NEW YORK – The Athenians’ Society of New York in collaboration with the Greek American Writers League, Queens College, and the Hellenic American Project (HAP) presents the Fourth Exposition of Hellenic Writers of the Diaspora commemorating Greek Independence Day, March 25, 1821. Writers and authors will come together in a six-hour event and present their work to the public on Saturday, March 18, 2-8 PM, at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 2709 Crescent Street and Newtown Avenue in Astoria. Live musical performances will be presented by Cyprus New York Productions Musical Director Phyto Stratis, soprano Ariadne Anna, alto Aggeliki Psoni, tenor Alexandros Darna, with Glafkos Kontemeniotis on piano, Kostas Psarros on bouzouki, and Athena Adamopoulos on piano.

Athenians Society President Panos Adamopoulos spoke with The National Herald about the event, noting that the 103-year-old Society presented the first Exposition of Hellenic Writers in 2012, and is now presenting along with their collaborators, the fourth incarnation of the event which not only honors Greek Independence Day March 25 but also celebrates World Poetry Day, March 21, established by UNESCO in 1999. “We combined the two to create this absolutely magnificent literary event,” Adamopoulos said. “It is what our community needs and really hungers for, especially after the pandemic and what is going on in Europe with the war and other issues, we need these kinds of events.”

“For the Athenians’ Society, it is part of our efforts to promote Hellenic culture, bring together the Hellenic-American community, that is why we are introducing the authors and their works in this unprecedented event,” Adamopoulos continued. “We honor them, we honor all those who will be present and all those who are no longer with us, some of those who have passed away and had participated in our previous events.”

“I would like to thank all the Board members from the bottom of my heart and I am extremely appreciative of all the work they do. I am humbled and honored to be at the head of the Athenians’ Society and I want to thank them for their support, dedication, and their constant commitment.”

Adamopoulos also spoke about the concert which features 10 patriotic songs he selected all relating to March 25, 1821. “Our wonderful musical director Phyto Stratis put it together for the wonderful singers of the Omogenia, Ariadne Anna, Angeliki Psoni, Alexandros Darna, and Tasos Karydis,” he said, adding the talented musicians who will also be performing, Psarros on bouzouki, Kontemeniotis on piano, and Athena Adamopoulos on piano.

Among the authors, HAP Director Professor Nicholas Alexiou of Queens College will give a speech on poetry and Hellenic culture and Athena Kromidas will lecture the historical novel Loukis Laras (1879) by Demetrios Vikelas. Athenians’ Society Board member Fani Pagoulatou will serve as the moderator for the event.

“We will have about 15 writers, reading from their works or reciting a poem or two, each one of them will have five minutes,” Adamopoulos noted. “We also have Justine Frangouli-Argyris coming from Canada. She wrote For the Love of Others, the novel based on true story of John Catsimatidis’ mother and she had presented that book for us 10 years ago. She’s coming once again from Canada to be with us.”

“It’s an honor to have all these writers with us,” he said. “We are humbled to have this massive amount of intellect and spirit among us and these people are so enthusiastic about this event.”

“It could not have been done without the support of all the Board members who also all on the committee and they contributed in every meaningful way you can think of,” Adamopoulos told TNH. “I can’t be more thankful for their support. This is a collective effort and it cannot be done by one or two people, each person contributes, each of the Board members deserves recognition for their work. I’m extremely thankful to them.”

A reception will follow the presentation. Admission is free.

More information is available by phone: 718-721-1111.

The Board of the Athenians’ Society of New York:

President Panos Adamopoulos

Vice President Tasos Mouzakis

Secretary Sylvia Adamopoulos

Assistant Secretary Stelios Stroumpakis

Treasurer Andreas Kontomerkos

Members

Iro Plakogiannis

Dora Lagos

Pavlos Hatzikyriakos

Elias Neofotistos

Alternates

Marianthi Papafragkou

Fani Pagoulatou

Advisor Vana Kontomerkou