The Estia Neas Smyrnis once again opens its doors to the memory and culture of Asia Minor with the 9th Cycle of Commemorative Events, “Hail, Asia Minor!” From September 13 to 27, 2026, the historic Estia Building (1 K. Paleologou St.) will become a meeting place for history, art, and literature, through a series of events that honor the heritage of the Greeks of Ionia and highlight the enduring significance of the Asia Minor experience.

Schedule of Events

• Memorial Day for the National Hieromartyr Saint Chrysostomos of Smyrna | Sunday, September 13, 2026 | 9:00 a.m.
  A religious and memorial event dedicated to Saint Chrysostomos, a symbol of spiritual leadership and martyrdom in Smyrna.

• Book Launch: “Saints of Smyrna” | Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.
  by His Eminence Metropolitan Symeon of Nea Smyrna. A work that highlights the city’s hagiographic roots and spiritual tradition.

• Guided tour of the Estia Museums’ collections & documentary screening | Saturday, September 19, 2026 | 11:00 a.m.
  “1922: The Great Uprooting.” Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the exhibits that preserve the material and symbolic heritage of Asia Minor, while the screening of the documentary offers a heart-wrenching look at the uprooting of 1922.

• Solo Painting Exhibition by Dora Skouteri-Maltezou | Monday, September 21, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.
  “Clothing in the Late 19th–Early 20th Centuries: The Woman of Smyrna.” Through the lens of costume history, the exhibition explores the social and cultural identity of women from Asia Minor during a time of transition.
  

• Book Launch: “Smyrna: The Pride of Ionia – The Education of the Greeks” | Tuesday, September 22, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. by Dr. Eleni Rapti. A study of the educational phenomenon in Smyrna, which elevated the city to the status of an intellectual beacon of Hellenism in Asia Minor.

• “Guardians of Heritage”: An intergenerational initiative by ESTIA for the 2026 European Heritage Days | Sunday, September 27, 2026 | 10:00 a.m.

ESTIA Neas Smyrnis is participating in the European Heritage Days 2026 (theme: “Heritage at Risk—Revitalization, Resilience, Reflection”) with the intergenerational, participatory initiative “Guardians of Heritage: Education, Oral History, and Action to Protect ESTIA’s Museum Collection.” The goal is to raise awareness among citizens of all ages regarding the protection of the tangible and intangible heritage of the Greek refugee community and to mobilize them as “guardians” of collective memory.

The schedule includes:

• Introductory seminar on the threats to cultural heritage (natural disasters, climate change, human intervention).

• Hands-on workshop on the prevention, documentation, and preservation of cultural heritage.

• Oral History Workshop (“Memories That Endure”), where community members will share family stories; the testimonies will be posted on a symbolic “Wall of Memory.”

• Emergency simulation exercise for the museum collection, involving role-playing, collaboration, and decision-making.

Curated by: ESTIA museum curator Ms. Georgia Sivri.
Admission is free, but registration is required by Friday, September 25 (maximum capacity: 25 people).