Menu Close
An author, a politician, a philosophical thinker and the precursor of the Greek War of Independence. He was born in Velestino, a village in Thessaly, and he lived in Constantinople, Wallachia and Vienna. He published The Charta of Greece (Map of Greece) and Thourios and he assumed leading roles as he was capable of inspiring others. Additionally, he was the mastermind of a revolution of such importance that resulted in Greeks overthrowing the Ottoman yoke. Rigas was arrested by the Turks and, eventually, murdered.
Rigas Feraios
(Rigas Velestinlis)
(1757-1798)
A leading figure of the Greek War of Independence in 1821 (also known as Geros tou Moria), a commander in chief and a prominent leader in battle. He achieved many victories against the Ottoman rule, such as the siege of Tripolitsa and the defeat of Mahmud Dramali Pasha at the Battle of Dervenakia in 1822. Geros tou Moria was born in Ramovouni and died in Athens.
Theodoros Kolokotronis
(1770-1843)
The first head of the newly-formed state of independent Greece, with origins from Kerkyra (Corfu). He was a diplomat with a remarkable career in this field, he declared the foundation of the Hellenic State and promoted significant reforms regarding the rearrangement of the state. Because of his suggestions, he confronted strong opposition from part of the population, which had a horrendous end as he was assassinated in Nafplio by the Mavromichalis brothers.
Ioannis Kapodistrias
(1776-1831)
The former Prime Minister of Greece, elected seven times, with origins from Crete, which was then under the Ottoman rule. He governed Greece in the beginning of the 20th century, when international tumult prevailed, and became a prominent politician of the modern Greek state. During his term, the Balkan Wars, the First World War and the Catastrophe of Smyrna took place.
Eleftherios Venizelos
(1864-1936)
A famous Greek physician, a biologist and a researcher. He was born in Kymi, Euboea and died in Miami, Florida. He was a pioneer in cytopathology and invented the smear test, which detects cervical cancer at an early stage, resulting in the saving of the lives of thousands of women across the globe.
Georgios Papanikolaou
(1883-1962)
A leading diplomat and poet. He was born in Smyrna, but he moved to Athens from a young age. He studied law in Paris and he was involved in diplomacy, resulting in living the largest part of his life abroad. He was one of the greatest poets of modern Greece, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1963.
Giorgos Seferis
(Georgios Seferiades)
(1900-1971)
An expatriate Greek businessman from Chicago, USA. He served as first president of the World Council of Greeks Abroad (SAE) and developed social and charitable activity for the benefit of Greeks who lived in the USA or abroad.
Andrew Athens
(1921-2013)
A top Greek soprano and the most famous opera singer worldwide. She was born in New York and from the very young age of 20, she became widely known for her divine voice. He professional career was fascinating, as was her unique talent in singing, and, consequently, she’s remembered as the most renowned soprano of all times.
Maria Callas
(Maria Cecilia Sophia Anna Kalogeropoulos)
(1923-1977)
An emblematic figure of the Greek community, a distinguished lawyer who was born in Greece and migrated to South Africa, where he united with the African people. He forcefully campaigned against apartheid and he was the lawyer of Nelson Mandela. Overall, he was highly respected by Greeks and foreigners alike.
George Bizos
(1928-2020)
Logo_melathron

Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation
40 years of offering and creation

1821-2021: Two hundred years since the Greek War of Independence.

Our country has been through a lot all these years: a continuous war initially aiming at gaining its independence and afterwards, the preservation of its borderlines, two Balkan Wars, two World Wars, a great civil war, the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and severe financial crises!

Consequently, hundreds of Greeks and Cypriots were forced to migrate to all parts of the world. Although they traveled under the worst circumstances, they accomplished a lot! They established communities, they built schools, retirement homes but first and foremost, they erected churches, which constituted their rallying point. They started from humble beginnings but they quickly worked their way up professionally and started their own families, according to the Greek traditions, and they spread the dynamic Greek spirit worldwide. They instilled the Greek spirit, culture and national mettle to other peoples.

Villages of Greece and Cyprus were abandoned by their inhabitants, who moved to large cities and started their new lives there. The villages were deserted, the houses and estates were abandoned, labor was reduced and reshaped as immigrantsassumed various job positions. For most of the former inhabitants, those villages are just a holiday destination and their children know little about them! There are no neighborhoods left, pulsed by children’s voices, most schools, where we took our very first learning steps, do not exist anymore, while many houses are now squatted by immigrants! Mores and customs gradually became altered and most of them were lost.

Incited by all the above, we decided to create www.ellinismos.gr, The Hub of Hellenism. We didn’t come up with this idea now. We have been traveling around all the villages of Greece for 40 years, writing down all the facts that time alters and erases, as well as the personal stories of thousands of Greeks, aiming at maintaining our national identity. This treasure of knowledge and national inheritance will be captured in this website.

The website www.ellinismos.gr, The Hub of Hellenism answers and will keep answering to numerous important questions.

I live in Greece or in the diaspora and:

  • I want my children to learn about their roots and the village that I had to flee!
  • I want to find my relatives and friends, with whom I grew up in the same village and now we have lost contact.
  • I want my last remaining relatives in Greece to know where I am and what I did in my life.
  • I know that I come from this particular village, but I can’t recall the beautiful stories that my father or grandfather used to narrate about it.
  • My children migrated abroad due to the financial crisis. I don’t know whether they will ever return to Greece and I’m afraid that they will lose contact with their motherland. How will they learn about my life, my personal stories, or those of my mother, my father and my grandfather?
  • What is going to happen with our children, who are no longer taught Greek history properly, while at the same time 20-30% of immigrants with a different religion, language and history have entered Greece?
  • What will our country be like in a few years?
  • How many Greeks are there in diaspora? Nobody knows!

The site: ellinismos.gr, The Hub of Hellenism, promotes the professional and social growth and, in general, it facilitates the expansion of the activities of every Greek.  Thanks to the professional and business promotion that the website provides, along with the personal link of every individual, which precedes their personal stories, anybody will have the chance to work abroad, in the professional fields they desire.

For instance, the website will provide significant help to many professionals:

  • Business people aiming at expanding their entrepreneurial activities.
  • Doctors
  • Lawyers who are involved in the market field and other legal services.
  • Architects
  • Notaries
  • Anyone who is interested in various domains.

Ellinismos.gr, The Hub of Hellenism, seeks to give a solution to all these matters. However, this cannot happen without your contribution! We want your cooperation as well, wherever you are and if you feel like a Greek, you should collaborate with us to achieve the goals of this vision! We have been paving the path for 40 years, now it’s your turn to follow it and expand it into a greater one.

 

Thank you.

Stavros Panousopoulos

Ecumenical Hellenism Foundation President

www.gnl.gr