THE EVENT OF HONOUR AND REMEMBRANCE FOR IOANNIS KAPODISTRIAS
In the afternoon of Tuesday, September 26th 2017, in the Spiritual Centre (Akadimias 2) and in the context of the Memorial and Honour events for Ioannis Kapodistrias (annual anniversary of his assassination), the Holy Metropolis of Corfu, Paxoi and Diapontian Islands and the Ionian Centre of Unesco in cooperation with the Administrative Region of Ionian Islands, the Ionian University, the Municipality of Corfu, the Regional
Directorate of Education of the Ionian Islands, the Bar Association of Corfu and other local organizations, organised an event- tribute to Ioannis Kapodistrias entitled ” Ioannis Kapodistrias as an exemplar and guide for today and Tomorrow”. The event was prompted by Archpriest Themistoklis Mourtzanos, General Prelatic Warden of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu.
The first to speak was George Papathanasopoulos, journalist and writer, who made a speech on “Ioannis Kapodistrias as a model of spiritual and political leaderhip for today”. The first Governor of Greece, with his morality, integrity of character, deep faith in Christ abd the simplicity of his life, is the example of the man that every Greek has to imitate especially in modern times of globalization, easy money and amoralism, where faith and love for one’s country are considered as unprogressive.
Sophia Moraiti, Ph. D holder of the University of Athens, historian and researcher was the next one and talked about “Ioannis Kapodistrias and Education. from the Public School of Tenedos to the Orphanage of Aegina.” Apart from everything else, Kapodistrias loved to learn new things.
From the very first moment, he wanted to educate Greek people. Thus, in 1805 the Public School of Tenedos, the first Greek public School was established in Corfu, attended by 140 students, the future civil workers, in five departments. Kapodistrias was their director. In 1829, Ioannis Kapodistrias established an Orphanage in Aegina, taking care even for the Greek orphans.
Third speaker was Georgios Sklavounos, historian and researcher, spoke on the subject: ” Ioannis Kapodistrias prepares the fight of 1821″ In 1807, Ioannis Kapodistrias helped in the fortifications and defense of Lefkada, against the forces of Ali Pasha and the French forces. In the Easter of 1819, the people responsible for the revolution had a meeting in Corfu. The Kapodistrias’s family was associated with the Ypsilantis’s family. Christophoros Perraivos was also the link between Rigas Feraios and Ioannis Kapodistrias.
Finally, his Eminence, the Metropolitan of Corfu, Paxoi and Diapontian Islands Nektarios after having thanked the speakers, underlined the fact that nowadays, proper leaders with self-sacrifice do not exist. Ioannis Kapodistrias was such a leader, a Corfiot who loved Christ and his Homeland. However, hate, envy and jealousy of people took his life away. It is our duty to visit his grave and thank him for everything that he offered us, especially today where everything is being destroyed, added mr. Nektarios.
The event was coordinated by Georgios Donatos, Emeritus Professor of Athens’s Law School.
