A vision born thirteen years ago among certain courageous and important fellow citizens of ours, and in recent years set on a path of completion, has begun to move and enthuse part of public opinion in the universities and intellectual circles of Europe.

The reconstruction of the House of Ugo Foscolo, its conversion into a visitable historic place and the promotion, through conferences and scholarly study days, of the poet’s work have become the object of international attention, in a way that especially honours our homeland, Zakynthos.

On Saturday 4 November a delegation of the Association “Ugo Foscolo”, accompanied by friends and compatriots, visited the capital of Belgium to take part in the events organised by the University of Brussels and the Embassies of Greece and Italy.

The Association’s mission to Brussels was undertaken with its own financial means, without any support from public or private bodies, and besides Association members several of its friends also took part.
On behalf of the Association’s Board the participants were President Filippos Synetos and Special Secretary Stefania Kapnisi.

During their stay in Brussels they held a series of meetings with the Greek Ambassadors Dionysios Kalambrezos and Ioannis Vrailas, the Vice-President of the EU Margaritis Schinas, MEPs Evangelos Meimarakis and Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, professors, members of the university community and representatives of associations and organisations in the Belgian capital.

Scholarly study day at the University of Brussels

Last Monday 6 November, at 6 p.m., on the initiative of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), the Embassies of Italy and Greece in Brussels, the Italian Cultural Institute and scholarly organisations in Belgium, a scholarly study day was held on the Solbosch campus at which academics and intellectuals spoke on the poet’s work and ideas in what was perhaps the most turbulent period of European history.

Under the title “Europe Remembers Ugo Foscolo”, the university, the embassies of the poet’s two homelands and specialist scholars analysed and presented aspects of the poet’s work and life from Zakynthos, Italy and Europe.

Greetings at the event were delivered by:
- Lina Mendoni, Minister of Culture and Sports (by a written message that was read out).
- Dionysios Kalambrezos, Ambassador of Greece to Belgium,
- Federica Favi, Ambassador of Italy to Belgium,
- Filippos Synetos, President of the “Cultural Association Ugo Foscolo”,
- Dr Anastasia Samara-Krispi, President of the I.D.N.M. Krispi Foundation (by a written message that was read out).

Speakers then included:
- Maria Sgouridou, Professor at the University of Athens, on the topic: Ugo Foscolo: Moments of European history through the literary production of an Italian poet, novelist and patriot
- Claudio Gigante, Professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, on the topic: Foscolo and Diogenes
- Nikolaos Stogios, Lecturer at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, on the topic: Reflections on Foscolian patriotism – Between diachronic memory and historical consciousness
- Thea Rimini, Lecturer at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, on the topic: Rewriting Foscolo through images
- Maria Patakia, Poet-Lawyer, on the topic: Ugo Foscolo: the scholar/citizen of Europe.
In his greeting the President of the C.A.Z. “Ugo Foscolo” presented to the audience the way in which Zakynthos has honoured, from the day of his death in 1827 to our own time, the poet as her worthy intellectual child.

After the lectures there followed a greeting by Mr Char. Kontonis, as representative of the Greek Union for the Federation of Europe – Federalists, and a dialogue between the speakers and the public that attended the event. Among those present were also several Zakynthians who live and work in Brussels.
Coordinator and driving force of the event on the Greek side was the energetic Ambassador of our country to Belgium, Dionysis Kalambrezos, who enjoys great esteem in the political and intellectual circles of the Belgian capital.

The Meeting with the Vice-President of the European Commission

The event aroused the interest of many circles in the Belgian capital and the following day, Tuesday 7 November, the Vice-President of the European Union, Margaritis Schinas, received the delegation in his office.
Mr Schinas praised the initiatives and work of the C.A.Z. “Ugo Foscolo” and discussed at length details of the Association’s plans for promoting its activities and supporting the new Museum in our City.
A deep connoisseur of European culture, he presented aspects of the European Union’s work in highlighting and promoting cultural assets and wished the President and members of the delegation every success in their goals.

Meeting with Members of the European Parliament

The same day the Association’s delegation met Greek MEPs at the European Parliament premises. The mission was received by MEP and former ND President Evangelos Meimarakis and MEP Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou.
Both Mr Meimarakis and Ms Asimakopoulou congratulated the President and members of our delegation on their initiatives to create a new museum on the site where the poet Nicolaos Ugo Foscolo was born, stressing the enormous contribution such undertakings make to strengthening our national image. They referred to the European Parliament’s work in supporting issues of interest to our country and promised to visit Zakynthos and the new Museum as soon as possible.

Meeting with the Permanent Representative of Greece to the EU

On the afternoon of the same day the Permanent Representative of Greece to the EU, Ambassador Ioannis Vrailas, received the C.A.Z. “Ugo Foscolo” delegation at the offices of the Permanent Representation. Mr Vrailas briefed the mission members on the functioning and activity of the Permanent Representation to the EU and on the prospects opened by the new intergovernmental and regional programmes for supporting cultural initiatives in the regions.
Mr Ioannis Vrailas institutionally handles all matters of our country’s European policy in Brussels and constitutes the most decisive link in our representation in the EU’s highest bodies. He enjoys esteem and respect in all circles of the EU and the European Parliament and is a highly productive unit of our foreign policy in the EU.

Reception at the Ambassadorial Residence

On the evening of the same day the Ambassador of Greece to Belgium, Dionysis Kalambrezos, gave a reception in honour of the Association’s delegation at the Ambassadorial Residence in Brussels, where warm greetings, toasts and gifts were exchanged.
Mr Dionysios Kalambrezos and his wife, Zeta Dermari, received all the guests with particular courtesy and created the atmosphere of a most pleasant evening.
Present at the reception were the Ambassador of Italy to Belgium, Federica Favi, the Permanent Representative of Greece Ioannis Vrailas, the university professors Mark Janse, Claudio Gigante, Nikolaos Stogios and Thea Rimini, the poet and lawyer Maria Patakia, diplomats and representatives of associations and organisations in the Belgian capital.

The C.A.Z. “Ugo Foscolo” delegation returned to Greece on Wednesday 8 November with the satisfaction of having contributed decisively to broadening the horizons of the Association and of the work it has carried out from its founding in 2009 to the present day.