Leading members of the Greek diaspora from around the world came together in Ioannina to participate in the first Women & Hellenism Reunion, following up on the historic Inaugural Global Women & Hellenism Conference in 2024.
Delegates from Australia, the USA, the UK, and Greece all gathered for the reunion event in to reconnect and reflect on last year’s conference, which was organised by the Food For Thought Network.
The reunion was a smaller scale affair compared to the conference of last year, with notable highlights including a visit to Ioannina’s island and the Ali Pasha Museum, as well as valuable insights from Maria Hatzinakou of Chicago’s Greek Schools, Dr Maria Athanasiou from the UK and Effie Asvesti and Vasso Papadioti in Greece about the transformative nature of the conference.
“For me, the conference was a turning point,” Asveti said.
“It was the first time I was surrounded by so many Greeks of the diaspora, and it opened my world. It changed how I teach, broadened my perspective on Hellenic communities globally, and brought connections I could never have imagined.”
Dr Athanasiou praised FFTN founder Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou and all the people who helped put together last year’s event.
“I have organised and attended many conferences, but what I experienced in Ioannina last year was true ‘μεράκι’—a labor of love,” Dr Athanasiou said.
“I understand the challenges and complexities of such big ventures, but Varvara and her wider team really meant what they were doing; and they did it meaningfully.”
The weekend concluded with delegates enjoying the gastronomy of Epirus while continuing heartfelt conversations on heritage, world affairs, and community.
Athanasiou-Ioannou expressed gratitude to the Region of Epirus, the Municipality of Ioannina, and local supporters for their moral support while announcing that a Memorandum of Collaboration with the Municipality is underway.
They added that the Memorandum marks the beginning of a new chapter of cooperation and shared vision, with growing anticipation for future gatherings that will continue to bring together Hellenic women’s voices worldwide.
