In the finest possible way Athens welcomed, on the evening of Saturday 28 January 2023, the presentation of the artistic and archival collections of the House of Foscolo and the promotion of the work and personality of the Zakynthian poet Nikolaos – Ugo Foscolo.

The event took place in the assembly hall of the Old Parliament in the presence of a large audience and with high-level representation.

Representing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was the Secretary-General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy, Giannis Chrysoulakis; representing His Beatitude Archbishop Hieronymos was the Metropolitan of Dodoni, Chrysostomos; representing the President of SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras, was the Member of Parliament and writer Vassilis Vassilikos.

Also present were former ministers Fotis Kouvelis, Tasos Liaskos and Apostolos Kratsas, former MPs Spyros Giatras and Giannis Papadatos, Deputy Regional Governor Giorgos Stasinopoulos and Deputy Mayor Nikitas Spinos. Many well-known figures from the world of letters and the arts in Athens were likewise present.

The event opened with greetings. On behalf of Prime Minister K. Mitsotakis, Secretary-General M. Chrysoulakis spoke, expressing the government’s support for the Association’s work, while the representative of His Beatitude the Archbishop, Metropolitan of Dodoni Chrysostomos, also referred warmly to the Association’s work.

Support for the new Museum being born in Zakynthos was expressed on behalf of SYRIZA by MP Vassilis Vassilikos, as well as by Deputy Mayor Nikitas Spinos and Deputy Regional Governor G. Stasinopoulos, who read a message from Regional Governor Rodi Kratsa. The event was also greeted by the Director-General of the Italian Cultural Institute, Franco Neri, as representative of the Ambassador of Italy, Patrizia Falcinelli, who was at that time in her home country.

All spoke in complimentary terms of the important undertaking of the Cultural Association of Zakynthos “Ugo Foscolo” to transform the poet’s house, rebuilt only a few years ago, into a visitable historic site that today houses significant museum collections.

Speakers at the event included Professor Gerasimos Zoras of the University of Athens, the President of the Cultural Association of Zakynthos “Ugo Foscolo” Filippos Synetos, the Vice-President of the Union of Zakynthians Stella Sarakini Metzelopoulou, and the representative of the Association’s scholarly committee, Panos Ampelas; a ten-minute documentary prepared by Ms Andriana Pomoni was then screened, showing the public for the first time the contents of the collections from within the House of Foscolo. The choir and mandolin ensemble of Panagiotis Kandilas opened the event with three musical pieces to verses by Dionysios Solomos and Andreas Kalvos.