Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization
少林希腊文化組织

The 5th Shaolin Culture Festival & 2nd EPOS. Friends Festival was successfully completed in Nafplion, on Sunday, February 11, 2018, at the Municipal Sports Centre of Nafplion, where all the spectators had the opportunity to enjoy and to get to know the Shaolin culture, and other Traditional Martial Arts.

More than 200 participants from 15 leading schools in Greece, participated in the festival, which was organised by Sifu Dimitris Papavasileiou of Martial Arts Athletic Club N. Greece, with the cooperation and support of the Municipality of Nafplion, the Municipal Organization of Sports, Culture, Tourism and Environment (DOPPAT) of Nauplion and under the auspices of the Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization.

The Greek Shaolin Cultural Organization [EPOS] and cooperating Clubs participated with 150 male and female students, who presented unarmed and armed skill forms from Shaolin tradition.

Prior to the opening of the Festival, Sifou Papavassiliou honored all the Masters who supported the event with their presence, with a commemorative cup and awarded the founder of EPOS Master Stavridis Iordanis - Shi Yan Zhuo, for his 30-year contribution to Shaolin Kung Fu. Then EPOS invited the holders of the 1st Duan of Middle Level [Konstantinos Giannakopoulos, Antari Konstantina, Takaki Danae and Stavridou Alexandra from OASKF Aristomachos and Kostopoulou Mariana, Theodoropoulou Anastasia and Altani Filitsa from KEPOSANE Foinikas, and gave them praise for their continuous presence and progress.

Afterwards, the male and female Students of True Path, and the Master of the Center of Thessaloniki, Vasilopoulos Ioannis, handed over a wood-carved mark of EPOS, crafted by Student Christos Kanaridis.

Sifou Papavassiliou team marked the beginning of this year's festival with a group form of Hung Ga, that was applauded by all attendees, viewers and participants. Then Shaolin Rou Quan Pyrgos team charmed the viewers with Soft Fist Skills, while the curtain ended with a Yong Chun Quan show by Shifu Pantelias Antonis.

Then followed a varied spectacle of athletes of all ages with forms, combat techniques, self-defense, stochomachies, races, which gave everyone a beautiful Sunday morning.

Upon completion of the Festival, Master Shi Yan Zhuo[Stavridis Iordanis] said:

I am very grateful to the Municipality of Nafplion, DOPPAT, my good friend Sifou Papavassileiou Dimitris, friend Masters, the parents and to the excellent participants who help every year in the realization of the Shaolin Culture Festival, which promotes the Spirit, the Friendship and the Sportsmanship in the Martial Arts. I wish next year to meet again and to offer yet another unique experience to everyone.

A presentation of the festival on the official website of the Shaolin Temple. LINK