Historic concert at the foot of the Acropolis
On 29 September this year the famous Greek singers George Dalaras and Glykeria along with a star-studded array of other musical artists will perform at Athens’ iconic Odeon of Herodes Atticus at the foot of the Acropolis in a special fundraising concert in support of the Greek minority schools on Imvros (Gokzeada) in Turkiye.
The concert is part of a major gathering of the Imvrian Diaspora from across the world who will also be attending the Panimvrian Conference to be held in Athens on 28 September, with representatives attending from Australia. The first such Conference since 1993, the Conference has been organised by the Imvrians Association in Greece, with the cooperation the Imvrian Association of Macedonia and Thrace, supported by many Imvrian and Tenedian institutions. It is being held under the patronage of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who will open proceedings as well as deliver a keynote address.
The Hellenic presence on Imvros (re-named Gokzeada since 1970) has a long history, stretching back to antiquity. References to the Hellenic community there can be found in the writings of Homer and Herodotus. This presence was dominant into the 20th century with many Allied soldiers recording the overwhelmingly Greek population of the Island during its occupation by the Allies during the First World War. Following the end of the Greek-Turkish War with the Treaty of Lausanne signed in January 1923, Imvros – along with the Greek population of nearby Tenedos and Constantinople – were exempted from the drastic upheaval of the population exchange that took place between Greece and Turkey. Both Imvros and Tenedos were also awarded to the new Turkish Republic under the terms of the Treaty.
Continuous Hellenic presence on Imvros
While the Greek population of Imvros has drastically declined since that time, there has remained a continuous presence of Hellenes on the Island. Their presence can be seen in a number of its villages, including Agioi Theodoroi, Agridia and Shinoudi. Greek Orthodox Churches operate across the Island, with both larger churches with regular services and small chapels in the hills and valleys used for particular Saint’s days.
In recent years, the permanent population has witnessed a small resurgence, with numbers of Greeks with connections to the Island returning. This has grown from 200 to an estimated 600 Greek speakers. In a significant development 2013 saw the Turkish authorities approve the re-opening of the Greek-minority schools on Imvros, including at Agioi Theodoroi, after their closure for 49 years. Today the schools provide kindergarten, primary, secondary and high school education to their students. There are currently 50 school students and 41 graduates. Many of the latter have excelled in higher educational institutions. If you would like to see the Greek community and schools on Imbros (as well as the Greek community in Istanbul), view a recent documentary here.
The conference Imvros and Tenedos – Nostos and Perspective is a global meeting of Imvrians and Tenedians who will “discuss current and timeless issues but above all, ways will be sought for local development of the recovery of the Greek community of the two islands”.
A key focus is supporting the young people of the community on the Island, with education and employment identified as key drivers for community regeneration and economic growth.
The Conference program poses a number of questions for discussion – how can the Greek population living on the islands be supported and a strong return flow be maintained; how can young people be helped to stay or return to the islands after their studies to work and develop successful business activities; how can satisfactory solutions to the current problems be found and the prospect of lasting growth be created; and, most importantly, the Conference will be a springboard for a major effort to create development opportunities, through specific actions to transfer know-how and exploit the competitive advantages of the two islands. One of the themes of conference is to discuss ways in which the Diaspora can continue to support the Greek community on the Island.
The conference will be available to watch online by contacting the Imvrian Association in Athens at info@imvrosisland.org. Alternatively the Imvrians’ Society of Melbourne will be broadcasting the initial part of the conference at their premises in Mentone . Those interested in the latter should contact the Society at imvriansociety@gmail.com.
A major fundraising element of the Conference is an impressive A Song for Imvros musical concert to be held in Athens. Organised under the patronage of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the concert performance will feature George Dalaras and a number of other prominent artists. These are Glykeria, Ross Daly, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Evanthia Remboutsika, Manolis Mitsias, Pantelis Thalassinos and Nixos Xydakis – with narration by Katerina Didaskalou and artistic directions/orchestration by Giorgos Papachristoudis. Many readers will know the work of Evanthia Remboutsika as the composer of the music from the movie A Touch of Spice.
These musicians will be joined by the ERT Contemporary Music Orchestra and the ERT Choir. These artists have been chosen as they have been longstanding supporters of the Greek community on the island. George Dalaras and others performed on the island during the Dekapentavousto Paniyiri at a time when the Greek presence was at its lowest. Those able to attend the concert can book tickets at the viagogo.com website, entering the Greek language title of the concert – Για την Ίμβρο, για τα Παιδιά και τα Σχολεία μας.
All proceeds from the concert performance will be donated to support the Greek minority schools on Imvros. A special purpose account has been set up for further support, details as follows: Account Number: 503 811 203 5040; Currency: EUR; IBAN: GR63 0172 0380 0050 3811 2035 040; SWIFT-BIC of Piraeus Bank: PIRBGRAA.
Our own Greek Community of Melbourne is supporting this important fundraising concert. The current Greek Community Greek Youth Camp which is again bringing 18 young Australians of Greek heritage for a cultural experience in Greece has included the Imvros concert as part of the tour. The tour is led by Greek Community Board member and teacher Tass Sgardelis and Greek Community staffer Meg Smith. How amazing that these young Greek Australians will not only experience this amazing concert performance but will also be supporting their fellow students on Imvros. I look forward to joining them at the concert with my partner Greek Community Board Director and Assistant Secretary Vicki Kyritsis.
Many readers will appreciate that these are very important questions for the continuing Greek presence in Turkiye. Many of our community in Australia have strong roots to the former Hellenic communities of the area. What could more practical than to look at ways how the Australian Hellenic community could support the Greek communities of Imvros and Tenedos. There are many celebrations held throughout Australia celebrating the Hellenic culture of the various communities that once lived and thrived across Asia Minor – from the amazing music and dance of Pontus, to the cultural treasures of Constantinople and Smyrna, the musical and cultural achievements of rebetiko and to great culinary legacy of the region – all of which live on across the Hellenic Diaspora.
Economic challenges on Turkish controlled Imvros
We are all aware of the impact of inflation and falling incomes in Greece. There has been a more drastic impact in Turkiye. Those on fixed incomes such as pensions are facing rising costs for basic living expenses. The cost of infrastructure repairs – such as for schools, churches and community buildings – or that for educational materials has all grown beyond the means of current incomes or funding. This is one of the major issues facing the growing but challenged Greek community on Imvros.
The Imvrians’ Society of Melbourne Inc is supporting both the Concert and the Conference as well as looking to ways in which they and the wider Hellenic community in Victoria and Australia could support the initiatives that will no doubt flow from the Conference. George Xinos, the Society’s project officer said that the Society encouraged all to donate to the special purpose fund above. All donations no matter how small would be very much appreciated by the community on Imvros.
“Our community in Melbourne – and throughout Australia – is actively supporting these efforts to support and encourage the positive development of the community on Imvros. We not only support the efforts to assist the Greek minority schools but also the development of commemorative tourism associated with Imvros role in the Gallipoli campaign. Our Society’s photographic exhibition and historian Jim Claven’s book is part of this effort to encourage development in this economic and cultural initiative, to the benefit of all residents of the Island”, Xinos said.
The Society also aims to establish a special fund to support these initiatives focused on the regeneration of the Hellenic community of Imbros. Those wishing to promote or contribute to this campaign should contact the Society’s imvriansociety@gmail.com
For those readers who would more information (including copies of the Concert and Conference brochures), should also contact the Imvrians’ Society of Melbourne.
Jim Claven is a trained historian, freelance writer and published author. His books include From Imbros Over The Sea, his volume highlighting the role of Imvros in the Gallipoli campaign of 1915-16, drawn from a pictorial exhibition which he curated for the Imvrian Sociey of Melbourner Inc. He visited Imvros in 2015 and will be attending the Imvros fundraising concert in Athens with his partner Vicki Kyritsis. He can be contacted via email – jimclaven@yahoo.com.au
