EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis): The last few weeks, months and years the heart of Greece is beating around the tiny island of Kastelorizo, 75 miles east of Rhodes and only 5 miles south of Turkey. This island was and is thoroughly Greek through at least 3,000 years of history… And it has proven to be truly Greek, as it wholeheartedly participated in all the revolts against the Ottomans, giving everything it had, soldiers, materials, money… An island of merchants and sailors, who became very prosperous at times, they spared no effort and money to see Greece free…
Recently (since the signing of the U.N Treaty for the Law of the Sea in 1982), because of this little tiny island (actually a complex of three islands, Megisti, Ro, Strongyli) Greece is benefiting by enjoying a very big EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea – very much like the United States is benefiting by a huge EEZ spreading 100 miles around Hawaii, the Aleutian Islands and other territories in the Pacific. The last few days, for one more time, Greece and Turkey reached close to a war because of the Turkish disputes of international law, specifically around Kastelorizo… So it is not an exaggeration to suggest that our heart, the heart of all Greeks, beats around Kastelorizo…
Enjoy this wonderful concert by Manos Hadjidakis and Nana Mouskouri… Our two great artists realized the significance of Kastelorizo early… So one nice summer morning of 1991 they jumped on three Greek navy ships in Rhodes and arrived in the tiny island a few hours later, where they prepared and performed an amazing concert…
For those of you film lovers, let me remind you that the same year as the Hadjidakis-Mouskouri concert (1991) the movie “Mediterraneo” by Gabriele Salvatore was released with great success, also filmed 100% on Kastelorizo… A wonderful movie – you will enjoy every second of it… The movie won the best foreign language film Oscar in 1992…. Please take a look at the trailer by clicking here…. Mesmerizing music, even more fascinating cinematography, a beautiful overall story….
