The Hellenic Relay in Action: Book Launch & Community Discussion

This event brings together researchers, community members, educators, parents, and students to celebrate the launch of the volume Advancing Greek Heritage Language Education in Canada – The Hellenic Relay: A Community Action Study (Springer). Drawing on the findings of a two-year community-based research project that mapped the experiences and perspectives of Greek heritage language learners and educators across Canada, the event will offer a short presentation of the book followed by a panel discussion featuring voices from the study.

 

The discussion will highlight key themes emerging from the research, including community priorities, educational challenges, and collaborative pathways for strengthening Greek heritage language education. Participants will include members of the Greek Canadian community who contributed to the study, alongside academic colleagues. A light reception will follow the panel, providing an opportunity for informal conversation and exchange.

 

This event is part of the Hellenic Relay in Action initiative and is supported by the Hellenic Heritage Foundation, the Consulate General of Greece in Toronto, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada (Office of Education), and community and educational partners across Canada.

 

Introductory remarks by Jim Cummins, Professor Emeritus with the department of Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning at OISE, University of Toronto.

 

Dr. Marianthi Oikonomakou is Associate Professor of Linguistics and Language Education at the University of the Aegean (Greece) and a specialist in the teaching of Greek in primary education. She has contributed to the development of new Greek language curricula and has extensive experience in teacher education and curriculum design. She is co-editor of the volume Advancing Greek Heritage Language Education in Canada – The Hellenic Relay: A Community Action Study (Springer).

 

Dr. Themistoklis Aravossitas is Course Director of the Modern Greek Language Program at the University of Toronto and at York University. His work focuses on Greek heritage language education, community-based research, and the role of language in identity and cultural transmission in the diaspora. He is the Principal Investigator of the Hellenic Relay study, funded by the HHF, and co-editor of the volume Advancing Greek Heritage Language Education in Canada – The Hellenic Relay: A Community Action Study (Springer).

 

Under the auspices of the Consulate General of Greece in Toronto.

 

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