THE VISION – THE CREATION

The Olympism- Culture Centre “Kostis Palamas” was founded by a group of romantics, visionaries, and lovers of Culture, Art, and the Olympic world.

With years of dedication and involvement in the Cultural and Artistic events of the City and, by extension, our country, as well as at the international level, we organise numerous events for the common good, inspired by love and devotion to Culture, Olympism, and the Arts.
We tirelessly contribute and strive for the preservation, promotion, and enhancement of our Culture, as well as the revival of Olympic ideals for Peace, Freedom, Democracy, Equality, and Brotherhood.

These ideals cultivate Excellence, through which Olympic Education is developed through noble competition, creating the “good and virtuous citizen” of Plato, that is, brave, beautiful, healthy, and virtuous.

So, with the aim of shaping the integrated citizen with physical and mental well-being, for the benefit of the Common Good and the Youth of the World, we take care of our fellow citizens, both young and adult, through specialised programs for physical and mental health and well-being.

WHO WE ARE

The pioneers and inspirers of the vision and the main contributors to the creation, promotion, and development of the Olympism- Culture Centre “Kostis Palamas» are the administrative members for several years of the well-known sister organisation to the Olympism- Culture Centre the Association of Fine Arts of Patras «Kostis Palamas».

The founding member of the Association and the current President, Professor Doctor of Psychology and Physical Education, and artist Theodoros Mallias, is the Scientific Advisor-Coordinator. The renowned artist Georgia Giachou is the Manager of the Centre, and the postgraduate professor of Physical Education and Sports Science, Sofia Mallias, is the Director of Culture and Olympism programs.

Theodoros Mallias
Theodoros MalliasPh.D. in Psychology and Physical Education
Scientific
Advisor – Manager
Georgia Giachou
Georgia GiachouArtist
Manager of the Olympism- Culture
Centre “Kostis Palamas”
Sofia Mallia
Sofia MalliaProfessor of Physical Education
Director of Culture
and Olympic Programs

LOCATION

The Olympism- Culture Centre “Kostis Palamas” is located in a neoclassical building opposite the central entrance of the Symbolic Cultural area the Roman Odeon of Patras, on 19 Sotiriadou Street. With special dedication, artistic sensitivity, and functional excellence,
it is being developed with the aim to create a unique Cultural, Artistic, and Olympic Centre.

Within it, exhibitions of Greek and foreign artists will be held in the permanent exhibition space of the Gallery, as well as various original educational, cultural, artistic, and Olympic programs and events, some of which are implemented in specially designed spaces at 30 Germanou Street.

ACTIVITIES

The Centre collaborates with every association and organisation to achieve its goals, promoting culture, the arts, and the Olympics at both national and international levels. It also operates in partnership with the affiliated “Kostis Palamas” Association of Fine Arts in Patras, which has preserved and contributed to the promotion of the Palamas House, founded by Athanasios Stefanopoulos, and which now operates as the Kostis Palamas Literary Shelter. Together, we promote Olympic programs and Olympic education events for our students.

Our events and activities aim to cultivate and promote the visual arts on both a national and international level, highlighting artists and simultaneously teaching artistic creation to people of all ages and genders.

In our artistic workshop, we offer:

  • Art and artistic activity learning programs for children, students, young adults, and adults.
  • Presentations of the Artistic Archives of the Patras Artists who are members of the “Kostis Palamas” Fine Arts Association.

Additionally, we nurture the values and ideals of the Olympics and promote the recognition of Olympic ideals through the learning and promotion of Olympic Education, especially among students and the global Greek diaspora.
In this way, we seek UNESCO’s recognition of the timeless and global symbol of the Olympics, Kostis Palamas’ Olympic Hymn, as World Cultural Heritage for the revival and promotion of Olympic ideals and timeless values stemming from it through:

  • Audiovisual lectures, video presentations, and events on a national and international level, primarily within the global Greek diaspora, featuring Palamas’ poetry set to music, recitations, and art exhibitions related to the poet’s work.
  • Collection of letters of support and endorsement of the Declaration by International Organisations and Personalities from the fields of Letters, Arts, and Sports for the recognition of the Olympic Hymn as World Cultural Heritage.
  • Presentation and promotion of the luxury bilingual book-album, accompanied by a corresponding video, titled “OLYMPISM-THE OLYMPIC HYMN-ANCIENT IMMORTAL SPIRIT-KOSTIS PALAMAS.”
  • Promotion of Patras by showcasing its Global and Timeless Symbols, the birthplace of the hymn’s lyricist, Kostis Palamas, as an International City of the Olympic Hymn, with the aim of recognition and increasing its visitation.
  • Organisation, in collaboration with Patras entities, of a 10-day International Festival of Culture, Arts, Olympism, and Tourism every two years, featuring the symbolic and commemorative lighting of the Olympic flame at the Palamas Residence.

Moreover, our special educational and entertainment programs on Olympic Education, primarily targeting children and youth and also conducted in the symbolic place of the Palamas Residence, the Kostis Palamas House of Letters, include:

  • Educational and Pedagogical Philosophy and Practical Application of Olympic Education.
  • Presentation of the Timeless and Global Symbols of Western Greece.
  • The historical and timeless Composition of the Olympic Hymn by Kostis Palamas.
  • Presentation of the journey of the beginning of Sports in Ancient Greece, the Olympic Games, as well as the ideological and realistic dimension of the Olympic Games.