The educational summer program “Crete at a Crossroads of Civilizations” is organized for the third time by the Center for Ancient Greek and Chinese Civilizations (KELKIP), in collaboration with the School of Philosophy of the University of Crete, the Institute for Mediterranean Studies (FORTH), and Southwest University of China.

The program will take place from July 13 to 24, 2025, in Athens, Heraklion, Rethymno, and Chania, and is designed for students from Chinese universities. The summer school offers an introduction to the diverse cultures that have intersected in Crete from antiquity to modern times, through guided visits to museums, archaeological sites, towns, and rural communities across the island.

In addition to lectures at the University of Crete and guided tours of historical sites and museums in Crete, the program includes hands-on workshops in ancient scripts and visits to key archaeological landmarks and museums in Athens. It also features visits to sites connected to modern Greek history, such as the Kazantzakis Museum in Myrtia.

As part of efforts to engage with the local community, and in collaboration with local authorities, some events will be held in Anopoli, Sfakia. These include a screening of the recent Chinese film The Answer to Forever (in partnership with the cinephil.101 festival, organized by the Department of Philosophy in Heraklion in May), and creative writing workshops for local elementary school children.

This initiative strengthens the University of Crete’s international outreach, highlighting Crete as a historic meeting point of civilizations and a cultural bridge between “East” and “West.”

Please read the full program here.