The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT), organized an anniversary event entitled “Memory and Light” at the historic site of the Roman Agora of Athens on Tuesday, September 16, on the occasion of the establishment of the Athens Festival by the EOT in 1955.
The evening was dedicated to the great Greek soprano Maria Callas, as it marked 48 years since her death on September 16, 1977. The internationally renowned soprano Christina Poulitsi performed classical arias accompanied by the ERT Symphony Orchestra under the musical direction of Michalis Economou, while the event was presented by ERT journalist Ms. Alexandra Douvara.
In preface to the event, the Minister of Tourism, Ms. Olga Kefalogianni, emphasized that “The Festival, in these seven decades, has evolved and become an international institution. It has become a bridge between the past and the present, between ancient heritage and modern creation. It has brought together artists and audiences from all over the world, and has given thousands of visitors the opportunity to get to know Greece through art. It has showcased a Greece that could, in difficult times, stand on its own two feet, claim its future, and look the world in the face with confidence. Because this coexistence of culture and tourism was and is our great strength. Our constant struggle, our central strategy for a qualitative development, for a sustainable tourism, for a society that prospers.”
The choice of the Roman Agora, a visitable monument of invaluable historical value in the heart of Athens, highlighted Greece’s timeless relationship with Art and at the same time connected the city’s ancient past with contemporary artistic creation in a unique way.
The event also highlighted the timeless value of Art and the country’s cultural heritage, confirming the Ministry of Tourism’s firm orientation towards promoting Greece through the connection of culture and tourism.
The Minister of Tourism, closing her greeting, noted that “Memory gives us roots, light shows us the way. The Acropolis stands, a guardian and a symbol. Our civilization continues from antiquity to the present and from the present to the future. Because this is Greece, a thread that unites generations, a culture that does not fade, a flame that inspires us to stand up, to move forward.”
The event was honored with their presence by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government, Mr. Kostis Hatzidakis, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ms. Anna Karamanli, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Haris Theocharis, the Deputy Minister of Immigration & Asylum, Ms. Sevi Voloudaki, the Deputy Minister of Social Cohesion and Family, Ms. Elena Rapti, the Deputy Governor of Attica, Ms. Christina Kefalogianni, the President of the Greek National Tourism Organization, Ms. Angeliki Varela, the Secretary General of the Greek National Tourism Organization, Mr. Andreas Fiorentinos Andreas, the members of the Board of Directors. of the Greek National Tourism Organization, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture, Ms. Eleni Doundoulaki, the Secretary General of Tourism Policy and Development of the Ministry of Tourism, Ms. Vasiliki Koutsoukou, the former Minister, Mr. Nikos Sifounakis, the President of the Academy of Athens, Mr. Michalis Tiberios, the President of the Board of Directors of the Athens-Epidaurus Festival, Mr. Dimitris Passas, the General Director of the Athens-Epidaurus Festival, Mr. Ioannis Kaplanis, the former Artistic Director of the Athens-Epidaurus Festival, Ms. Katerina Evangelatou, the President of the Administrative Committee of the Benaki Museum, Ms. Irini Geroulano and the President of the Athanasios K. Laskaridis Foundation, Ms. Evi Lazou-Laskaridis.
Also present were the Ambassadors of Egypt, Australia, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Israel, South Korea, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, as well as the Chargés d’Affaires of Canada, Poland and Sweden.
