Kalamos, Greece hosts ceremony honoring historic ties with Mesologgi

A commemorative ceremony titled “Το Μεσολόγγι τιμά το νησί Κάλαμος” was held on the island of Kalamos, part of the Lefkada region in Greece. The event marked the enduring bond formed during the 19th‑century siege and heroic exit of the Holy City of Mesologgi, when Kalamos residents opened their homes and offered shelter, food and protection to displaced Mesologgians.

The ceremony was attended by a range of officials, including the Metropolitan of Lefkada and Ithaca Theophilos, Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food Athanasios Kavvadias, Lefkada Mayor Xenophon Verginis, Mesologgi Mayor Spiros Diamantopoulos, President of the Lefkada Chamber Sotiris Skiadarese, President of the Kalamos community Panagiota Graspoulou, and Australian Ambassador to Greece Alison Duncan. Local choirs and community members also performed, underscoring the cultural and diplomatic friendship between Greece and Australia.

Organised annually by local authorities and community volunteers, the event aims to keep the historical memory alive and celebrate the values of hospitality, freedom and solidarity that characterize the Greek islands.