Sakellarios G. Tsikouris
Diploma Electrical Engineer
President, Kalymnos Regional Department of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE)
Member of the Executive Committee of the Dodecanese Regional Department of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE)
It seems that in Greece of 2026, the concept of upgrading school facilities has finally acquired its true nouveau riche meaning. Why bother investing in libraries, laboratories, and preserving the rich history of a landmark school building when its courtyard can instead be transformed into a first-class open-air bouzouki venue?
It is truly remarkable how some have managed to confuse cultural enrichment with the popping of expensive liquor bottles. A place where generations of Kalymnians and Dodecanesians once received their education is now set to host VIP tables, flowing whisky, and loud nightclub hits—complete with bottle service starting at €140 per bottle. A price that is, apparently, considered “accessible” for the ordinary citizens who are supposedly eager for entertainment.
The timing makes the situation even more controversial. The concert is scheduled for 26 July, on the eve of Saint Panteleimon’s Day, traditionally one of the busiest and most profitable periods of the summer for local restaurants, cafés, and tourism businesses. Instead of supporting the local economy during a difficult tourist season, public property is being used to host what is essentially a private, profit-driven commercial event, creating unfair competition for local businesses.
This naturally raises an important question: if this is clearly a lucrative private business venture expected to generate substantial revenue, was the historic school venue rented at an appropriate commercial rate? And if so, where will those funds go? Will they be invested back into Nikiforeio School to help address its long-standing needs?
A lack of suitable event venues cannot become a permanent excuse for stripping public institutions of their symbolic value. When a historic school is turned into a commercial nightlife venue, culture is not being promoted. Instead, what is being celebrated is the culture of spectacle, excessive consumption, and easy profit—inside the very place where, only months later, teachers will once again attempt to teach children the values of beauty, moderation, and education.
Amid all this enthusiasm for “entertainment,” another crucial detail appears to have been forgotten. Just a few meters away from this improvised concert venue stand Kalymnos General Hospital and the island’s Nursing Home. Patients fighting for their lives, families enduring moments of anxiety, and elderly residents seeking peace and quiet may instead find themselves listening to booming bass speakers and late-night festivities. It is difficult not to see this as an example of social insensitivity in the pursuit of commercial gain.
The culture of a society rarely disappears overnight. It fades quietly whenever public authorities lose the ability to distinguish between a genuinely public cultural event and a privately operated entertainment business using public property.
If school grounds are now to become nightlife venues, perhaps the sign above the entrance should be changed as well.
Instead of “Nikiforeio Secondary School,” perhaps it should simply read “Nikiforeio Live.”
At least then, we would be honest.
The real issue is not the lack of venues. It is the lack of vision, respect, and aesthetic judgment. Unfortunately, no headline performer—no matter how famous—can compensate for that.
