The International Society of Friends of Nikos Kazantzakis (DEFNK) and the Slovenian- Greek cultural association, in cooperation with the Greek embassy, plan to install commemorative plaques around Slovenia in order to inform the public of Nikos Kazantzakis’ presence in the country.
In July 1956, the famous Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis, accompanied by his wife Helen visited the wonderful mountain towns of Bohinj and Rogaska Slatina in Slovenia, for health reasons. Several years ago, the Greek embassy found the two hotels where the couple used to reside and placed a commemorative plaque in each one, which according DEFNK no longer exist.
The DEFNK delegation visited Koper, the birthplace of Kapodistrias, in the Adriatic Sea, as well as the museum which features a statue of him in the courtyard. In 1944, Nikos Kazantzakis wrote a play for the first governor Greece, which was produced at the National Theatre of Athens in 1946. As a result, DEFNK is planning on arranging an event entitled “Kapodistrias and Kazantzakis,” in Koper, next year.
In a ceremony that was held in Krani, near the capital, Ljubljana, the president of DEFNK George Stassinakis presented the work and ideas of Nikos Kazantzakis, while students read excerpts from his book “Captain Michalis” and interpreted songs from the album by Manos Hadjidakis.
Teachers, translators, journalists, writers, students and members of different associations proceeded to establish two new sections of DEFNK in Slovenia and Serbia.