On behalf of the Minister of Culture of the French Republic, the Ambassador of France to Greece, Laurence Auer, awarded the decorations of the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters to the Artistic Director of the Athens Epidaurus Festival, Katerina Evangelatou.

At the ceremony held at the French Embassy on 31 January, Ms Auer also awarded the director Michael Marmarinos, Artistic Director of the 2023 European Capital of Culture Elefsis, with the decoration of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters.

The prestigious Order of Arts and Letters is one of the highest honours in France, and is awarded in recognition of outstanding contribution to the fields of letters, arts and culture. This prestigious distinction is awarded for the excellence and contribution to society of great personalities in the fields of literature, music, theatre, cinema and the sciences, in France and throughout the world.

As the Ambassador of France pointed out, with the assumption of the Artistic Direction of the Athens Epidaurus Festival by Katerina Evangelatou, French creation has become the focus of artistic programming, with some of the leading cultural events in theatre, music and dance being presented for the first time to the Greek audience.

The Ambassador praised the artistic career of K. Evangelatou both in Greece and internationally, acknowledging her outstanding contribution to the art of theatre and her expressed love for France and the French language. He also referred to the importance of her work for cultural heritage, her creativity and her vision as an artist.

“Your passion for the theatre, your ability to breathe new life into ancient texts while being attuned to the concerns of our time, your commitment to international partnerships, and in particular your connection with France, make you an exceptional ambassador for culture,” said Ms Auer.

Katerina Evangelatou also spoke about the symbolic importance of this decoration:

“The high honour bestowed on me today by the French Republic gives me new impetus to continue, as a human being and as an artist, to fight bravely for the timeless values of chivalry: honour, the promotion of justice, the defence of the weak, morality, generosity and kindness, loyalty to family and friends. I hope that through my work I can convey some of these values along with the truth and beauty of the theatre. Having lived a life immersed in Art and Letters, and growing up in an environment that nurtured me from childhood in these ideals, I feel that today’s honor does justice to the journey of my entire family, who taught me through their lives and works what mission means.”