Greece has recorded the largest reduction in public debt among the EU’s 27 member states following the pandemic crisis, according to aggregated Eurostat data announced yesterday, confirming the steady downward trend of recent years.

“Greece is recording the fastest debt reduction in history,” emphasized Minister of National Economy Kyriakos Pierrakakis in a post on X. As Kyriakos Pierrakakis highlights, the rapid reduction of debt is a deliberate government choice, aimed at ensuring it is not passed on to the next generation.

Public debt-to-GDP ratio (Source: Eurostat, AMECO)

Due to extraordinary fiscal spending and the recession caused by Covid-19, Greek debt had risen in the first quarter of 2021 to 212.9% of GDP—more than double the European average, which at that time stood at 91.5%. However, by the end of 2025, the debt-to-GDP ratio had declined to 146.1%. This decrease—amounting to nearly 67 percentage points within four years—was achieved despite the pressures on the economy from the dual energy and supply crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In practice, Greece’s debt-to-GDP ratio has returned to its most favorable levels since the summer of 2010, that is, since the launch of the first adjustment program. This outcome is attributed to prudent fiscal policy with the creation of primary surpluses, the early repayment of loans from the first bailout program and expensive IMF loans, as well as strong growth rates that boost GDP. During the same period, the European average improved by only 9.8 percentage points. As a result, the gap between Greece and the EU narrowed to 64.4 percentage points, compared to 121.4 points recorded at the beginning of 2021. The only country with comparable performance is Cyprus, which between 2021 and 2025 improved its debt-to-GDP ratio by 62.5 percentage points. On the other hand, eight member states saw their debt increase, while major economies such as Germany and France reduced their debt-to-GDP ratios by just 5.3 and 1.5 percentage points respectively, despite their traditionally lower borrowing costs.

It is noted that the structure of Greek debt remains favorable, as a large portion consists of support loans from previous programs, as also highlighted by the analysis of ELSTAT. The government’s economic team continues to target a further reduction of the debt, aiming for 140% of GDP by 2027 and 120% by 2030.

(Source: https://www.amna.gr, Cover photo: Shutterstock)

Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, and for Implementation and Simplification, https://x.com/VDombrovskis/status/2047262424554705205/photo/1

Daniel Kral - Oxford Economics, https://x.com/DanielKral1/status/2046961944570069296/photo/1

Daniel Kral - Oxford Economics, https://x.com/DanielKral1/status/2046961944570069296/photo/1

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Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, Dimitris Papastergiou, presented the opportunities arising for Greece’s space ecosystem as Adrian Golemis becomes the first Greek to participate in the official European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut training program.

For the first time in its history, Greece is officially represented in an ESA astronaut training program. Adrian Golemis will soon begin his training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. This development marks a major milestone in strengthening Greece’s presence in space research and technology, opening new opportunities for the country’s participation in international space missions. The training, scheduled to start in April 2026, is a fundamental prerequisite for future participation in space missions and includes an intensive program of theoretical instruction and practical exercises.

Minister Papastergiou stated: "The training of the first Greek astronaut is not only a personal achievement for Adrian; it is a powerful symbol of a new era for our country in space. It is living proof that Greece can design, participate, and play a leading role in a field that until recently seemed distant. I cannot think of a better proof than the fact that a Greek citizen will now have the opportunity to travel to space. Our national presence in space is not fragmented; it is part of a cohesive strategy that is already underway: from increasing our participation in ESA research programs to the National Microsatellite Program, whose first launches are already a reality. Six micro- and nanosatellites are currently in orbit, while in the coming days, weather permitting, six more Greek nanosatellites are expected to be launched. In April, we continue with thermal microsatellites, further expanding our operational capabilities in space. In this way, we are creating a comprehensive ecosystem of knowledge, innovation, and production".

Adrian Golemis commented: "It is a great joy for me that, through the systematic work of the Hellenic Space Center and the General Secretariat of Telecommunications and Post, my success in ESA’s most recent astronaut selection has been transformed from a personal achievement into a national opportunity. It is an honor to help Greece be represented for the first time in the field of astronauts. Traveling to space has been a childhood dream. I am thrilled that we are moving forward with the right framework for our country: my integration into ESA’s astronaut training program expands the window for Greek companies, universities, and research institutions to participate in the agency’s collaborative programs, complementing the National Microsatellite Program that is already underway. Having worked in this field for eight years, I have witnessed the significant economic, scientific, geopolitical, and educational benefits that arise. I am particularly pleased that Greece is now moving in this direction and extending its activity in human and robotic space exploration. It is important to recognize that our country has a mature ecosystem capable of contributing to and benefiting from the European framework. Astronaut training also prepares us for the possibility of Greek participation, in collaboration with Europe and the U.S., in missions to the International Space Station (ISS), advancing domestic space research and technology for future applications that improve life on Earth. I would like to sincerely thank my family for their support, as well as every Greek citizen who has worked for our country’s entry into the astronaut program."

Brief Biography of Adrian Golemis

Adrian Golemis was born and raised in Larissa, studied medicine at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and completed an interdisciplinary Master’s in Space Sciences at the International Space University (ISU) in France.

He has lived and worked for one year in complete isolation with a small crew at the Concordia Station in Antarctica, conducting European experiments studying changes in human physiology and psychology under extreme living conditions similar to those in space. His next posting was at the French Institute of Space Medicine and Physiology (MEDES), where he worked on clinical studies simulating the challenges faced by the human body in space, aimed at improving understanding and care on Earth.

Since 2018, he has contributed to the medical support of ESA astronauts, currently serving as Lead Flight Surgeon. He is also a research collaborator at the Hellenic Space Center (ELKED).

In 2022, Golemis ranked first among 25 selected candidates out of 22,500 applicants in ESA’s astronaut selection process, becoming the first Greek citizen to complete all selection stages, enabling Greece to be represented in a research mission in space for the first time. Subsequently, he was elected a member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA).

Golemis also promotes science through public presentations and interviews, including many in schools.

Source: Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence

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Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis participated in the 2^nd Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris (10/3). At this summit — the second since 2024, when the first Summit was held in Brussels — 41 countries participated.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated in his speech, among other points:

“In Greece, in recent years, we have, invested heavily in renewables. Twenty years ago, we generated more than half of our electricity from coal. Today we generate more than half of our electricity from wind and solar. Renewables have turned us from a net electricity importer to a net electricity exporter. They have lowered our prices and strengthened our energy security. Given our superior resources, we will continue to invest in solar and wind, coupled with investments in batteries, pumped hydro and natural gas as a transitional fuel.

But the tide is turning. Nuclear energy is clearly having a comeback. Countries with nuclear power want to build more reactors and countries that abandoned nuclear power are reexamining their position. This is a welcome shift.

I came to Paris today to announce that Greece is also turning the page. It is time for my country to explore whether nuclear energy, and specifically small modular reactors, can play a role in the Greek energy system. We will set up a high-level ministerial committee to make a definite recommendation to the government on this front.

Our need for electricity is only going to grow. So no matter how much we expand renewables, we will need long-term predictable baseload power. No technology can match what nuclear can offer us.

Α topic that Greece cares a lot about is nuclear power in shipping. This is a proven technology that is already used for decades in military and other niche applications. At this point, we have no credible solutions to decarbonize shipping. Nuclear should be part of this conversation as well. It is a topic in which Greece plans to lead, separately from whether nuclear might have a role to play within Greece’s own system.

So, dear friends, this is a major day for Greece. We are writing a new chapter. Please consider Greece to be a friend of nuclear energy. Whether nuclear will end up playing a role in Greece remains to be seen. But at a time of great geopolitical upheaval, all options must be on the table. Our task is to make nuclear part of the solution again.”

(Source: https://www.primeminister.gr/en)

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Mr. Prime Minister, I would like to begin by thanking you for organizing this very important summit and for placing India and the Global South at the heart of this global discussion on artificial intelligence. The framework you chose for this summit, under the theme “People, Planet, and Progress”, reflects the fact that artificial intelligence is not only a profound and immense technological transformation, but also a cultural one. The choices we make today will determine whether artificial intelligence expands opportunities or deepens inequalities.

Allow me to briefly share three thoughts. First, as many of you have pointed out, the benefits of artificial intelligence must be widely distributed. Every technological revolution in history has generated enormous wealth. However, history teaches us that the distribution of this wealth is never automatic. Artificial intelligence has the potential to lead to unprecedented scientific breakthroughs, to dramatically improve healthcare, to strengthen education, and to support climate resilience.

However, the question that arises is simple: who benefits beyond the major technology companies and their shareholders? In our countries, governments must ensure that workers are reskilled, that small businesses have access to artificial intelligence tools, that public services are upgraded. Farmers, nurses, teachers, and small entrepreneurs must feel the benefits of this technology in a tangible way. Concerns about the displacement of a significant portion of the workforce are legitimate and must be addressed as soon as possible.

In Greece, we are moving in this direction, as digitalization has made public services much more accessible. The integration of artificial intelligence into education will help reduce the learning gap, while progress in telemedicine, predictive analytics, and personalized preventive care is making healthcare far more proactive—shifting it from treatment in hospitals to prevention at home and improving the quality of life for all citizens.

As countries, we must avoid a world where access to computers, data, and talent is concentrated in only a few geographic regions. Artificial intelligence cannot be a story of digital concentration. It must be a story of digital inclusion.

My second point is that the state itself must improve. Technology is evolving at an exceptionally rapid pace, but far too often our public institutions operate with outdated systems and rules. If we want artificial intelligence to serve society, governments must significantly upgrade their own “software.” Public procurement frameworks designed for the industrial era are not suited to the age of artificial intelligence, and must become faster, more outcome-oriented, and more open to start-ups and innovative businesses. Public administrations must invest in their own capabilities, in digital talent, in data infrastructure, and in AI literacy across all ministries.

This is not simply about implementing a few pilot projects. We must move from the stage of experimentation to large-scale deployment, as you have done with great success in India, Mr. Prime Minister. The countries that will succeed in artificial intelligence will not simply be those that build powerful models, but those that build capable states.

To that end, we must choose our regulatory priorities wisely. For Greece—and for me personally—the protection of minors from digital addiction and the risks of the internet is a matter of intergenerational solidarity and a top priority for my government. I am pleased to see that many other countries are moving in this direction. Greece will very soon announce its own decision regarding banning minors’ and adolescents’ access to social media.

However, this is aligned with our democratic responsibility to ensure, as the Prime Minister of Croatia mentioned, that technology strengthens the public sphere and does not overwhelm us with misinformation and hatred. I am in favor of an extensive dialogue with the major technology companies, but we must be aware that if this dialogue does not produce tangible results, the only solution will be regulation.

Finally, with regard to the geopolitical impact of artificial intelligence, we should lean toward adaptation. Artificial intelligence is not only about code and computation, but it is also a component of national power, and interdependencies are embedded throughout the entire AI ecosystem, from semiconductors to cloud infrastructure, from datasets to research and collaboration. No country can achieve this alone. That is why trusted partnerships matter.

In Greece, we have built partnerships with all major cloud service providers, while at the same time developing our own capabilities through AI factories and initiatives supported by the European Union, led by national champions, and attracting investment from around the world.

And balance is essential. A world in which technology is being instrumentalized to pressure trusted partners, or in which excessive regulation becomes a tool to suppress innovation, is a world in which collective innovation declines. If we fragment the artificial intelligence ecosystem into rigid segments, we reduce the benefits for everyone. If we capitalize on interdependence responsibly, we expand opportunities for all.

Ladies and gentlemen, if we ensure that the dividends of artificial intelligence are shared, if we modernize the state to keep pace with technology, and if we build trusted partnerships that extend innovation rather than fragment it, then artificial intelligence can truly serve people, drive progress, and protect our planet.

And as I listened to the Prime Minister of India, I thought that it is the combination of artificial intelligence and ancestral intelligence, whether found in ancient Sanskrit texts or in the writings of Greek philosophers, that will ultimately lead us to a fairer future, with prosperity. This is the message that Greece wants to send to the world, and I hope it resonates. Thank you.

(Source: www.primeminister.gr)

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ meeting with the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.

During the meeting, the two leaders conducted a comprehensive review of bilateral relations and confirmed the excellent level of cooperation, two years after Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ official visit to India and two and a half years after Mr. Modi’s reciprocal visit to Athens, which marked the upgrade of Greece-India relations to a strategic partnership.

They also expressed their mutual desire to capitalize on this momentum to further deepen relations, particularly in the areas of defense, shipping, shipbuilding and repair, and infrastructure.

The Prime Minister reiterated that Greece can serve as India’s gateway to Europe, due to its geographical location and infrastructure, while restating Greece’s willingness to participate in the IMEC Economic Corridor.

The two leaders also discussed the EU-India trade agreement and the prospects it creates. The Prime Minister congratulated Mr. Modi on the agreement, which he described as a unique opportunity to strengthen EU-India economic and geopolitical ties during uncertain times internationally.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized the opportunities now emerging in the Indian market for high-quality Greek agri-food products, such as olive oil and kiwifruit.

The latest developments in Ukraine were also discussed during the meeting.

Mr. Mitsotakis and Mr. Modi also exchanged views on the development of artificial intelligence. The Prime Minister stressed that Greece and India have much to contribute to this discussion.

(Source: www.primeminister.gr)

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted an official event on Monday, February 9, at the National Library of Greece, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, on the occasion of World Greek Language Day. The President of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, addressed the event. The Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was the keynote speaker. A discussion subsequently took place between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Gerapetritis, and Professor of Linguistics Georgios Babiniotis. The event was complemented by the orchestra and choir of the Alimos Music School.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis highlighted, among others:

“I will briefly attempt to share with you some thoughts on the significance of today’s occasion.

Almost seventy years have passed since the international community listened to and understood Xenophon Zolotas as he addressed it in English, using exclusively Greek terms—English words of Greek origin.

Today, the universality of the Greek language is formally recognized as it acquires its own distinct and honorary day within the pantheon of UNESCO-recognized languages. This development may serve as a starting point for progress in the Greek language’s long journey through time.

We are speaking of a language that is, in essence, omnipresent in philosophy, theatre, literature, the sciences, and, of course, politics.

It is a linguistic system for the production of concepts and the depiction of reality that has shaped human thought from the earliest written testimonies of the Mycenaean era to the present day, always placing at its core the pursuit of truth through dialogue.

It is also the first language to recognize the human being as a citizen, measure as a necessity, virtue as moral integrity, and freedom together with beauty as intrinsic values. These are distinctly Greek elements, attested by the many monuments and the hundreds of thousands of inscriptions.

At the same time, these are ideas which, passed down from generation to generation, lent their unique substance to the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, and later inspired momentous political events such as the French and American Revolutions and, of course, following the War of Independence, the Greek Revolution of 1821.

Greek thus became our “bridge” to the world, ultimately placing modern Greece at the heart of the West and at the heart of Europe.

It is an intangible source of progress, as well as a source of international prestige, which already affords our country a distinct role and voice in a world that is being transformed and changing at an unprecedented pace.

For everything, there is a Greek word. It is a particularly interesting challenge to trace the Greek equivalents of words in the established dominant languages.

The Greek language not only survives but continues to be enriched and transmitted, despite the fact that for centuries there was no unified state to protect it. The unity of the Greek language does not lie in uniformity, but in its continuity through diversity.

It is a cultural capital of more than 3,000 years that continues to nourish the intellectual world. It is also a language ready to travel into the vast universe of algorithms and artificial intelligence, and to claim there, too, its own role in relation to the future and the most widely used linguistic codes.

It is of great importance that we have created the first Greek language model, “PHAROS,” one of the first seven artificial intelligence factories in Europe, so that the data of global knowledge can now be stored also in Greek, as a source for drawing conclusions.

Supporting the Greek language is a national priority. We currently maintain 81 academic chairs, programs in 33 countries.

It is particularly significant that today Greek is recognized by UNESCO as a global constant and an important cultural value.”

The full text of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ speech is available here.

The video of the event is available here:

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In the rugged, mountainous landscape of Amorgos, one of Greece’s easternmost Cycladic islands, a remarkable movement is unfolding. Born from necessity and a deep love for the sea, Amorgorama is a fisher-led initiative that has become a global exemplar for marine conservation and sustainable fishing. This innovative partnership, uniting local fishers, conservationists, scientists, and government bodies, aims to protect the marine environment while safeguarding the livelihoods of the island community.

The Crisis that Sparked a Movement

For generations, the fishers of Amorgos relied entirely on the Aegean Sea for their sustenance and way of life. However, like many coastal communities worldwide, they began to face a grim reality: marine pollution and overfishing were devastating ocean ecosystems. Michalis Krosman, President of the Professional Fishing Association of Amorgos, recalled, "We thought the sea was a source that will never end. There will be fish forever." But by 2010, fishers observed dwindling catches and decreasing incomes. Their nets often brought back more plastic than fish, and the northern beaches, inaccessible by land, accumulated tons of plastic rubbish every spring after winter storms. This plastic debris posed a threat to the ecosystem and fish reproduction.

The dire situation forced many fishers to take on second jobs, or even surrender their licenses and dismantle their traditional Greek fishing boats, known as Kaïkia, in exchange for compensation under a 2014 EU overfishing regulation. Faced with an uncertain future, the approximately 40 members of the Professional Fishing Association of Amorgos, known as “Η Χοζοβιώτισσα,” decided to take matters into their own hands.

The Birth of a Collective Vision: Amorgorama

The movement began taking shape as early as 2013 when the fishing association ventured beyond Amorgos to attend the 2nd European Low-Impact Fishermen (LIFE) conference in Spain. It was there that Michalis Krosman and his colleagues realized they were not alone in their struggles, and that solutions existed. This realization sparked a vision for a different future for Amorgos's seas.

In 2019, the association co-founded Amorgorama with German artist and scientist Florian Reiche. The initiative gained early momentum through a successful crowdfunding campaign and key partnerships within Greece and beyond, including the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF) and the Blue Marine Foundation (BMF).  The name itself, "Amorgorama," embodies this hope: Orama means vision in Greek, signifying the fishers' vision for "clean seas full of fish".

The Four Pillars of Amorgorama’s Strategy

After extensive discussions and a hard-won consensus, the fishers of Amorgos developed a four-pillar master plan aimed at revitalizing their marine environment and ensuring sustainable livelihoods. This bold approach, unique in Greek fishing history, demonstrates their commitment to long-term sustainability.

1. Seasonal Fishing Prohibition: A critical decision was to pause fishing activities for all boats—local, professional, and amateur—during April and May. These months are crucial for the reproduction of commercially important fish species. This self-imposed economic blow, suspending fishing in the middle of the breeding season, highlights the fishers' dedication to the natural environment.

2. Coastal Clean-up Actions: During these two months of fishing prohibition, the fishers repurpose their vessels to address the pressing issue of marine pollution. They use their boats and local knowledge to clean inaccessible northern beaches, which accumulate tonnes of plastic rubbish. From 2021 to 2022 alone, 38 waste collection actions were carried out, with fishers collecting over 1,200 large bags of trash and sending more than 15 tonnes of plastic for recycling. Approximately 60-65% of the recovered plastic is recycled, along with 3 tonnes of nets and ropes.

3. Transition to Environmentally Friendly Fishing Gear: Amorgorama promotes and facilitates the adoption of more sustainable fishing practices. This includes replacing traditional gear with more environmentally friendly options, such as nets with larger mesh and hooks. The goal is to avoid capturing small, young fish, allowing them to grow and reproduce. Recyclable nets have also been introduced.

4. Creation of Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs): Perhaps the most critical and challenging pillar involved the establishment of no-take FRAs, meaning specific zones where fishing is permanently prohibited to enhance fish reproduction and biodiversity. These areas are designed to provide undisturbed havens for fish reproduction, which has been shown in other regions to dramatically increase fish populations. Initially, the plan was to permanently halt fishing for five consecutive years in three of the island's most important fishing grounds: Nikouria, Katapola bay, and the area between the islets of Gramvoussa and Kalotaritissa. These zones will serve as sanctuaries for fish to reproduce and recover, acting as "banks" for fish stocks. The fishers themselves developed a management plan to reverse overfishing, understanding that they "had to sacrifice; they had to change, because otherwise they had to quit".

Key Partnerships and Government Endorsement

Amorgorama's success is deeply rooted in strong collaborative partnerships. From its inception, the initiative received practical support from the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF), which provided funding, capacity, networking, and visibility. Soon after, the Blue Marine Foundation (BMF) joined forces, further bolstering the project.

A crucial scientific partner has been the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA). Following guidelines from the Greek Ministry of Rural Development & Food, the AUA conducted a vital fisheries study for Amorgos to identify and demarcate fundamental habitats and ideal sites for the Fisheries Restricted Areas. This study also proposed alternative management and protection measures for sustainable coastal fisheries. The study was privately funded Cyclades Reservation Fund and Blue Marine Foundation, underscoring the importance of these collaborative efforts.

The initiative's community-led nature and scientific backing gained significant attention, leading to formal recognition from the Greek government. In September 2022, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between Amorgorama and the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food. This was a pivotal moment, signaling official support for Amorgorama's goals.

 In April 2024, at the Our Ocean Conference in Athens, the Minister of Rural Development and Food publicly announced the Greek government's approval for the proposed new FRAs around Amorgos. This commitment was also reiterated at the same conference by the Greek Prime Minister, who pledged to expand Greece's marine protected area network and ban bottom trawling in all MPAs by 2030, and to establish the FRAs around Amorgos that the fishers requested.  The study's approval is a significant step, as the establishment of these FRAs is expected to contribute to Greece's commitment to establishing more Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and FRAs by 2030 (known as the "30-30" target).

Following the positive recommendation from the Fisheries Council of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food in December 2024, a draft Presidential Decree (PD) for the institutionalization of the FRAs around Amorgos was submitted to the Council of State (ΣτΕ) in February 2025 for consultation.

The issuance of the Presidential Decree will make the Amorgorama one of a kind initiative in the world, and it’s no coincidence that the attention of both the Greek and global fishing communities is focused on Amorgos. “If it succeeds here, it will succeed elsewhere too,” emphasizes Mr. Krosman in an interview with Gastronomos magazine. “That’s why we say that during this five-year period, state support is needed. Without compensation, no fisherman will be able to survive.”

Furthermore, at the 3rd UN Oceans Conference in Nice in June 2025, the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, highlighted Amorgorama as a model initiative, emphasizing Greece's commitment to expanding its marine protected area network from 20% to 30% and banning bottom trawling in all MPAs by 2030. The Prime Minister specifically cited Amorgorama as an example of "local fishing communities…establishing specific no-fishing zones around the island as safe havens for marine life".

A Global Model and Future Outlook

It has obvious that Amorgorama’s bold actions and collaborative spirit have garnered international acclaim and its success might prove crucial for the future The initiative has also fostered peer-to-peer learning; Michalis Krosman connected with the president of the Gökova Fishers Association in Rome, whose successful marine protection efforts in Gökova Bay had originally inspired Amorgos fishers. They now meet annually to exchange insights.

While government support is critical, particularly regarding compensation for fishers during the no-fishing periods, the Amorgorama partners are committed to ensuring the long-term success of the Fishing Restricted Areas (FRAs), including matters of funding, scientific monitoring, and enforcement. The effective control and supervision of these restricted areas is a prerequisite for the success of the entire endeavor.

Today, Amorgorama stands as a beacon of inspiration and optimism not only for Amorgos but for other fishing and small communities across the Aegean Sea and beyond. What began as a desperate struggle by a handful of fishers has transformed into a globally recognized model for how local communities can lead the charge in protecting our oceans and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.

I.L., with information from Amorgorama; Cyclades Preservation Fund; Revive our Ocean; Gastronomos; Κυκλαδική΄΄΄; Innovationinpolitics.eu

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Regional libraries play a crucial role in preserving, processing, maintaining, and promoting the intellectual heritage of communities, offering free and equal access to all. Every citizen is served without discrimination and encouraged to participate actively. Libraries also preserve both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, through the collection, documentation, and digitization of personal testimonies and memorabilia, transforming them into sources of information, research, and education for both Greece and the wider world.

Reading Greece* spoke to Paraskevi Choudalaki,Head of Libraries & Creative Activities Center for Children of the Municipality of Chania, about the Library’s history, the great wealth of books and archives that are housed in the Library, as well as the main challenges it is faced with, and the prospects ahead.

The Chania Municipal Library is a particularly active regional library. Could you tell us a few things about its history?

The Chania Municipal Library was established in 1953 and is housed in an 800-square-meter space within the Chania City Hall. It is one of the largest and most esteemed municipal lending libraries in Greece, playing a significant role in the local community. Among its valuable collections is the personal library of the statesman Eleftherios Venizelos (see question 2).

In 2013, the creation of the Media Lab — a donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation — completely transformed the Library, breathing new life into its facilities. The Media Lab is a modern, welcoming, and attractive space available to the public, featuring collaborative areas for meetings, reading, internet access, a Music Studio for audio and video production, and a Brain Pulse area for relaxation and entertainment.

The Library also serves children and teenagers through its branches: the Children's and Young Adults' Library at the Municipal Garden; the Children's and Young Adults' Library of Souda; the Stalos Library. In 2024, additional facilities were added to the Library Department of the Municipality of Chania: two (2) Creative Activity Centers for Children, and one (1) Center for Creative Engagement.

Each year, the Libraries of the Municipality collaborate with cultural organizations, other libraries, schools, museums, foundations, and more, organizing numerous events. These include: author meet-and-greets, book presentations, seminars for the general public, the operation of two Adult Reading Clubs (since 2009), reading promotion programs for students, a wide range of activities and educational initiatives for children, programs for parents, children, and educators, the Summer Campaign for Reading & Creativity in collaboration with the National Library of Greece, chess and theater lessons, among others.

Additionally, the Chania Municipal Library offers teachers and students from both primary and secondary education the opportunity to participate in creative engagement programs, reading promotion activities, "teen month" initiatives, guided tours, and more. Daily visits from students of all educational levels to the Library facilities are frequent. These programs aim to foster a love of reading, ingenuity, creative imagination, humor, and the joy of learning.

The Library also supports, through its hundreds of multiple copies: the Book Exchange Library located at the Chania General Hospital, provided by the Municipality of Chania, which has become a reading hub for patients, their families, and medical staff; the Book Exchange Library operating in the atrium of the Chania City Hall, accessible to all citizens; newly established libraries and institutional libraries in the region, such as the Library of the Agia Rural Prison, the Philological Association of Kasteli, the Library of Palaia Roumata, and others.

Furthermore, the Library collaborates with institutions to host exhibitions in its foyer, combining books with visual arts. Examples include: the art exhibition "Climbing from A to Z" by Ioannis Monogyios; the printmaking exhibition "Tracing Erotokritos" by Grigoris Niolis; the art exhibition "Ney Matogrosso: Handsome as a Greek – Greek Mythology Inspires a Revolutionary" by Alkistis Michailidou; the contemporary art exhibition "Second Reading" by Alexandros Dimitriadis; and the photography exhibition "Bridging Cultures" by Katerina Kalogeraki, among others.

The Libraries of the Municipality of Chania are staffed by permanent specialized personnel: ten librarians and one theater pedagogue. The Head of the Library and its staff actively participate in international and national conferences, academic seminars, and online training.

Through its work and activities, the Chania Municipal Library was recognized as one of the ten selected regional libraries in the country by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. It was ranked among the "Silver" Libraries according to the National Library of Greece’s evaluation for the 2016 Summer Reading Campaign, earning the silver medal and placing 11th out of 123 libraries nationwide.

The Library is soon to acquire its own dedicated space in a neoclassical building recently purchased by the Municipality of Chania, located in the city center.

Beyond books, the Library houses important collections and archival material. Can you give us a virtual tour of these holdings?

The notable collection of the Chania Municipal Library includes: books, newspapers, magazines, rare editions, archives, photographs, maps, posters, audiovisual material (CDs, DVDs).

Over the course of its operation, several significant collections have been integrated into the Library's holdings, the most important being the personal library of the statesman Eleftherios Venizelos, donated to the Municipality of Chania by the Venizelos family in 1957. The Eleftherios Venizelos Library comprises 8,500 volumes in Greek, French, English, German, Italian, Ottoman Turkish, and Russian. It also includes 378 periodical titles, as well as the Government Gazette dating back to 1833.

The collection features the handwritten diary of the statesman, photographic albums, and some of his personal belongings. Equally important is the Eleftherios Venizelos Archive, which contains dozens of legal documents from his early career as a lawyer, along with rare manuscripts that shed light on his political and personal life.

Tell us about the types of books housed in the Library and the resources available to visitors and readers.

The collection of the Chania Municipal Library, comprising 100,000 volumes, is constantly enriched through acquisitions and donations. It includes books across all categories, as well as a significant number of foreign-language titles. Visitors have direct access to the open shelving collections, as well as to a special Local Collection, which features books related to Crete and Cretan authors.

The Chania Municipal Library also offers: a dedicated website (https://librarychania.gr) with daily updates; a Digital Library featuring rare material, books, photographs, and archival content; electronic services, including online catalog search, social media presence (e.g., Facebook), and more.

How important is the role of regional libraries in promoting reading habits?

Regional libraries play a crucial role in preserving, processing, maintaining, and promoting the intellectual heritage of communities, offering free and equal access to all. Every citizen is served without discrimination and encouraged to participate actively. Libraries also preserve both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, through the collection, documentation, and digitization of personal testimonies and memorabilia, transforming them into sources of information, research, and education for both Greece and the wider world.

The Chania Municipal Library regularly hosts authors, organizes book presentations, and continuously enriches its collection with new publications. Throughout the year, it implements reading promotion programs for children, in close collaboration with the local educational community, aiming to foster a love of reading, creativity, imagination, humor, and the joy of learning. Furthermore, the Libraries of the Municipality of Chania operate as lending libraries, serving thousands of residents—both children and adults—each year.

What are the main challenges faced today by a regional municipal library such as yours?

The role of our libraries is primarily social. Free access to knowledge and information remains our ultimate goal. Our constant concern is the ongoing development and upgrading of our library services and the highest possible quality in public service. Our struggle is focused on the future: the need for permanent staff and the establishment of modern, functional facilities.

Among the key challenges we face are limited financial resources, as well as the need to compete with social media and digital forms of entertainment. However, we remain optimistic, as library usage and readership have continued to increase annually, according to our statistics.

What are the future prospects for the library?

We must continue to invest in libraries to safeguard the rights to information, education, research, and culture. Our goal should be to support research and development, ensure the preservation of memory, and maintain libraries as welcoming spaces, especially when other doors are closed.

Key future prospects for libraries include: maintaining their role as cultural and social hubs; digital modernization and the provision of hybrid services; lifelong learning and citizen empowerment; networking and partnerships; showcasing local identity; offering innovative services (e.g., makerspaces, creative labs); fostering community-driven planning and design.

The Libraries of the Municipality of Chania serve as hubs of cultural events and experiential learning, offering a wide range of activities and creative workshops. They are dynamic Centers of Culture and act as incubators of knowledge, democracy, and culture.

*Interview by Athina Rossoglou

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The Contemporary Art Museum of Crete (CCA) in Rethymno presents the exhibition “What you wear is what you are”, a compelling exploration of how fashion intersects with art and politics, identity and culture, personal and social expression. The exhibition features works by 29 artists and designers and will be on view through October 31^st.

Curators Maria Maragkou, Maria Panayides and Stavros Kavalaris seek to highlight the dynamic interplay between fashion and the challenges of our times, focusing not just on fashion as a form of art, but also in terms of culture, history, politics and personal identity. Fashion has become a vital part of our daily life and social reality, defining social status and serving as a powerful force of individual and collective expression, ultimately shaping the deeper human desire to stand out.

The exhibition also pays tribute to the late Sophia Kokosalaki, the London-based, internationally renowned fashion designer who died at the age of 47. The exhibition includes twenty-four of her creations, along with jewelry and drawings from her family’s collection.

Kokosalaki's designs were deeply rooted in her Greek heritage, drawing inspiration from classical drapery, Minoan and Byzantine motifs, and Hellenic folk crafts. She masterfully combined these elements with modern techniques, creating garments that were both elegant and innovative. Her work transcended fashion; it was a celebration of culture, femininity, and timeless beauty. Her ability to combine classical influences with modern design principles has left an indelible mark on the fashion industry.

Kokosalaki was born in Athens in 1972. She studied English Literature at the University of Athens and pursued her postgraduate studies in fashion at Central Saint Martins in London.

The Greek cultural heritage has always been a source of inspiration for her. Minoan culture, ancient Greece, folk tradition, and handicrafts, as well as Crete, her place of origin and childhood memories, have always inspired her. Ancient Greek draping, the Minoan Snake Goddess, Byzantine iconography and Greek embroidery coupled with modern influences (urban life, street culture, new wave, post-punk music scene) were key features in her work.

Kokosalaki’s was renowned for her ability to merge historical references with a forward-thinking sensibility, appealing to both traditional and contemporary tastes. Her draped, Grecian-inspired silhouettes with a contemporary edge combined classical aesthetics with modern simplicity.

A key moment in her career was the 2004 Athens Olympics, as she was appointed chief designer for the opening and closing ceremonies, overseeing the costumes for thousands of participants. One of her most iconic creations was the spectacular dress worn by Björk  while performing “Oceania” at the 2004 Athens Olympic Opening Ceremony, one of the most unforgettable moments in Olympic history. The dress was a marvel of engineering and symbolism. It consisted of flowing blue fabric that gradually unfurled over the stadium.

In 2006, she became creative director for historic French fashion house Vionnet, reviving its legacy with her unique vision and also worked with brands like Diesel Black Gold, Topshop, and ASOS, making her designs accessible to a broader audience. Later in her career, Kokosalaki focused on jewelry design, creating pieces that reflected her Greek heritage.

Her untimely passing in 2019 left a void in the fashion world. However, her legacy endures through her designs, which continue to inspire and empower women.

The exhibition is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and with the support of NEON Organization for Culture and Development. The works exhibited belong to the collections of the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), the Contemporary Art Museum of Crete (CCA), ATOPOS, art galleries, private collections, and the artists.

D.T.

Featured image: René Habermacher Black Athena, Nikopolis, 2004, Athens, Greece in collaboration with Jannis Tsipoulanis

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The Fournoi Islands, located in the eastern Aegean near Ikaria, are reknown for the high number of ancient shipwrecks discovered in their surrounding waters - more than in any other area of the Aegean Sea. These small islands have become a major archaeological hotspot and one of the most significant sites for underwater archaeological research. Since 2015, when the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities launched an ambitious project to document Fournoi’s underwater cultural heritage, more than 60 shipwrecks have been discovered. (Cover photo: Amphorae from “Shipwreck 15” at Fournoi, Stefanos Kondos, The Fournoi Project)

The archipelago of Fournoi (or Fourni, ancient Korseai), consists of 20 islands, islets and rocky outcrops, with a coastline stretching over 120 km. It is located in the Eastern Aegean, south of Samos and Ikaria (Photo: visitgreece.gr)

The shipwrecks discovered around Fournoi span a broad historical timeline, from the Archaic to the Roman era. They carried cargo from various regions of the Mediterranean, providing valuable insights into ancient seafaring and trade networks. These ships transported a range of goods, including wine, olive oil, fish sauce, and other commodities.

Underwater Archaeological Research at Fournoi. Archaeological research at Fournoi is ongoing, aiming to further study and document the shipwrecks. The project is led by the Fournoi (Korseai) Institute for Historical and Archaeological Research, in collaboration with the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Ministry of Culture, the University of Thessaly, and the RPM Nautical Foundation. Plans are also underway to establish underwater archaeological parks in Fournoi, making the site accessible to the general public. (Photos: The Fournoi Project)

 “The unprecedented concentration of shipwrecks in a single region – combined with their dispersion across all depth zones and the diversity of their cargoes - make the Fournoi Archipelago an ideal field for training students in the techniques and methodology of underwater archaeology” (Photos: Ministry of Culture, Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities)

Presenting the results of the decade-long underwater research in Fournoi, as well as plans for the creation of a museum and underwater archaeological parks, Giorgos Koutsouflakis, Assistant Professor of Underwater Archaeology at the University of Thessaly and one of the general directors of the Fournoi Research Project (alongside Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities archaeologist Dionysios Evangelistis), noted: "Wherever we dived, there were ancient shipwrecks, ceramic deposits, or anchors linked to ancient seafaring. I’ve worked in many places in the Aegean, but the wealth of findings we first encountered in Fournoi in 2015 — we’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else". He added: “The project had a difficult start, but with the help of the local community and sponge divers from Kalymnos, the number of discovered shipwrecks began to grow. Today, the oldest dates to 570–550 BC, and the most recent to the early 20^th century, with the greatest concentration of shipwrecks found from the Roman and Late Roman periods (4^th–7^th  century AD), from which 32 shipwrecks have been documented”.

Of particular interest is the oldest shipwreck, “Shipwreck 13” (6^th century BC), which contained many Samian amphorae. Also noteworthy is “Shipwreck 7” (4^th century BC), believed to have originated from Chios, as well as the slightly later “Shipwreck 27” (3^rd century BC), whose amphorae suggest a more international trade network, with links to regions such as Rhodes, Kos, Knidos, and Campania. Equally important are the hundreds of individual artifacts discovered, including 2^nd century AD oil lamps bearing the inscriptions of the lamp-makers Lucius and Octavius. (Source: kathimerini.gr, culture.gov.gr)

Diver at "Shipwreck 15," from which 31% of the artifacts from the seabed of Fournoi originate (Photo: Stefanos Kondos, The Fournoi Project)

In 2021, Koutsouflakis and his colleagues focused their efforts on a shipwreck from the early Byzantine Period, dated between 480 and 520 AD – a site they have continued to study ever since.  The wreck most likely dates to the reign of Emperor Anastasius I (491–518 AD), of the Leonid dynasty, known from historical sources for his tax and monetary reforms, which strengthened the state treasury and enabled expansionist policies. The ship likely measured no more than 15 meters in length and carried up to 20 tons of cargo and reached the seabed as a single unit. This shipwreck, designated “Shipwreck 15,” was chosen for its remarkable diverse cargo. It includes eight different types of amphorae originating from Crimea, Sinope, Heraclea Pontica in the Black Sea, and the Aegean, while of the ceramic loads—tableware—was produced in Phocaea, in northwestern Asia Minor. Located in the windy Aspros Kavos area, the site presents several challenges. The wreck lies at a depth of 40–50 meters, on a steep sandy seabed near cliffs, making it accessible only by boat. This year, a team of 25 divers participated in the research, representing a range of specialties — archaeologists, architects, conservators, professional divers, photographers, filmmakers, and both undergraduate and postgraduate students. (Source: kathimerini.gr, culture.gov.gr)

The National Museum of Underwater Antiquities in Piraeus is set to open its doors to visitors in 2026. More than 2,500 artifacts will be on display, accompanied by a wide array of technological applications, fully equipped conservation laboratories, and state-of-the-art storage facilities. The Museum will showcase the treasures of the Greek seas and serve as a landmark cultural institution for the country’s largest port. It is currently the largest cultural development project underway in Greece. (Photorealistic depiction, Source: Ministry of Culture)

Fournoi is not a single island, but a group of small islands, of which only two - Fournoi and Thymaina - are inhabited. This archipelago, far from the crowds, offers visitors a journey back in time—a chance to experience the charm of old Greece up close. The islands are steeped in history, with ancient remains scattered throughout the landscape. (Source: visitgreece.gr)

Known as islands of fishermen and beekeepers, Fournoi provides visitors with all the basic comforts. However, the primary livelihood of the locals is not tied to the land, but to the sea. The island boasts a large fishing fleet—remarkably large for its size—and has become one of the most important fishing centers in the Aegean. As a result, it is a paradise for seafood lovers, offering unique opportunities to enjoy top-quality, freshly caught fish. (Source: visitgreece.gr)

General view of the Fournoi Archipelago. In antiquity, the Fournoi were known as the Korasian Islands. The group’s varied coastline, with its secluded beaches and numerous bays, is unique in the Aegean. This topography made it an ideal base for both Greek and foreign pirates from the early Byzantine period through the Middle Ages. As a result, the islands were often deserted and came to be known as the “Islands of the Koursaros” (corsairs). (Source: visitikaria.gr)

Because many species of aromatic plants - such as thyme, savory, sage, heather, schinos, wild cumin, olives, fennel and mandrake - grow on the Fournoi islets, they are included in the European Union’s "Natura 2000" programme. The Mediterranean Monk Seal (monachus monachus), along with various species of dolphins. Also inhabit the area. The archipelago is additionally classified as one of Greece’s Important Bird Areas (IBA), serving as a breeding site for many rare bird species and a critical stopover for migratory birds.  (Source: visitikaria.gr)

Among the most treasured secrets of Fournoi are the secluded beaches—pristine sanctuaries that offer tranquility and the untouched beauty of nature. Far from the noise of popular tourist destinations, these hidden gems invite visitors to savor the serenity of the landscape, making each visit truly special.

Unique among the beaches of Fournoi, Petrokopio offers the chance to swim through history. Ancient marble ruins scattered along the shore serve as a reminder of the island’s historic past, making every visit a journey through time. Once an ancient quarry, its marble was highly sought after by many civilizations, adding historical significance to this one-of-a-kind beach. (Source: explorefourni.gr)

Vlychada Beach enchants visitors with its small pebbles and natural shade, thanks to the scattered trees lining the shore. It is ideal for those seeking a quiet retreat, where the only sounds are the gentle lapping of the waves and the rustling of leaves. (Source: explorefourni.gr)

Agia Triada Beach is famous for its fine sand and exceptionally peaceful atmosphere, making it an ideal choice for those seeking relaxation away from the noise. A few trees along the shoreline provide welcome shade, enhancing the overall experience of tranquility and natural beauty. (Source: explorefourni.gr)

Read also:

Byzantine shipwreck in Fournoi archipelago reveals its secrets

Peristera: Greece’s first underwater museum

Four shipwrecks to become underwater museums

Ancient shipwrecks discovered off Kasos

Pavlopetri: The Oldest Submerged City in the World

“Fiscardo wreck” in Kefalonia: The largest Roman shipwreck in the eastern Mediterranean

Secret treasures of Greece – Sapientza

Underwater excavation at the historic Mentor wreck site (Kythera, 1802)

National Marine Park of Alonissos, a gem of biodiversity

I.A.

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The modern city of Athens is often perceived as a concrete jungle filled with tall apartment buildings; this building type, the polykatoikía, and its omnipresence in the Greek capital, is often considered to be dreary and unartistic. In recent years, however, the polykatoikía has been the subject of a reappraisal by academics, architects and urban theorists. The architectural, social and economic significance of these modernist apartment blocks, which line one street after another, has been revisited in the light of historical and contemporary urban contexts. A more anthropocentric vision is therefore applied, highlighting values such as simplicity and accessibility, as well as the liveliness and sociability of the city.

Background: Modern architecture and Greek exoticism

In 1933, the Fourth Congress of the Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne (CIAM IV) was held in Athens, bringing together dozens of renowned architects from all over the world to discuss the new modern city of their time. Iconic architect Le Corbusier was among its organizers. The congress proved to be a turning point for modern Greek architecture, offering it a unique opportunity to define its identity in relation to the international avant-garde.

The conference culminated in the Athens Charter, which laid the foundation for urban planning based on four key functions: housing, work, recreation, and circulation. It advocated for the zoning of cities to improve living conditions, a concept that shaped post-war urban development.

The urban sprawl of Athens, an ancient city that returned to prominence as the capital of the modern Greek state in the first half of the 19th century, was not the result of industrial development, but rather of a series of events that led to population flows to the big cities. Yet a number of important modern buildings (schools, residential buildings, factories etc.) had just been completed in Athens.

Greek architects' faith in modern architecture was also demonstrated in an imaginative way by connecting modern architecture with traditional Greek architecture, which at the time seemed exotic to everyone. Greek architectural features (particularly those of the Cycladic islands) such as simple structures, abstract forms, absence of decoration, emphasis on functionality, etc. were considered modernist characteristics, if not the foundation of modernism (Kostas Tsiambaos, 2020 [in Greek]).

“Antiparochi”: the way to apartment building supremacy

In the post-war period, the Greek Civil War of 1946-49, together with a shift from rural work to industrial labor, led to a continued migration from the countryside to the big cities. This created an urgent need for housing, leading to the intense urbanization of the Greek capital after 1950. During this period and until the late 1970s, the population of Athens’ metropolitan area more than doubled, with the entire city experiencing an unprecedented construction boom.

In the central neighborhoods of Athens it was difficult to find enough space for the construction of apartment buildings. The 1929 law of horizontal ownership helped create the system of antiparochi, which could be roughly translated as "counter-providing": a landowner could turn over a plot of land to a constructor, who would build a where a polykatoikía where one or two-story house used to stand. In return, they would gain ownership of an agreed number of apartments in the finished building. Given that the Greek state could not afford to directly finance a social housing program, this system helped give the working classes access to low-cost housing. (By way of illustration, in 2011, 93.3% of the population of the municipality of Athens lived in multi-storey buildings, 75.5% of which were built before 1980.)

Whereas the multi-storey buildings of the inter-war period were designed by renowned architects such as Kitsikis, Nikolaidis and Panagiotakos, who sought to develop a modern urban typology using decorative forms from Art Deco, Bauhaus and Cubism, the polykatoikía of the post-war period became a product of real estate speculation for building contractors. Easily reproducible thanks to standardized plans, quick to erect and simple to finance, it became widespread as a type of housing for the working classes.

Building contractors would build apartment buildings, often selling the apartments before construction was completed; the first plans were drawn up in order to obtain a building permit, sometimes with minimal input from an architect, whose name did not always appear on official documents. These plans were based on “turnkey” sketches that could be easily adapted to a wide variety of situations  (Olga Moatsou-Ess, 2018).

Even this period, however, saw the creation of some important buildings by renowned architects of the time such as Valsamakis, Konstantinidis and Tombazis. These types of polykatoikía, addressed at the upper classes, were featured in leading architectural journals, introducing a European-influenced modernity that helped shape a new generation of Greek architects.

From strong criticism to reappraisal

The antiparochi system has been much lamented, blamed for the architectural homogenization and even the perceived “ugliness” of Athens – and the rest of Greece’s large urban centers. It should be noted that the absence of state planning of urban development, particularly during the 1960s-1970s, contributed to a lack of urban cohesion, with negative impacts on both aesthetics and the environment.

The houses formerly occupying the sites where uniform concrete apartment blocks would be built were often residential houses of the neoclassical rhythm; neoclassicism was the first architectural style introduced in Athens. Some of the most important buildings of the late 19^th and early 20^th century are still preserved today. However, the vast majority of the less historic ones vanished as a result of the construction boom.

Nostalgia for a time when small streets were lined with quaint houses, and neighbors could sit and chat in backyards full of flower pots, often makes people hostile towards the bleak facades of concrete apartment buildings. However, in their reminiscences, people tend to overlook the fact that many of the older buildings, especially the smaller ones where poorer families resided, were far from what one would call comfortable: the electricity grid was often rudimentary, there was no central heating and often no proper bathrooms – the lavatory was usually an outhouse and people would often bathe in small tubs filled with water from the sink. The then-new apartment buildings didn’t just offer affordable housing, but also a good quality of life.

This attitude is however slowly changing. As journalist Harry van Versendaal points out, the “stereotypical image of the Greek capital as a cluttered concrete jungle, has, in recent years, undergone a reappraisal […] Scholars, architects and urban theorists have increasingly reevaluated the architectural, social and economic significance of these modernist apartment buildings”.

This reevaluation is reflected in various publications and events, such as Goethe Institute’s exhibition Athens’ Polykatoikias 1930-1975: Formation of a Typology; addressing the opening of the exhibition, Myrto Kiourti, an award-winning Athens-based architect, said that, thanks to the values of Modern architecture, “Athens achieved one of Modernism’s main goals: decent housing for all”.

According to British architect, critic and historian Kenneth Frampton, the apartment block in Athens is a unique modern manifestation of urban development, resulting from the spontaneous evolution of society, rather than from planned intervention.

The Athenian polykatoikía has been the subject of the Ioanna Theocharopoulou’s book Builders, Housewives and the Construction of Modern Athens (Onassis Publications, 2022), which offers a critical re-evaluation of the city as a successful adaptation to circumstance, enriching our understanding of urbanism as a truly collective design activity. Theocharopoulou, an architect and architectural historian, re-evaluates the polykatoikía as a low-tech, easily constructible innovation that stimulated the postwar urban economy, triggering the city’s social mid-twentieth-century transformation.

According to her, the process of creating a broader middle class through real estate development contributed to the reduction of the social, ideological and cultural divides of the interwar period, as well as healing the wounds of the civil war.

Inspired by Theocharopoulou’s book, a documentary of the same title has been made by film directors Tassos Langis and Yiannis Gaitanidis. As they stated, they used the book as a starting point and guide as they “delved into the cracks of our modern urban history to trace the internal immigrants who were the ‘co-authors’ of our built environment”.

Builders, Housewives and the Construction of Modern Athens at the Onassis Channel on YouTube:

Athenian modernism once more at the forefront

A different take on the Athenian urban landscape was identified as early as the 2000s. Impressively, Greece's participation in the 2002 Venice Biennale was entitled “Athens 2002: Absolute Realism”. Athenian modernism is once again in the spotlight, but no longer through “official” modernism. It is not the image of a tourist Athens that is showcased, but the anonymous, graffitied, marginal and even “ugly” aspects of the city.

In 2016 the online platform “Social Atlas of Athens” was created with the aim of highlighting and recording the social geography of Athens. The platform, supported by the Onassis Foundation, aims to raise awareness of the key structures and processes shaping the city's social fabric.

Similarly, research at pan-European level has begun to treat Athens' “anonymous” modernity differently. Doctoral theses and research projects at leading institutions in Europe and America (Richard Woditsch, Olga Moatsou, Plato Isaias, Ioanna Theocharopoulou etc.), were now discussing the common and typical Athenian apartment building in terms of an alternative, “marginal” modernity, one that distanced itself from the experience of the developed world.

Theocharopoulou, for example, introduces new conceptual tools to document the particularities of this development, drawing on a number of different sources, which are not limited to the architectural and urban history of Athens but extend to social history, anthropology, gender studies, the evolution of language and the study of shadow theater.

For its advocates, the concept of polykatoikía ultimately embodies the fundamental philosophy of modernist architecture: “Form follows function” - the appearance and structure of a building must be determined first and foremost by its use and purpose. As they point out: “The true beauty of a city lies in the way it is inhabited. Athens is an attractive city. However, it is attractive not because of its beautiful buildings, but because of its attractive way of life.”

N.M. (Partly based on the article “The ‘polykatoikia’ of the 1960s-1970s as an essential element of Athens' “anonymous” modernity” which appeared on Grèce Hebdo)

Read also via Greek News Agenda: The Fourth CIAM Congress of 1933 in Athens and the foundations of Western urbanism; Open House Athens: “Future Heritage: The Architecture of Today, the Heritage of Tomorrow”; Bookshelf: Exploring Greek Architecture

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