The Zografeion Lyceum, founded in 1893 in Constantinople and a beacon of Greek literature, was named after the Northern Epirus magnate and National Benefactor, Christakis Zografos. Christakis Zografos, burdening the name of the school with his offering, offered the enormous sum of 10,000 gold pounds to finance the establishment of a modern and progressive school. This generous offering, which was intended to support Greek education in Constantinople, left a legacy that lives on to this day, 131 years later.

The descendants and students of Zografeio Lyceum never forgot their benefactor and traveled to his homeland to pay tribute to the man who contributed decisively to the establishment of their school. During their trip, the Zografeiotes visited Kestorati in Gjirokastër where Christakis Zografos was born, as well as the first Zografeia Didaskalia. This visit was the second in a row, after the first one that took place in 2015, demonstrating the lasting appreciation for the Great Benefactor.

The visit began on April 22, with the first stop being the Theodoros Papagiannis Museum of Contemporary Art, where the Zografios had the opportunity to be guided by the sculptor himself and learn more about the history of the village of Elliniko, the birthplace of Christakis Zografos. Afterwards, the delegation participated in an event entitled “Ioannina – Istanbul. Bridges of education and culture then and now” at the Dimitris Hatzis Cultural Space.

On April 23, the Zografeiotes visited the Zosimaia School Model High School, the school where Christakis Zografos attended. There, students and teachers warmly welcomed them and gave them a tour, despite the festive season. The official welcoming ceremony followed at the Ioannina City Hall, where the Zografeiotes were honored for their visit and the recognition of Christakis Zografos. At the ceremony, the Mayor of Ioannina, Thomas Begas, emphasized the importance of their presence and the value of the relationship between the two communities.

The Director of the Zografeio, Yiannis Demirtzoglou, spoke about the effort of the Greeks to keep the Greek identity alive in Constantinople, recognizing the significant contribution of the Zografeio Lyceum to the existence of this tradition. The event continued with a guided tour of the Archaeological Museum of Ioannina and then they visited the Soufari Sarai and the exhibition about the benefactors.

The second phase of their journey took the Zografiotes to Kestorati, the hometown of Christakis Zografou, where they were greeted with a warm and moving welcome. The residents of the neighboring village of Doxati shared traditional songs and stories about the Zografou family with them, while the mission continued with visits to Gjirokastra and the Municipality of Dropoli. In this area, the Zografiotes had the opportunity to pay homage to the first fallen of the Greco-Italian War.

The trip concluded with visits to important archaeological sites and traditional destinations in the region, such as Dodoni and Metsovo, while the visit to the rector of the University of Ioannina, Professor Anna Batistatou, was the last stop of this moving mission.

This journey, full of emotions and recognition, will remain engraved in the hearts of all participants as a recognition of the contribution of Christakis Zografou and the continuing importance of Zografeio Lyceum in Greek education.