SERRES – Just a few days before the start of the new school year, at the historic elementary school of the town of Neo Skopos in Serres province in northern Greece, the atmosphere was joyful, emotions were palpable, and memories of the older generations came alive again. The occasion was the inauguration of the new school library, which was a donation from a distinguished Greek-American, originally from Skopos, Emanuel-Efstathios Savvopoulos (E.S. ‘Steve’ Savas, as his friends and acquaintances call him in the U.S.). What made this event more moving is the fact that his father, a first-generation immigrant to the U.S., the late Ioannis Savvopoulos, had made a significant donation to the same elementary school in 1966 and was declared a benefactor Neos Skopos,

Apropos of Savas’ being considered today the father of the theory of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and wanting to continue his father’s tradition as a benefactor of Neos Skopos, with the guidance of emeritus professor of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Aristotelis Naniopoulos, founder of the volunteer group DESMOS OF SKOPOS, he coordinated with the elementary school’s parents and guardians association and the school’s administration, including the principal, to make the library happen.

A space on the ground floor was found, which was completely renovated, equipped with new furniture and a computer, and around 250 new children’s book titles were purchased – all thanks to Savas’ donation.

Born and raised in the U.S., Savas served as a Presidential Professor at the City University of New York (Baruch College). He was a deputy mayor of New York City and an Assistant Secretary of Housing at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the Reagan administration. He has been awarded honorary doctorates from the Universities of Piraeus and Thessaloniki, and in his honor, the Reason Foundation in the U.S. annually awards the ‘E.S. Savas Award’ to those who promote Public-Private Partnerships.

In recognition of the donation of the library, the parents association placed a commemorative plaque outside the library, naming it ‘Savas Library’.

Given his advanced age, Savas watched the inauguration of the new library live from the U.S., with the help of technology, and could not hide his emotions.

A School with a Rich History

The elementary school of Neo Skopos has a long history, much like the journey undertaken by the first refugees who came to Greece from Eastern Thrace a hundred years ago. As Professor Naniopoulos explains in his interview with ANA/MPA, “the elementary school began to be constructed in 1924 by the refugees, but there was also the invaluable assistance of immigrants from Skopos in Eastern Thrace” – hence the settlement was called Neos Skopos – “who had gone to the U.S. Four associations of people from Skopos, two from Chicago and two from New York, sent funds for the school’s construction, covering 90% of the total cost, while the remaining 10% was covered through volunteer labor from the local residents and the Greek state. It should be noted that the first refugees from Skopos in Eastern Thrace emigrated to America at the end of the 19th century.”

During the Bulgarian occupation during WWII the school was completely burned down. Immediately after the Greek civil war, construction of the school began again, once more with funds sent by the Skopos associations in the U.S., but this time also with the support of the Marshall Plan, covering 75% of the construction costs. Throughout the years that followed (1964, 1966, 1993), the diaspora from Skopos in Eastern Thrace continued to donate to the school, equipping it with books and pioneering instruments for its time. “It is worth mentioning that the elementary school of Neo Skopos even had its own movie projector, and films were shown in the school,” notes Naniopoulos.

A Vibrant Community

The schools of Neo Skopos continue to offer an excellent, safe learning environment, where under the supervision of the Municipality of Emmanouil Pappas, a nursery, kindergarten, six-class elementary school, gymnasium, and lyceum operate. In the village’s cultural center, which belongs to the ORPHEAS association, there is a lending library, and a volunteer group called Bookworms works with children, with the voluntary help of kindergarten teachers. The village’s cultural associations, especially ORPHEAS, offer outlets for educational and recreational activities for children and teenagers, such as learning musical instruments, painting, basketball, athletics, and traditional dancing.

“The local community,” notes Naniopoulos, “actively participates in volunteer actions, supported by the strong diaspora of Skopos, primarily from the U.S., in order to shape a sustainable learning environment in Neo Skopos, one that is attractive to children, youth, residents, and even to those who may wish to settle in Neo Skopos. Professor E.S. Savas’s kind gesture will undoubtedly inspire others, both from the older and newer diaspora of Skopos, continuing a deeply rooted tradition.”

One hundred years after the settlement of the first refugees, Neo Skopos, Serres, is a particularly active community that has not only never forgotten the roots of their ancestors, who came as refugees in 1924 from Skopos in Eastern Thrace, but has also maintained close ties with the diaspora. Thanks to Professor Aristotelis Naniopoulos and the volunteer group DESMOS OF SKOPOS, which he coordinates, along with diaspora members and residents of Neo Skopos, they have managed to keep alive the memories and traditions of the lost homeland, bringing to fruition a significant project.