12 Jan Highest distinction for the National Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos”
During its annual Ceremonial Session on Thursday, December 19, 2024, the Academy of Athens honored the National Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos” with the Order of Ethics and Political Sciences award. This distinction recognizes the Foundation’s significant contribution to historical research and the preservation of the legacy of Eleftherios Venizelos.
The award was received by the General Director of the National Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos,” Nikolaos Papadakis-Papadis, from the President of the Academy of Athens, Stamatios Krimizis, in the Academy’s packed hall.
This distinction marks the highest honor and recognition for the Foundation’s work over the 25 years since its establishment. Eleftherios Venizelos himself played a decisive role in the founding of the Academy of Athens, the country’s preeminent intellectual institution.
The event was attended by numerous Academicians, including former Speaker of Parliament Anna Benaki-Psarouda and Paschalis Kitromilidis, who, along with Apostolos Georgiadis, proposed the award of the foundation. Also present were former President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos, Minister of Education Kyriakos Pierrakakis, representatives of Parliament, ecclesiastical authorities, and institutional figures.
Among the attendees were Fali Vogiatzaki, President of the Goulandris Museum of Natural History and a partner of the Foundation; Eleni Gardika-Katsiadaki, the Foundation’s Scientific Advisor; Nikolaos Sarris and Stavros Nikiforakis, President and Vice President of the Foundation’s Attica Branch, respectively; Nikolaos Kastrinakis, President of the Foundation’s U.S. Branch; Argyro Chaniotaki-Smyrlaki, President of the Association of Friends of the Foundation; as well as many friends of the Foundation from Chania and Athens.