“The Hellenic Mosaic”: A Platform for cultural heritage, tradition, technology, and creation by the Municipality of Kalamaria

An event showcasing the progress of “The Hellenic Mosaic”, a multifaceted platform for Cultural Heritage, Tradition, Technology, and Creation, which aims to preserve and highlight documents, photographs, videos, records, and testimonies from the history of Hellenism over the past two centuries, was held at the packed municipal theater of Kalamaria, “Stavros Kougioumtzis,” in Thessaloniki.

The Mayor of Kalamaria, Chrysa Arapoglou, in her opening remarks, described the successful and high-quality implementation of “The Hellenic Mosaic” and its effective promotion and management as both a major challenge and a significant responsibility for the Municipality of Kalamaria:
“From the moment we assumed the administration of Kalamaria, fully aware of the area’s rich history, we emphasized the necessity of creating a comprehensive strategic development plan. This plan would showcase Kalamaria’s two major comparative advantages: its refugee identity and its connection to the sea.

From my first briefing on “The Hellenic Mosaic”, which was already a work in progress, I felt it was part of a chain of time and duty. It resonated with my personal connection to historical time, evidence, memory, and narratives. This relationship began during my tenure as the founder of the Institute of Research and Documentation of Migration (IAPE). It was a vision organized in the early years of my involvement in local governance under Thrasivoulos Lazaridis, focusing on documenting the history of migration through the television series ‘The Communities of Greeks’, and the creation of the rare and invaluable archive and library of the Center for Study and Development of Black Sea Hellenic Culture, which is now at the University’s disposal.

I approach ‘The Hellenic Mosaic’ with the same sense of responsibility—not as a project confined to Kalamaria, but as a project belonging to all Greeks. It seeks to bridge the past with the present, showcasing the diversity and richness of individuals, families, and communities that contributed to the making of modern Greece,” said Ms. Arapoglou, among other remarks.

The presentation of “The Hellenic Mosaic”, including an update on its progress and goals, was delivered by Konstantinos Papanikolaou, representative of the contractor/Chairman and CEO of COMITECH S.A. He also highlighted the capabilities of cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence technology for creating content and ways to utilize it in promoting cultural assets. Additionally, he showcased a small application example of incorporating stories into the project.

Antonis Gavriilidis, a historical documentalist, presented the process of digitizing and documenting the material, as well as how citizens can contribute to the project by submitting records and information.

“The Hellenic Mosaic” also includes an educational program and initiative, presented by Maria Tsirko-Pagoni, MSc, a philologist specializing in Byzantine and Medieval History. She elaborated on upcoming activities and emphasized its value as an educational tool.

Speakers at the event highlighted the significance of the project. Among them were Sotiris Georgiadis, representative of the Historical Archive of Refugee Hellenism, Deputy Mayor for the Promotion of Kalamaria’s Refugee Identity, and President of IAPE, and Alexandros Oikonomidis, representative of the Thessaloniki Gymnastics Club Iraklis and member of its board of directors, who contributed materials from their collections to “The Hellenic Mosaic” repository.

The event was hosted by journalist and author Kostas Mpliatkas, with the participation of local government officials, education leaders, including the Regional Director of Education for Central Macedonia, Alexandros Koptsis, and the Director of Secondary Education for Eastern Thessaloniki, Zoe Vazoura, as well as members of associations from across Thessaloniki and citizens who witnessed firsthand the monumental work undertaken by the Municipality of Kalamaria.

During the event, musicians Christos Vernardos (classical guitar), Leandros Megaklis (violin), Antonis Keramidas (keyboards/synthesizer), and Simos Stafylakos (bouzouki) performed iconic songs of Greek tradition spanning the last 200 years.

The project is funded by allocations from the Public Investment Program under the “Antonis Tritsis” Development and Solidarity Program for Local Government, within the priority axis: “Education, Culture, Tourism, and Sports”, titled: “Greece 1821 – Greece 2021.”

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