Cultural Bridge

The Hellenic Foundation for Culture was founded in Athens in 1992 with the aim of promoting Greek culture and disseminating the Greek language. It has since created branches in Odessa, Alexandria and Berlin, and there are Offices of Representatives in London, Moscow, Vienna, Brussels, Washington and Beijing. Hellenic Houses of Culture were opened in Trieste, Melbourne and in the Balkans countries’ capitals of Bucharest, Sofia and Tirana in 2007-2009.

By Dragana Tasić

The Foundation opened its Center for Culture in Belgrade and began work this year. On this occasion, Jat New Review talked with the Foundation’s Belgrade Center Counselor for Culture, Mr. Nikos Tsitsimelis. In the pleasant setting of the Foundation’s library at No. 14, Kneza Miloša St., during a cordial and above all spontaneous conversation, Mr. Tsitsimelis talked about the plans and projects of this Greek cultural and educational institution the public in Belgrade and Serbia has waited for a long time and welcomed with appreciation. Although the Center’s first anniversary was yet to come, it had already seen through some highly professionally executed, diverse and interesting projects.

What was the Hellenic Foundation for Culture governed by when deciding to open – from among a number of countries - one of its Centers in Belgrade too?

- The aim of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture is to promote Greek culture and disseminate the Greek language throughout the world. Here in Belgrade, we have concrete goals and activities. Our task here is to represent Greek culture to the public as well as to open an intercultural dialogue between Greece and Serbia. I believe that despite traditional friendship between our two nations and despite common tradition and the numerous ties existing between us, we lack sufficient knowledge about one another. Therefore, it is our wish to present to the best of our ability the Greek culture here in Serbia and the Serbian culture in Greece. It would be a very good thing if a similar institution on your part existed in Greece. Culture holds a very high place in Serbia; there are many gifted people. Greeks are really satisfied with what they could read or see of the Serbian fine arts, theater, film, although, unfortunately, the opportunities for meeting your artists and their works are scarce.

When was the Hellenic Foundation for Culture Center opened in Belgrade and which projects had it carried out thus far?

- The Hellenic Foundation for Culture unofficially began operating on March 12 this year with Greek language classes and already on April 9 marked the opening of an exhibition called Light and Shadows on the Balkans wherein eight photographers from Balkan countries presented their works. The project that followed was a very interesting theatrical production recommended by the Hellenic Foundation for Culture in Athens. It involved a company that also performed in Belgrade at the Belgrade Drama Theater on May 3 as part of its tour. We organized and acted as media sponsor for this atypical project. It is a dramatization a folk poem, a ballad about a brother and sister – a motive present in folk poetry of all Balkan nations: Romanians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Serbs, Albanians. Therefore, the production’s Greek director rallied actors – all renowned names from Balkan countries - and they delivered the text in their native languages. Interestingly enough, despite a language barrier, there was no problem in communication. Also, as part of the Museum Night event in Belgrade, two classical guitar concerts were held at the Foundation premises on May 16, one of the performers being a young but already quite well known guitar player from Greece, Mr. Yorgos Nousis. The Hellenic Foundation for Culture Center in Belgrade was greatly honored to be officially opened on July 3 this year by the presidents of the two countries – Mr. Karolos Papoulias and Mr. Boris Tadić.

The formal opening was attended also by the President of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture, Professor Georgios Babiniotis, who emphasized that this institution is to be a cultural bridge between Serbia and Greece, a bridge designed to promote cultural programs and the two countries’ landmarks.

The Hellenic Foundation for Culture Center in Belgrade opened with a multimedia exhibition named History Lost, about the illicit trade of antiquities in the world. The exhibition presents the period from 1801, when Lord Elgin took away the marble sculptures from the Parthenon, via the time of looting of numerous archaeological excavation sites in the world, the plundering of archaeological finds from museums in Baghdad, the smashing of statues at the temples in Cambodia... It also tells about how ancient objects - once removed from their original location - lose their historical value. Examples were given from Greece, Cyprus and Turkey – the three countries that in the more recent past succeeded in having their illegally removed and sold antiquities brought back. Before Belgrade, this exhibition was shown in Nicosia, Athens, Ancient Nemea, Trieste, Lisbon, Dublin, Brussels. After Belgrade, it is due to travel to Bucharest, Sofia, Tirana, Frankfurt, Alexandria and Washington.

What future plans does the Hellenic Foundation for Culture Center in Belgrade have now that it officially began work?

- On October 23, we open at the Foundation premises a very interesting exhibition of photo-monographs of Greece. By showing 150 photo-albums provided to the Hellenic Foundation for Culture by Greek publishing houses, visitors can get better acquainted with Greece – its landscapes, islands, events, portraits of people, customs – everything seen through the eye of the camera of many photographers and travelers. This exhibition is also the Hellenic Foundation for Culture’s contribution to representing Greece as the Guest of Honor at the 54^th International Belgrade Book Fair. There is also the idea to organize lectures on topics from Greek civilization. Thus, an expert on classical philology would be invited to deliver introductory lecture, and then politicians would be invited to speak about Thucydides, whose messages are ever topical - in politics as well as in contemporary history. We also intend to organize a kind of a Free University – to sit down and debate various subjects. We’ll be handing out certificates to those that complete the course at this university. Then, there is also the library; its cataloguing process is complete and will soon be available to the public.

How would you describe the interest shown here in learning the Greek language?

- There is immense interest. Initially, 240 people enrolled as beginner level learners and we also had two higher-level groups. Study continues at this time, as some 200 people enrolled, although mastering Greek is no easy matter.

Has the Foundation comfortably settled in and does it have enough space to handle all the activities?

- We are pleased with the premises, there is enough of it. This building was designed by famous Russian architect Nikolai Krasnov; it has been renovated by the Serbian government and given to the Hellenic Foundation for Culture Center in Belgrade to use, for which we are grateful.

Are you pleased with the interest and visit Belgraders and other guests are showing with regard to the events the Foundation organizes?

- The visit to all the events is excellent and interest is high. Possibilities, too, considerable. We are always able to find common ground, some topics that we could present to the public.. Thus, we are contemplating for instance an exhibition of Serbian painters and Greek subject matter beginning with Kosta Milićević... This calls for extensive organization!

We heard from Mr. Tsitsimelis also these courteous words – "We are happy to be in Belgrade." For his part, he has been in this city for a long time; knows it, knows the people, and finds some striking similarities between the Serbs and Greeks. He says he loves strolling along Belgrade’s old city quarters, especially from Bulbulder to Pašino Brdo...