In celebration of International Pi Day, students from different parts of Greece connected in a “shared” learning environment

On March 14, International Pi Day was celebrated in Delphi by gazing into the future with VR at the earth’s navel, where our ancient heritage meets the latest technological trends.

The event occurred at the Global Center for Circular Economy and Culture, at the Pi Pavilion by D. Pikionis, where schools from various parts of Greece came together, including from the remote island of Symi. The aim is for this activation to be established and expanded in schools throughout Greece, giving students the opportunity to connect with the past and the history of mathematics. The experience will be orchestrated in such a way, that it resembles their reality and their technology-based future, including all its tools along with the metaverse.

 

The event was carried out with the support of the Great Hellenic Foundation, the Hellenic American Educational Foundation, the Panormitio Elementary School of Symi and the Delphi Elementary School.
Renowned Mathematician, Dr. G. Mavromatis, professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, spoke to the children about the mathematical constant Pi, regarding the history of mathematics.
The museum educators of the Great Hellenic Foundation Ms. Niki Tsiouni and Ms. Niki Eleftheropoulou, organized a series of educational activities related to Pi Day, during which the children:

  • Watched videos of some of Archimedes’ greatest inventions, as part of the Foundation’s exhibition “Journey to the World of Ancient Greek Mathematics: There’s a Solution for Everything”.
  • Came in contact- through a digital exhibit- with the method of exhaustion that Archimedes tried to calculate the circumference of a circle.
  • Traveled to Ancient Olympia through the use of VR helmets were they toured the workshop of the famous sculptor Pheidias and helped- with his guidance- to craft one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: the statue of Zeus at Olympia.

At the end of the event, one of the children from the school in Symi asked to speak to the other children about the beautiful, as well as the difficult aspects, a child living on a remote island faces, connecting the past they just experienced through their lesson with the present that he faces.

Pi: the famous mathematical constant 

Π is the most recognized Greek letter worldwide. The most famous mathematical constant, inextricably linked to the concept of the circle. It is a number that never ends, thus having the ability to work ideally as a symbol of sustainability, but also of circular economy. A drop cap of communication with multiple meanings: the π of civilization (πολιτισμός), environment (περιβάλλον), of Pikionis. π= 3.14 is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, expressing the relationship between the linear element and the circular element. It is the symbol that marks the transition from linear to circular economy.

The π Pavilion of D. Pikionis 

The former Delphi Tourist Pavilion was renovated and turned into π: a multi-functional cultural space created with absolute respect to its history, architecture, landscape, aesthetics and cultural heritage. π as the Global Center for Circular Economy and Culture has the main goal of becoming a point of reference and place of dialogue regarding Circular Economy and the environment, in combination with art and culture.