Theodora Yannitsi, Director of the Greek Cultural Center, met with VolSU students

The meeting with the director of the Greek Cultural Center in Moscow, filmmaker, actress and historian Theodora Yannitsi took place in the Scientific Library of Volgograd State University named after Oleg Inshakov. The event was held as part of the XVII International Documentary Film Festival "Won Together". The project is aimed at preserving the historical memory and depicting the problems of modern society and its tendencies.

Theodora Yanntsi, as a creative person, a promoter of the cultural heritage of Hellas, with an acting education and practice, began her performance by reciting the opening lines of Euripides' tragedy "Hippolytus": “Of all people who gaze upon the sunlight and inhabit regions between the Pillars of Atlas and the Euxine Sea, I look with favour on those who give my power due respect, but I strike down all those who, stuffed with pride, disparage me…”

Then Theodora gave a presentation on "Greece and Russia: Common Pages of History". She showed the historical unity of the Greek and Russian people, which began with the adoption of the common Orthodox faith and continues to this day.

Theodora Yannitsi accompanied her report with a presentation and documentary newsreel, she concluded by showing an episode from a documentary about the origins of the Greek holiday, the Day of Ohi. It commemorates the rejection of the ultimatum delivered by Fascist Italy to Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas on October 28, 1940. The Greek word "ohi" means "no". It was "ohi" that Metaskas responded to the Italian ambassador when the Greeks were demanded that Italian troops enter the country and occupy ports, airfields and other strategic facilities. Otherwise, war. "Ohi" was answered not only by the prime minister, but also by the people of Greece, who took to the streets and chanted "όχι." Since 1942, October 28 has been celebrated as a national holiday.

Theodora Yannitsi expressed her gratitude to Volgograd State University for giving the floor and organizing the meeting. She also presented the University a book, which compiled the results of the last year's conference of the Department of History of the Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Greek national liberation revolution and the cross Year of Greek and Russian history. Its presentation will take place in a few days in Moscow.

Synopsis

Theodora Yannitsi was born and raised in Athens. She graduated with honors from the Experimental School of the University of Athens and entered the Department of History and Archaeology of the University of Athens. After receiving a scholarship from the Soviet Society "Motherland", Theodora came to Moscow State University to study at the History Department. She defended her doctoral dissertation, "The Greek World in the Late Eighteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries According to Russian Sources (On the Study of Greek Self-Consciousness)." She also graduated with honors from the Faculty of Acting of the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (RATI-GITIS). Since 2005 she has been the director of the Greek Cultural Center.

By Sophia Gugelia