LORD BYRON: HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF GREECE

Lord Byron’s oath on Markos Botsaris tomb. Collection SHP.

The Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism organized, in cooperation with the British Embassy, an event on:

LORD BYRON: HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF GREECE

The event took place on Wednesday 11 December 2019 at Megaron Mousikis, Vassilissis Sofias, Athens 115 21

An exhibition of 100 personal items of Lord Byron and works of art from Europe inspired by his work took place in parallel, and it was accessible to the public daily from 9 to 13 December 2019.

Then event was attended by over 300 friends of SHP, while the exhibition was visited by more than 500 visitors and schools.

The event was attended by HE the President of the Republic Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos, the ex-Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, and various representatives from the political, academic and entrepreneurial world.

The event referred to Lord Byron’s work and its impact on the development of the international philhellenic movement, and on the Greek War for Independence

The event and the speakers were introduced by Dr. Fotis Papathanasiou. The speakers included HE Ambassador Kate Smith, Professor Roderick Beaton, Mr Constantinos Velentzas. The event was closed by a speech of Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos.

The event was followed by a concert of 19nth century songs on Lord Byron’s poems and a cocktail reception.

Contact email: info@eefshp.org

Tel: 6974750361

Lord Byron. Portrait. 19nth century. Oil on canvas. Collection SHP.

Lord Byron (1788 – 1824)

A restless and creative spirit, inspired by the values ​​of Hellenic culture, in the early 19th century directs literature and intellectual life into new paths. He impresses with his literary and poetic work, identifies with the Romantic Movement, is admired and worshipped internationally by a wide audience. Like Odysseus, he sometimes succumbs to his weaknesses and sometimes faces them down, all the while on the look-out for a noble goal that will redeem him. Finally he transforms himself into a political and military being and identifies with the cause of the Greek revolution. His death in Missolonghi in 1824 shocked international public opinion, gave an explosive dimension to the international philhellenic movement, and turned the cause of Greece’s independence into a just vindication for his loss.

 

Pendules inspired by the work of Lord Byron. Collection SHP.

Lord Byron enters in Missologhi. Plate. Collection SHP.

Lord Byron. Portrait. 19nth century. Oil on canvas. Collection SHP.

Lord Byron. Medal. 19nth century. Collection SHP.

Lord Byron’s sword. 19nth century. Collection SHP.

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The Byron Legacy: the Life and times of Lord Byron’s wife & his daughter, Ada Lovelace

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (née Byron; 10 December 1815 – 27 November 1852) was an English mathematician and writer.

The British Ambassador HE Ms Kate Smith CMG organizes an event at the premises of the British Residence (Venizelos Library Lecture), on Thursday 24 October 2019 at 19.00

Subject: The Byron Legacy: the Life and times of Lord Byron’s wife & his daughter, Ada Lovelace
by Miranda Seymour, critic, novelist, biographer and memoir writer.

The event will be followed by a cocktail reception from 20.00-21.00.

The event is open to the friends of the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism, upon previous registration.

For information please contact Ms. Matoula Tounta (email: info@eefshp.org, tel. +30.210.8094500)

 

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Presentation of French Philhellenic editions

Réné de Chateaubriand: “Note on Greece”, collection of SHP.

The Greek Historical and Ethnological Society presents the Greek edition of the works of French Philhellenes on Wednesday, 23 October 23 at 6:30 pm, in the plenary of the Old Parliament of the Historical Museum (Stadiou 13):

Rene de Chateaubriand: “Note on Greece”

Olivier Voutier: “Memoirs of the Greek War”

Claude Dennis Raffenel: “History of the Modern Greeks”

The publications will be presented by:

– Erini Apostolou, Associate Professor of French Culture, NKUA

– Maria Efthimiou, Professor of History, NKUA

– Anna Karakatsoulis, Associate Professor of History and Culture of Modern Europe and Greece, NKUA

The event will be coordinated by Tasoula Eptakoilis, journalist.

Reading of texts: Jerome Caluta

 

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Le philhellénisme en France et son influence sur la musique et les arts pendant la révolution de 1821

La Société pour l’hellénisme et le philhellénisme (SHP – www.eefshp.org) et l’ambassadeur de France en Grèce, M. Christophe Chantepy, ont organisé un événement pour rendre hommage au philhellénisme français et à son influence sur les arts et la musique au 19ème siècle et au cours de la Révolution grecque de 1821.

L’événement a eu lieu à l’ambassade de France à Athènes le jeudi 13 juin 2019 à 19h30.

Les intervenants ont mis, au cours de l’événement, l’accent sur l’impact du philhellénisme français sur la musique et les arts en général.

Entres autres, l’évènement a souligné le rôle des mouvements néo-classique et romantique du 18ème et 19ème siècle, et il a rendu hommage à la figure emblématique de la chypriote grecque Elizabeth Santos Loumakis Chenier, épouse du marchand français de Chenier. Le célèbre salon littéraire de cette grande dame (mère d’André Chenier), fut le catalyseur pour la création en 1809 de l’organisation secrète Hôtel Hellénophone. Un des membres de l’Hôtel était Tsakalov, qui a quitté Paris en 1814 pour s’installer à Odessa, où l’Hôtel fut essentiellement transformé en la Filiki Etaireia, qui a conduit à la révolution de 1821.

Au cours de l’événement, une référence particulière a été faite à Chateaubriand et aux grands philhellènes Guiraud, Casimir Delavigne, Victor Hugo, Alphonse de Lamartine, de la Rochefoucault -Liancourt, de Broglie, etc., qui ont mis en place les comités philhelléniques, ainsi qu’à leurs actions en faveur des Grecs en révolte.

Enfin, l’événement a fait référence à Fabvier, Amiral de Rigny, Colonel Voutier, General Maison, etc., à leur action pendant la Révolution, à la bataille navale de Navarin et à l’Expédition française dans le Péloponnèse, pour expulser Ibrahim et soutenir le nouvel État grec.

Au cours de l’événement à l’ambassade, une exposition a eu lieu d’environ 100 œuvres emblématiques d’art française philhellénique du 19e siècle, de la collection de SHP (peintures, sculptures, pendules, porcelaines, jouets, livres, etc.), dont le thème était lié a la Révolution de 1821.

Les orateurs suivants ont pris la parole:
Christophe Chantepy, ambassadeur de France en Grèce
Dr. Fotis Papathanasiou, professeur de relations internationales
Konstantinos Velentzas, fondateur de la Society pour l’Hellénisme et le Philhellénisme, président du groupe EUROPEAN DYNAMICS

L’événement s’est terminé par un concert de musique, qui comprenait des compositions philhelléniques du 19eme siècle (inconnues du grand public), interprétées par le baryton Nikolaos Karagiouris. Il était accompagné au piano par Maria Papapetropoulou.

Nikolaos Karagianouris a étudié au Conservatoire d’Athènes. Il a remporté les premiers prix dans de nombreuses compétitions internationales (Londres, Bayreuth, Thessalonique, Athènes). Il a participé à de nombreux opéras sur le plan international.

Maria Papapetropoulou s’est distinguée aux conservatoires d’Athènes, d’Orléans, de l’école normale de Paris et de l’université de Karlsruhe. Elle a participé à de nombreux concerts sur le plan international.

Le programme de l’événement est disponible ici.

 

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Event on the American Philhellenism and the actions of Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe in the presence of the President of the Republic

The significance of American Philhellenism and the actions of the American Philhellene Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe were at the heart of the event organized by the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism the evening of 21 March 2019 in the framework of the national holiday of 25 March, in the presence of the President of the Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos.

Ambassador and historian, Fotini Tomai, referred to the history of American Philhellenism, stressing that “Americans of all ages, sexes, or professions rushed to offer help to the Greeks, the volume and value of which, even today, is exciting. All kinds of supplies, in clothing and money from fundraisers and dancing balls organized by philhellenic committees in major cities, arrived one after the other in Greece. Overall, the aid sent to Greece is calculated in money and goods for the year 1827, $ 80,000, and for 1828, $ 60,000, high sums at that time.

“From his side, the president of the EUROPEAN DYNAMICS group, Konstantinos Velentzas, noted: “The American people contributed decisively to the cultivation of the philhellenic movement internationally and Philhellenism strongly marked the political social and academic life in the USA in the 1820s. This phenomenon was characterized as a Greek fever. Many of the Philhellenes acted in America, gathering and sending money repeatedly while others actively participated in the liberation struggle in Greece. The greatest Philhellene is Dr Samuel Gridley Howe.” Mr. Velentzas then presented the work and actions of Samuel Gridley Howe.

Samuel Gridley Howe was born in 1801 in Boston and died in 1876 in Massachusetts. He participated in the revolution of 1821 as a military doctor at the forefront. His bravery and ability as a commander gave him the euphemistic title Lafayette of the Greek War of Independence. He supported the philhellenic movement in the US writing letters and a book. He founded hospitals in Poros and Nafplio, built the port in Aegina, organized an orphanage shelter and a rural unit in Examilia, Corinth. He was honored with the Cross of the Savior. In 1866 he came again to Greece bringing an aid to help refugees during the Cretan Revolution.

A brief greeting was made on behalf of the US Embassy in Greece, by the Public Relations adviser, Monica Camming, with particular reference to the close ties and good cooperation between the United States and Greece.

During the event, honorary titles were awarded to descendants of the American Philhellene Samuel Gridley Howe.

 

 

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