Rural Europe on the move English_chapt1_6 | Page 27

7a. 7b. Feeling connected across Europe
Amilla - unselfish
competition
Vasileios smiles, “there is ‘amilla’... was not simply to be victorious but
competitors out of the way, is almost ‘Amilla’ is the ancient Greek ideal of to do so in a way that elevates our
a religion in the liberal economy these a higher, elevated form of noble and society’s existence (by setting high
days. So how did Karditsa’s unselfish unselfish competition that aims at examples to be followed). What we
competition appear in this remote the betterment of our societies and have endeavoured to do in Karditsa is
place? ourselves as human beings. In ancient to instil the notion of ‘amilla’ and the
times this was often used in the context realisation that together we can be
of the Olympic Games where the goal strong and resilient.”
Competitiveness, getting
Vasileios gives us a crash course
in Greek philosophy. “There is
‘ ανταγωνισμός ’ (antagonismos)
‘ συναγωνισμός ’ (synagonismos) and
‘ άμιλλα ’ (amilla),” he says, “Antagonism
has the essence of rivalry, of competing
against someone (anti- means against
or opposite, like antisocial, antidote).
Synagonism, on the other hand, has
to do with competing with one another
while working for a common goal and
common values, striving, in a sense,
like students should do in a classroom
(syn- means together; in addition;
in combination with, like synergy,
synthesis, symposium). And then,”
“We have endeavoured to
instil the notion of ‘amilla’
and the realisation that
together we can be
strong and resilient.”
Vasileios Bellis
23