WASHINGTON, DC – The restoration work is expected to begin in 10 days on the humidity-damaged Eleftherios Venizelos statue located outside the Greek Embassy in Washington, DC.

Two artists and a contractor have already started the related restoration work on this statue- including well-known sculptor Antonia Papatzanaki, the visual artist who mainly deals with sculpture Vasilis Vasili, and contractor George Marafatsos.

Papatzanaki, who comes from Chania, has been honored with many distinctions and awards from various organizations in Greece and abroad. Among other things, she designed the Monument to Fallen Airmen in Thessaloniki, the Monument to the Shipwreck Victims of the ‘Heraklion’ ship in Talos Square in Chania, and the luminous sculpture ‘Faros’ which was placed in the square above the Kato Patisia metro station in Athens.

Sculptor Vasilis Vasili is a granite specialist and lives in Canada. The new base on which the statue of Venizelos will be placed will be made of granite.

This statue, which was the work of the sculptor Yannis Pappas, had been donated by the Greek Parliament and had been placed outside the Embassy in Washington, about 15 years ago.

“We express our gratitude to all the donors, who helped financially to begin the restoration of the statue which will be completed soon,” Nikos Kastrinakis, President of the Venizelos Foundation USA and Pancretan Association of America Executive Council General Supervisor told The National Herald. “This statue will properly represent the work of the great Eleftherios Venizelos.”

Earlier this year, in March, the Venizelos Foundation USA organized an event in Florida, in memory of Yiannis Kokolakis, to raise money to restore the statue of Venizelos in Washington. During that event, Kastrinakis had conveyed the greetings of Nikolaos Papadakis, CEO of the Eleftherios Venizelos National Research Foundation of Chania, Crete.

Kastrinakis had also referred to the persistent efforts made by Kokolakis, himself, and Stelios Kochilakis and Yiannis Sopasis, to find and buy a 1929 Packard car in Pennsylvania, the same as the one in which Venizelos was riding in with his wife, Elena, when on June 6, 1933 there was an assassination attempt against him. The car that was purchased was donated and is on display at the Venizelos Museum in Halepa, Chania, next to the bullet-riddled canopy of Venizelos’ actual car.

During the same event, Kokolakis’ son, Sifis, had thanked the local Cretan society for hosting the event at his house. He also mentioned his father, who served the greek community and Hellenism, in general, from various positions. On this occasion, he mentioned the importance of establishing the Venizelos Foundation in Crete, as well as the usefulness of the branch in the USA.

He particularly emphasized the necessity of restoring the statue of Venizelos in Washington.

The Venizelos Foundation USA has also organized an event for August 12 in Chania which will include a presentation on the work of the American and Australian Branches.

In September, presentations of the work of Eleftherios Venizelos will begin in Greek schools in the United States, with speeches, and other events.

An exhibition of copies of Venizelos’ personal items is expected to draw particular interest in the schools and in the Greek community in general. All those interested in the exhibition should contact Kastrinakis beforehand.

Finally, in the context of the promotion of Venizelos’ work, the American Foundation is preparing a series of lectures in various regions of the United States.