International Women’s Day at IMMA

In a particularly warm atmosphere and with the participation of many women and men from the city, the Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA) honored International Women’s Day with an original theatrical tribute to four remarkable women of early 20th-century Macedonia, titled “Iconic Female Figures of Macedonia”, on Friday, March 7, at the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle.

During the interactive event, theatrical monologues revived moments from the lives of “Kapetanissa” Peristera Kraka, teacher Anna Triantafyllidou, Red Cross nurse Anna Mela-Papadopoulou (the sister of the Macedonian fighter Pavlos Melas), and painter Thalia Flora-Karavia. These four women played a leading role in Macedonia, dedicating their lives to the struggle for freedom, justice, equality, and prosperity.

With texts and theatrical direction by Mrs. Stavroula Mavrogeni, Professor at the University of Macedonia (PAMAK) and Director of the KEMIT at IMMA, students Katerina-Marina Bethava and Anastasia Zaproudi from the Department of Balkan, Slavic, and Oriental Studies of PAMAK, dressed in period costumes, performed the women’s monologues against the backdrop of the museum’s grand halls, decorated with furniture and relics from that era.

Both the event’s creator and curator, as well as the Director of IMMA, Ms. Athina Pavlidou, highlighted the significance of International Women’s Day as a day of remembrance for women’s struggles for their rights, as well as an opportunity to honor great women who played a significant role in the homeland and contributed greatly to education, arts, and literature.

The event was attended by Mr. Thanos Begkas, President of the Development Organization of the Region of Central Macedonia, Ms. Margarita Kalaitzidou, Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic, Archimandrite Methodios Alexiou, representing the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, Mr. Filotheos, members of the Board of Directors of the Association “Friends of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle,” journalists, and members of Thessaloniki’s cultural and commercial community.