Criminally forgotten in the modern era, renaissance man, archaeologist and social activist Themistocles Sofoulis was not only the architect of the union of Samos with Greece, but also a staunch proponent of democracy, playing pivotal roles in the development of Greece during the first world war, the national schism, the aftermath of the Asian minor catastrophe, the Metaxas dictatorship and the aftermath of the German occupation. Emollient, collegial and measured, always willing to include all sides of politics in the national conversation, had he been listened to, chances are the civil war never would have taken place or at least would have ended quickly. Three times a prime minister of Greece, his vision of a democratic progressive and inclusive society remains if not a forgotten then certainly an unattained dream.

This seminar will explore the fascinating life and times of this great Greek while also analysing the obstacles that lay in his path.

BIO

Dean Kalimniou is a lawyer, poet and short story writer within the Greek community. Since 2001 he has maintained a weekly column – opinion piece in Neos Kosmos called Diatribe. His prolific writings include numerous poetry collections in Greek and translated the works of many local Greek authors into English. He has also published translations of Papadiamantis’ short stories in the critical anthology “The Boundless Garden. Selected Short Stories.” A few years he released his first bilingual children’s book. “Simela and the Magic Kemenche”, and this was followed by another one children’s book in 2024, “The Librarian from Cappadocia”.

Event Details:

When: Thursday 20 March 2025, 7pm

Speaker: Dean Kalimniou

Seminar: Themistoklis Sofoulis – The man who could have saved Greece from the Civil War

Where: Greek Centre (Mezzanine, 168 Lonsdale St, Melbourne)

Entry: Free