The Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism (SHP – www.eefshp.org) organizes an opening ceremony of the Philhellenism Museum (www.phmus.org) in Athens.

On the opening day, a ceremony will take place during which the SHP and the Philhellenism Museum will award the Lord Byron medal and an honorary diploma to 15 descendants of important Philhellenes who supported Greece during the Greek Revolution.

From France: Charles Nicolas Fabvier, Pasquale Gambini, Jean-François Maxime Raybaud, Olivier Voutier
From Germany: Wilhelm Bellier de Launoy , Heinrich Treiber
From Switzerland: Jean-Gabriel Eynard, Henri Fornèsy
From USA: Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, Julia Ward Howe
From Italy: Giuseppe Chiappe, Michele Gramsi
From the United Kingdom: Frank Abney Hastings

THE PHILHELLENES

*French General Charles Nicolas Fabvier (1782 –1855), was one of the most beloved Philhellenes who fought in Greece. He wore a Greek costume and took part in many military operations. He organized the regular corps in Greece to deal with Ibrahim’s invasion in the Peloponnese. The National Assembly at Troezena declared him a Greek citizen, and King Otto honored him with the Great Cross of the Order of the Redeemer.

*Pasquale Gambini was a Philhellene from Corsica, who served in the Corps of Philhellenes as a flag bearer. He was captured by the Turks during the Battle of Analatos (April 24, 1827). He was taken to the camp of Kioutachis Pasha in Patissia and was killed on the same day.

**Jean-François Maxime Raybaud (1795-1894) was a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars and one of the first Philhellenes to fight in Greece. He participated in the Siege of Tripolitsa as a member of the unit of the British Philhellene General, Thomas Gordon. He was wounded in the Battle of Haidari in 1826. He was the editor of the French expeditionary corps in Morea (1828), and the publisher of the French newspaper Le Courrier d’Orient until 1829. His Memoires sur la Grece are an important source of information around the Greek Struggle.

*Officer of the French Navy Olivier Voutier (1796-1877) arrived in Greece in 1821. He participated in the expedition of Peta with the Battalion of Philhellenes. His Mémoires du colonel Voutier sur la guerre actuelle des grecs (1823) are an important source of information on the Greek Struggle. Voutier´s wish was to be remembered as a hero of the Greek Independence. He was honored by the Greek state with the Golden Cross of the Order of the Redeemer.

*Wilhelm Bellier de Launoy (1786-1826) was an officer of the Cavalry of the Prussian Army. He arrived in Greece in November 1821 and fought in the first phase of the siege of the Acropolis of Athens, under the orders of Dimitrios Ypsilantis. In Messolonghi he wrote his work Einige Worte über Griechenland to move the Philhellenes. He fought against Omer Vryonis in the Ligovitsa plain. He fell heroically at the Exodus of Missolonghi, on April 10, 1826.

*The German Philhellene Heinrich Treiber (1796-1882) participated in the Greek Struggle between 1822-1828 as a military doctor. He contributed decisively to the development of public health in Greece. Treiber helped significantly Greece during a great cholera epidemic which struck Athens in 1854. He taught Medicine at the University of Athens, and introduced anesthesiology in Greece. He died in Athens in 1882.

*The Swiss banker and diplomat Jean-Gabriel Eynard (1775-1863) was a pillar of the philhellenic movement in Europe – a true Benefactor of the Greek nation. His philhellenism was inspired by his acquaintance with Ioannis Kapodistrias at the Congress of Vienna. He coordinated the philhellenic committees in Europe, and financed the Greek Struggle.

*Henri Fornèsy (1803-1872) was a Swiss Philhellene from Orbe. He served in the Regular Army as adjutant of the staff of the Company of Philhellenes, under the command of the French Philhellene Charles Fabvier, whom he followed in all his campaigns. In 1860 he compiled a list of the Philhellenes who fought for the Greek Independence. He died in Athens in 1872.
It will also honour four representatives of the academic community from Spain, Poland and the United Kingdom and a diplomat from Belgium, who researched different aspects of Philhellenism and helped record the biographies of Philhellenes:

William St Clair
Theo Dirix
Maria Kalinowska
Eva Latorre
Gosciwit Malinowski
The ceremony will be attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Dendias (SHP´s actions are under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the Minister of Culture Ms. Mendoni, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Vlassis, the Regional Governor of Attica Mr. Patoulis, the Secretary General of the Academy of Athens Mr. Zerefos, the Ambassadors of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Spain and Poland, as well as Representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, etc.

The ceremony will take place on July 7, 2021, at 19.30, at the Museum of Philhellenism.

You may follow the vent from the following link:

Youtube link: https://youtu.be/1eKTxlJHjQc