New York
Friday, September 5, 2025
PRESS RELEASE
The World Council of Cretans mourns with deep sorrow the passing of Nikolaos Papadakis (Papadis), General Director of the Research and Study Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos,” a personality of global stature.
We mourn with profound sadness the loss of Nikolaos Papadakis (Papadis), a figure of international renown. With his integrity, unwavering character, and, above all, his outstanding scholarly expertise, he leaves behind a monumental body of work of national significance.
His decisive contribution to the creation and prominence of the “Eleftherios K. Venizelos” Foundation filled a major gap in the preservation and promotion of the remarkable work of our Ethnarch. His work at the Foundation, his writings, and especially his two-volume biography, “Eleftherios Venizelos: The Man, The Leader,” will forever illuminate critical aspects of our history for generations to come.
He was among the first to recognize the importance of the World Council of Cretans, consistently supporting it and actively participating in all its initiatives. He was a true friend, offering selfless support to Cretans around the world.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, to his colleagues at the “Eleftherios K. Venizelos” Foundation and its branches, and to all his friends around the world.
May his memory be eternal.
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* The World Council of Cretans, founded in 2003, aims to defend and preserve the history and cultural traditions of Crete and Greece, passing them on to younger generations and the communities where Cretans live and work worldwide. Its members include the Pancretan Association of America, the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand, the Pancretan Federation of Europe, the Pancretan Union of Athens, the Pancretan Brotherhood of Macedonia, the Cretan Brotherhood of Piraeus ‘Omonoia,’ and the Pancretan Union of South Africa.
