The Northern Epirus Research Foundation in Ioannina opened its doors to commemorate the 112th anniversary of the Autonomy of Northern Epirus. The event, which brought together dozens of citizens and members of the Foundation, focused on highlighting the historical memory and culture of Northern Epirus Hellenism, with the celebration of the pie for 2026 coming later as a symbolic moment.
The President of the Foundation, Nikos Ifantis, opened the discussion by emphasizing that the I.B.E. is a unique place of study, archives of great scientific value and rare collections of objects from the Northern Epirus area. He emphasized, however, that the continuation of its work depends on the arrival of new members and on the active support of both the State and local bodies, with emphasis on the Municipality of Ioannina and the Region of Epirus.
The event included two main speeches. Philologist and writer Charilaos Leontaris referred to the historical context of the Autonomy of Northern Epirus on February 17, 1914, highlighting the perennial challenges to the rights of the Greek National Minority in Albania and the influence of foreign powers and ecclesiastical bodies in the region.
Spyros Ergolavos presented in detail the work of seven Northern Epirus Benefactors, highlighting their origins, their lives and their selfless contribution to their places of origin and to the countries where they were active. The coordinating presence of the educator and member of the Panagiota Florou Foundation contributed to the smooth flow of the discussion and the highlighting of the key messages of the presentations.
At the end, participants had the opportunity to cut the Foundation's established pie for 2026, in a brief but symbolic gesture that marks the continuation of the collective effort to preserve historical and cultural memory.
The event clearly highlighted two things: the cultural heritage of Northern Epirus requires the care and participation of everyone, while the active presence of new members and the support of institutional bodies is crucial for the Northern Epirus Research Foundation to remain alive and productive for the coming decades.
