The 3rd Summer School was completed with great success on Friday, June 26, 2026. “Crete Past and Present”, which was organized by the Department of Classical Studies of the Department of Philology of the University of Crete. Earlier that week, the members of the organizing committee, Zacharoula Petraki, Stelios Panagiotakis and Georgia Tsouni, welcomed 31 participants to Rethymno for a rich six-day program of educational and cultural activities (June 21-26). The Summer School brought together participants from Europe (Czech Republic, Norway, Spain and Greece), the United Kingdom, the United States, Asia (China and the Philippines) and Australia, while all educational activities were conducted in English.
This year’s event focused on “Receptions of Crete”, examining how the island’s landscapes, myths, archaeological sites, literary traditions and cultural memory have been represented and reinterpreted in different historical periods. The program adopted an interdisciplinary approach, combining courses in literature, archaeology, reception studies and film studies. In addition, participants attended a workshop on the utilization of digital methods and Artificial Intelligence in Classical StudiesThrough interactive discussions and organized visits to museums and important historical and archaeological sites of Crete, they gained a more substantial understanding of the island's cultural heritage.
The program combined educational sessions at the Student Cultural Center “Xenia” with educational excursions to Rethymno and Heraklion. Participants visited the Old Town of Rethymno and the Fortezza, the Arkadi Monastery, Knossos, the Archaeological Museum of Rethymno, the Museum of Ancient Eleftherna and the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion. The academic program was implemented by faculty members of the Department of Classical Studies, with the contribution of colleagues from the Department specializing in Modern Greek Literature and Film Studies, as well as collaborators of the laboratory TALOS LabThe Summer School also had the honor of welcoming back Professor of Latin at the University of Glasgow, Costas Panagiotakis, who, as a guest lecturer, gave lectures on the Labyrinth and its receptions, as well as on Crete in Roman literature.
