GODS IN TRANSIT: IP AT THE CROSSROADS OF GREAT CIVILIZATIONS

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

A very warm welcome to Athens, venue of the 37th Annual Conference entitled: “Gods in Transit: IP at the Crossroads of Great Civilizations”!

The city of Athens, city of the mythical Goddess of Athena, who represents wisdom, birthplace of democracy, is an ideal point of touristic and cultural attraction. Athens offers excellent conditions for conferences in view of its mild climate, the affinity to the sea through the port of Piraeus and the Saronic Gulf and access to some of the most famous classic antiquities such as Acropolis and the Parthenon.

Athens as a city-state of ancient times and as the capital of the modern state of Greece since the early 19th century lies geographically, culturally and politically between East and West at the crossroads of remarkable civilizations which have influenced the history of mankind. Its position has urged its inhabitants and the rest of Greeks to create and maintain a large commercial fleet rendering it a worldwide leading maritime power.

Nowadays living in a globalized economy characterized by everlasting changes and adjustment to sometimes unforeseeable situations, everyone realizes the importance of continuous and free movement of goods. In an era where timeless values, like the Olympic God, are subject to reassessment, IP professionals are often challenged by conflicting interests connected with goods in transit. This modern experience is indeed not so remote from Heraclitus’ statement “Ta panta rei”, meaning everything is perpetually changing. Furthermore, a trade mark professional cannot but think of symbols, which is the reason of our choosing the Caryatides as the inspiration of the design of our Conference. They play, in a smart architectonic way, the role of the columns of Erechtheion on the hill of Acropolis and symbolize feminine elegance, strength and stability.

The conference attendees will be lucky to admire the Caryatides at the spectacular New Acropolis Museum that opened its gates in 2009 which is closely located to Hotel Intercontinental, our conference venue. Both our main hotel and the additional hotels were chosen for their proximity to the old and the modern city centre with plenty of facilities, nice views and typical Greek hospitality.

Interesting presentations by highly esteemed speakers were put together to create a truly informative and educational program for the attendees. The accompanying persons will also have the chance to enjoy staying in Athens and choose among exciting and diverse activities, such as sightseeing, museum visits, shopping or leisure time, combined with tasting the famous Mediterranean cuisine.
The evening events, culminating in the traditional gala dinner, guarantee an unforgettable get-together experience for all delegates and guests.

We are therefore delighted to invite you to join an IP event that should not be missed!

Ruta Olmane
President of ECTA
Dr. Nikolaos Lyberis
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee
Miranda Theodoridou
Member of the Local Organising Committee
Christina Masoulas
Member of the Local Organising Committee