The Hellenic American Women’s Council (HAWC) is hosting a special Bicentennial Celebration to honor four extraordinary Greek Heroines, June 26-28, 2021 in Spetses, Greece. HAWC joins “Greece 2021” in celebrating the Greek identity and cultural heritage while commemorating the 200 years since the Greek Revolution of 1821 that established Greece as an independent nation.
HAWC is inviting the Hellenes and PhilHellenes to come join in this once-in-a-lifetime event that will take place at the renowned Anargyrios & Korgialenios Foundation Estate and also Bouboulina’s House. Advance registrations are being taken through May 5, 2021. HAWC will be honoring women who defied the prescribed roles for women in their century and emerged as powerful heroines and role models for all of us: Bouboulina (19th century), Manto Mavrogenous (19th century), Lady of Ro (20th century) and Stella Kokolis (21st century).
Highlights of the program will include a panel discussion on the heroines:
- Pavlos Demertzis - Bouboulis, a 6th generation descendant of the Greek revolutionary heroine Laskarina Bouboulina, is the Director of the Bouboulina Museum in Spetses. He has represented the Museum at State and public events, national holidays, exhibitions as well as overseas.
- Annita N. Prassa, a historian specializing in Greek History of 19th and 20th centuries will speak about Manto Mavrogenous. She collaborates with the Hellenic Open University and participates in many conferences in Greece and abroad and is a writer of seven books and many articles.
- Fotini Baxevani, an acclaimed Greek actress, and HAWC Member, will talk about Despina Achladioti, the Lady of Ro.
- Stella Kokolis, Keynote Speaker and Aristeon Award Honoree, is also a HAWC co-founder. She is widely known as a preeminent community leader, educator and humanitarian in the United States and abroad. Stella nurtures the values of Greek language and culture, and she has kept them alive for thousands of people. Stella continues to kindle the light of Hellenic education for more than 50 years.
Lykeion Ellinidon Dance, Bouboulina's Mansion Tour and More
- Greek Dance Performance by the renownedLykeion Ellinidon, which was founded in 1911 by Callirrhoe Siganou-Parren, the country's first woman journalist and leader on women's issues. In the 110 years of its existence, it has played an active and important role in the preservation and presentation of Greek cultural traditions and folk customs. They will embody the spirit of the four heroines in their traditional performance.
- Guided Museum Tour of Bouboulina’s Mansion. Learn the fascinating story of the heroine of the 1821 Greek War of Independence, who until recently had the honor of being the only female Admiral in world Naval history.
- Meet dignitaries from Spetses, Greece, USA, Austria, notable Hellenes, Greek women leaders and make new friends from throughout the world.
- Attendees will have free time to take in the Kaiki Beach Club at the Anargyrios and see the sights of Spetses.