For the 8th consecutive year, Pierce’s educational exchange program with Belgrade’s twinned private school “Rudjer Boskovic” is successfully developing. The theme of the program is “Athens – Belgrade: History and Architecture of Cities”. The Gymnasium students hosted their classmates from the Serbian school in Athens, from Tuesday 12 to Sunday 17 March 2024.
Tuesday 12 March started off with a warm welcome event at the College and then the Serbian students went to the homes of their Greek classmates, where they were hosted throughout their stay in Athens. On Wednesday, March 13, Pierce students presented their work on the history and architecture of Athens to their Serbian classmates. This was followed by a visit and tour of the sacred hill of the Acropolis, as well as a tour of Plaka and lunch at Monastiraki. On Thursday, March 14, Pierce students, after presenting the second part of their work to their classmates from Serbia, gave them a tour of the College’s facilities. Then all the students were guided to the Panathenaic Stadium, the Zappeion Hall, the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, where they watched the changing of the guard with great interest, Syntagma Square, where they admired the exhibits at the metro station and the Metropolis of Athens.
On Friday, March 15, a day trip to Sparta, Mystras and Gythio took place. The students visited the statue of Leonidas, were impressed by the tour of Mystras and then had lunch in a tavern in Gythio, where they all celebrated the birthday of their Serbian classmate. On Saturday, March 16, the visiting students had the opportunity to spend the morning with their Pierce classmates and their families. In the evening, the College provided a dinner for all students and teachers, overlooking the illuminated Acropolis.
Sunday, March 17 was the day of farewell. Serbian and Greek students gathered at the airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”, where they said an emotional goodbye, renewing their appointment for April 9th in Belgrade. The parents of the students of the College were particularly pleased with the experiences gained by the children, and were left with the best impressions of the ethics and quality of the students of the Serbian school they hosted!