Elliniki Etairia celebrates its 50th anniversary with the presentation of their publication ‘Fragile Earth’ in Athens
This year marks the 50th anniversary of ELLINIKI ETAIRIA – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET), Europa Nostra’s Country Representation in Greece. This milestone was celebrated on 16 February at the historic premises of ELLET in Plaka, Athens, with the presentation of their Golden Jubilee publication ‘Ευάλωτη Γη / Fragile Earth‘. This special event had the participation of our Secretary General, Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic, and the Head of our Brussels Office, Jimmy Jamar, as well as other representatives from the cultural and heritage world from Greece and abroad.
Χρόνια Πολλά @sepiellet! Our Country Rep in Greece celebrated 50 Years with the presentation of their anniversary publication ‘Fragile Earth’. Our SG @SneskaEN & @JimmyJamar extended 50 as a symbolic gift for every year of relentless work & dedication to #culturalheritage. pic.twitter.com/3plxikIxN6
— Europa Nostra (@europanostra) February 16, 2022
Since 1972, ELLET has worked continuously with deep love and respect for the environment and cultural heritage, considering them as the two sides of the same coin. The new bilingual publication ‘Ευάλωτη Γη / Fragile Earth’ clearly highlights this aspect of their work. “…ELLET’s work and overall contribution during these 50 years of activity are admittedly impressive, extending to both aspects of environmental protection – natural and anthropogenic,” reads the opening greeting of the publication signed by H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
During the celebratory event, the co-founder and President of ELLET, Mrs. Lydia Carras, and its Vice-President, Mr. Costas Stamatopoulos, presented some of ELLET’s milestones that feature in the publication: the saving of Plaka and its work on heritage settlements; important restorations in Greece and abroad; actions for the protection of Delphi and Marathon landscapes; the continuous struggle for the rescuing and restoration of the Tatoi Estate; renewable energy and spatial planning projects; and adaptation to climate change projects, among others. Environmental education, awareness-raising and sustainable development programmes, such as the “Sustainable Greek School” and the Greek Paths of Culture, winner of a European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award in 2019, were also mentioned.
Mr. Themis Vokos, member of ELLET and sponsor of the publication, stressed that today, more than ever, ELLET’s work is necessary to ensure a better future for the next generations.
The Secretary General of Europa Nostra Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic highlighted the organisation’s “tireless, competent, passionate and generous dedication to saving the unique cultural and natural heritage in Greece, which has such a fundamental value for the past, present and future of our Europe,” and paid tribute to ELLET’s co-founder Mr. Costa Carras.
ELLINIKI ETAIRIA – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET) has been a Member Organisation of Europa Nostra since 1996 and in 2012 it became our Country Representation in Greece. Throughout the years, Europa Nostra and ELLET have worked hand by hand for the enhancement and protection of cultural heritage in Greece and in Europe through joint campaigns, including most recently the appeal to save the Venizelos antiquities in Thessaloniki. ELLET has also successfully implemented and submitted many projects that received a European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award, while has nominated many endangered heritage sites for the 7 Most Endangered programme. With the support of ELLET, Europa Nostra organised its 50th Anniversary Congress in Athens in 2013, including a memorable Awards Ceremony gathering 4000 people from all over Europe at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, at the foot of the Acropolis.
The bilingual (English & Greek) publication ‘Ευάλωτη Γη / Fragile Earth‘ is available to buy from various central bookstores in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece. Each purchase will support the work of ELLET. For more information, please contact elet@ellinikietairia.gr.
