EVENT FOR THE WORLD GREEK LANGUAGE DAY IN HONOR OF ADAMANTIOS KORAIS AND TASOS LIVADITIS

With an event dedicated to the Scholar Adamantios Korais and the poet Tasos Livaditis, the Embassy of Greece in Belgium celebrated World Greek Language Day on Tuesday, 10 February.

The event opened with the screening of a recorded message by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Giannis Loverdos on the occasion of World Greek Language Day, followed by remarks from the Ambassador of Greece, Ms. Sofia Grammata. Drawing on excerpts from the Iliad, Prometheus Bound, the Old Testament, the epic of Digenis Akritas, and The Free Besieged, she underscored the continuity of the Greek language, also referring to the contributions of Korais and Livaditis.

Welcoming remarks were also delivered by the co-organizers: the Head of the Office of the Education Coordinator in Brussels, Ms. Amalia Kapsala; the President of the Greek Community of Brussels, Mr. Filippos Kotsaridis; the President of the “Daughters of Penelope – THETIS” Brussels Chapter, Ms. Eleni Maglara; and the President of AHEPA A610, Mr. Nikolaos Korogiannakis.

In their speeches, Professor Giannis Xourias, Professor of Medieval and Modern Greek Literature at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, explained how Adamantios Korais shaped the ideology, collective imagination, historical consciousness, and linguistic identity of the Greek people. Ms. Dora Menti, Special Teaching Staff in Modern Greek Literature at the same university, highlighted the evolution of Tasos Livaditis’ poetic discourse and the influences that shaped his artistic style.

The event concluded with a poetry recital by Mr. Nikolaos Stogios of the Hellenic Circle and a musical program presented by the Greek Choir of Brussels, accompanied on piano by Andreas Mantzaris and on cello by Despoina Kornilaki.

The Embassy extends its warm thanks to all those mentioned above,as well as to the audience, for their broad participation in honoring World Greek Language Day.