The 2nd Kontomari Festival “Days of Remembrance” is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the Republic, which starts tomorrow, Sunday, May 26, and will last until Sunday, June 2.
The Festival, organized by the Kontomari Cultural Association with the support of the Region of Crete, the Municipality of Platanias and the village authorities, includes theater, music, speeches, photo exhibitions, student projects, educational program, workshops, film screenings, performances, oral narratives and more.
“It is important for us that the Festival is organized this year for the second time, because from the beginning we want to create something that will last over time and be improved by many actions”, said the president of the Kontomari Cultural Association, Antonis Akrotirianakis, who spoke on “routes”.
Continuing, he emphasized about the theme of this year’s Festival which was chosen as the Association believes that “the answer to every fascist practice and challenge and to every form of oppression is Democracy”.
“The fact that 50 years have passed since the end of the dictatorship, where we live in a democratic state, is an occasion to investigate the questions that have arisen. There is an indisputable need to connect history with the present and in the memory of daily practice”, said Mr. Akrotirianakis and added that in addition to the theme of Democracy, this year the Festival will also honor the memory of the 23 civilians who were killed in Kontomari in June 1941 through actions dedicated to in the Battle of Crete, etc.
At the same time, the Kontomari Festival “Days of Remembrance” seeks to attract and mobilize the new generations, offering a rich program of events that combine Cultural, Educational and Scientific actions: “It 83 years since the Kontomari massacre.
And since there are fewer and fewer people who lived through the dramatic events and are still alive to bring us their testimonies, we believe that in order to study the spiritual and emotional history in history, the best way is through the Arts, together with the scientific knowledge that historians, teachers, etc. can give us. And we are very happy as members of the Association that the effort we make is embraced by artists, scientists and teachers and they work with us”.
The program of the Festival
Sunday, May 26
– 19:00-20:30: Theater performance for children and adults “Dinosaurs. A Night at the Museum” from the theater company Avli ton Thaumaton.
– 20: 30-21: 30: Presentation of oral testimonies of the inhabitants of the village – “The people from Kontomari remember” in collaboration with the Oral History Group of Chania.
Monday, May 27
Educational Program for morning visits to school classes – “Unwinding the thread towards Democracy” (Morning Zone).
Tuesday, May 28
Educational Program for morning visits to school classes – “Unwinding the thread towards Democracy” (Morning Zone).
– 18:00-21:00: Workshop “The Children’s Assembly” by members of the “Chania-Frene Network of Collaborative Schools” group for teachers and those dealing with children.
– 21:00-22:30: Film screening
Wednesday, May 29
Educational Program for morning visits to school classes – “Unwinding the thread towards Democracy” (Morning Zone).
– 17:30-20:30: Workshop “Collective memory and identity” by psychologist Marianna Kladis and animator Dimitris Kyrkos for adults.
– 20:30-21:00: Student presentations in collaboration with Platanias High School – “The quality of life of teenagers: Diagnoses, preferences and remedial proposals”.
– 21:00-22:30: Presentation / screening of the film, “LIDICE – A tree remembers” in collaboration with the Czech Center in Athens
Thursday, May 30
Educational Program for morning visits to school classes – “Unwinding the thread towards Democracy” (Morning Zone).
– 19:30-20:30: Presentation, “The historical refuge of Platanias speaks…” of the Platanias Cultural & Development Association.
– 20:30-21:00: Speech, “Crete in the Years of Occupation” by historian Yiannis Skalidakis.
– 21:00-22:30: Screening of the documentary/Discussion, “The last prayer: The record of two murders in the shadow of Psiloritis”. This will be followed by a discussion with directors Vicky Arvelakis and Katerina Bikakis.
Friday, May 31
Educational Program for morning visits to school classes – “Unwinding the thread towards Democracy” (Morning Zone)
– 20:00-20:30
Speech, “Writing Village History: the importance of creating a community record” by historian Carmen Vourvahakis
– 20:30-21:00
The speech, “Memory, healing and responsibility” by the historian Stefan Stracke, the debate will be moderated by the Greek-German journalist Giannis Malaminas
– 21:30-22:30
Dance Performance – “Dance Dialogue”
from dance clubs (Cretan, Pontic, Flamenco)
Saturday, June 1, 2024
– 19:00-19:30
Speech, “The formation of the Greek political system (1918 – 1967)” by the APTh professor. of the Department of Journalism and Media, Antonis Skamnakis
– 19:30-22:30: Mikres Skines, an artistic walk in the village with presentations by groups of artists from Chania (recitations, performances, experimental music, etc. in different parts of the village)
Sunday, June 2, 2024
– 19:00-20:30: Official event, Memorial service from the village Parish and speeches from the Municipality of Platanias
– 20:30-21:00: Review of the Festival
– 21:00-23:30: Music concert with musical design “Tetraicho”, Manousakis, Stavrianoudakis, Renieris, Loufardakis
Every day
– Photo exhibitions and historical documents
– Cafe “the microcosm”