand the important role Greece has played in the modern era as well as to develop Greek language skills.

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HELLENIC STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO: NOW AND FOR THE FUTURE “Our Greek language course had one of the highest enrolment rates among all universities in North America and the students’ feedback was great. Everyone involved with this program shares the goal for permanent Modern Greek studies at the University of Toronto.” Themistoklis Aravossitas, Instructor, Modern Greek, University of Toronto

As of Fall 2014, Modern Greek languages courses, a course on Contemporary Greek Politics and a fourth-year seminar focusing on Greece, the Balkans and the European Union were on offer again at the University of Toronto. In September 2015, the Modern Greek program comfortably entered its second year at U of T, offering four language streams: Introductory Modern Greek, Elementary Modern Greek, and Advanced Modern Greek I and II.

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The teaching of Modern Greek will be the cornerstone of the permanent Hellenic Studies program at the University of Toronto. Moreover, because an understanding of Modern Greek history, language, institutions and politics is central to understanding contemporary Europe, course components in Hellenic Studies will focus on the integral role Greece has played in European politics and its impact on Western civilization. Today, Greece is again the centre of attention. The Hellenic Studies program will promote a deeper understanding of Greek history, culture and politics and Greece’s relevance in the global economic issues of today.

LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY “What you leave behind is not what is engraved on stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” Pericles

The popularity of the Modern Greek pilot program reaffirms our commitment to this worthy initiative. The goal now is to secure the permanence of the program. This, as we have indicated, will require the establishment of an endowment of $2 million. The $2 million in endowment funding, raised over the next five years, will establish a robust, sustainable and permanent Hellenic Studies program at the University of Toronto.

However, time is of the essence because we are already halfway through the three-year Hellenic Studies pilot program. To ensure that the pilot program becomes a permanent program, it is imperative that we begin to raise the crucial funding now. For this, we need your generous support. At the Hellenic Heritage Foundation, we continue to build on our many previous successes. We know that it is within our reach to establish a permanent Hellenic Studies program at the University of Toronto. The campaign to raise and invest $2 million to establish an endowment in Hellenic Studies will accomplish that, but only with your help. An endowed program in Hellenic Studies at the University of Toronto will be a source of immense pride for our community, garnering attention on a national scale and creating a lasting legacy for generations of young students. Your generosity will make this remarkable opportunity a reality. We owe it to our young people, who have so tirelessly and passionately called for a regular and permanent Hellenic Studies program at the University of Toronto. Your donation is an investment in education, an historic opportunity to play a vital role in promoting Hellenism to the next generation of Greeks in Canada and to all Canadians. Ultimately, you are giving the gift of education, which is one of the greatest gifts of all. 7

www.hhf.ca