Thessaloniki Concert Hall – 29 March 2022, Presentation of the publication “Awakening of the Nation: PAYLOS MELAS”

The presentation of the luxurious publication “Awakening of the Nation: ‘Pavlos MELAS’” by the Foundation for the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and the Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA) took place with great success on Tuesday 29 March 2022 at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, in the Maurice Saltiel Hall. It is a rare collection of historical documents that includes more than one hundred letters of condolence received by the Mela and Dragoumi families when the news of the unexpected death of the Macedonian gladiator Pavlos Mela became known. The archival material was donated for its scientific promotion and exploitation by the IMMA by the hero’s granddaughter Natalia Ioannidis, who was present at the event and referred to the history of the publication, stressing that the right time had to be found to exploit the material “without melodramatism, but only with emotion”.

The sacrifice of Pavlos Melas and its particular importance for the era was mentioned in a video message by the Deputy Minister of Education and Religious Affairs, Rev. Professor of International Law and Foreign Policy, Mr. Angelos Syrigos. “The Macedonian Question for a while was a matter for the initiated. It was not yet something that touched the wider society. The sacrifice of Pavlos Melas did that,” Syrigos said, stressing that this sacrifice awakened public opinion. “We are very lucky as Greeks to have heroes like Pavlos Melas. It is our duty to honour them and to talk about them to the younger generation, about their ideals and their heroism”, underlined Mr. Alkiviadis Stephanis, Honorary Chief of the Army, former Deputy Minister of National Defence, while referring to the symbolic and essential value of the restoration of the Melas house.The event was honoured with the presence of the representative of the Deputy Minister of Interior (Sector Macedonia-Thrace), Mr. Thomas Tsimbas, the Commander of the 3rd Army Corps/NRDC-GR, Lieutenant General Sotirios Kostakoglou, Captain Parisis Kanoutos PN, Commander of the Naval Command of Northern Greece, presidents of clubs, organizations and associations of the city, representatives of the educational community, friends and associates of the Museum.

The event was moderated by Mr. Yannis Kessopoulos, General Director of the Municipal Company of Theatre, Information and Communication.

The publication was made on the initiative of the Ministry of National Defence, while the cost was borne by the Civil Non-Profit Company of Drama KYKLOPS.