Scientific Conference entitled "Save the Bee"
On Wednesday, 2 June 2021, the Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Biomedicine of New York College in collaboration with the Federation of Greek Beekeepers’ Associations (OMSE) and the Greek Honey Festival, organized a Scientific Conference entitled "Save the Bee" dedicated to World Bee Day, under the auspices of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. The Conference was attended by distinguished representatives of the business and academic community. The aim of the Conference was to highlight the important role of the bee in maintaining the ecosystem and the business opportunities it provides to professionals.
In her greeting, the Deputy Minister of Rural Development & Food, Mrs. Fotini Arabatzi, praised the contribution of beekeeping activity to the national economy, even proposing the establishment of a relative national award. Next, the Prime Minister's Principal Advisor on Environmental Issues, Mr. Georgios Kremlis, referred to the importance of the bee to biodiversity.
In his introduction, Mr. Christos Zerefos, Academic, Honorary Professor of the Department of Physics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, stressed the role of the bee in the ecosystem, but also the need to protect it from human activity. Following, Mr. Vassilis Douras, President of the Federation of Greek Beekeepers’ Associations (OMSE), referred to the environmental role of the beekeeper, as did Mr. Georgios Pittas, Vice President of the Interprofessional Organization of Honey & Bee Products and President of the “Attiki Bee Culturing Co – Alexandros Pittas SA”. Dr. Nikos Katsaros, Vice-President of New York College, Academic Head of Biomedical Studies and Dietetics-Nutrition, former Director of Research at the National Centre for Scientific Research (NCSR) "Demokritos" and former President of the Hellenic Food Authority, presented the adverse effects of neonicotinoids on bee populations. Mr. Sotiris Pastras, CSR Manager of APIVITA, focused on the environmental role of the bee and in raising public awareness.
Mrs. Ioanna Chinou, Professor, Division of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products in the Department of Pharmacy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, presented the beneficial effects of the consumption of royal pulp, while Mr. Nikolaos Thomaidis, Professor of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, referred to the study of Greek honey with modern spectrometry techniques. The relationship of the bee with humans and the environment was praised by Mrs. Chrysoula Tananaki, Assistant Professor, Laboratory of Beekeeping-Serotrophy, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, as well as Mr. Dimitris Kavouras, Agronomist-Biotechnologist, Agricultural University of Athens, Greek Beekeeping Center. The adverse effects of climate change on pollinators and bees were studied by Dr. Fani Hatzina, Biologist, Research Director, Division of Apiculture- Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER”, President of Bee Health Commission - APIMONDIA. Mr. Petros Tarantilis, Professor on Instrumental Chemical Analysis of Natural Products at the Agricultural University of Athens, stressed the role of the bee in the environment, in nutrition and in the economy. Mr. Panagiotis Siskos, former Professor of Environmental Chemistry at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, analyzed the relationship of the bee with the environment. Mr. Nikos Emmanuel, Peer Professor of Entomology at the Agricultural University of Athens, focused on the topical issue of the adverse effects of forest fires on beekeeping. The beneficial properties of bee products, such as bee bread, were mentioned by Mr. Dimitrios Mosialos, Associate Professor of Microbial Biotechnology at the University of Thessaly, but also By Katerina Karatasou, Veterinarian, Beekeeping Supervisor, Larissa Beekeeping Center, OMSE, who stressed the benefits of bee products in anti-aging. Finally, Mr. Giorgos Balotis, Researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, described the activities being developed in the Institute, while Mr. Minas Tsikritsis, Researcher of Aegean Scripts and Mr. Xenophon Mousas, Space Physics Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, presented the results of their study on the bee in Cretan-Mycenaean culture.
The Conference was completed with great success and received positive comments by the participants.
The Video of the Conference is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK93jPA-aAU. 3.700 people have viewed it so far.
The New York College Educational Group is committed to continuing its important educational work, promoting cooperation between the academic and business institutions of our country, for the benefit of its citizens and education.
