French Philhellenes Learn Greek in Kalymnos – Greek Lessons in Kalymnos
On Friday, July 18, 2025, one of the two Greek language and literature course cycles concluded in Myrties, Kalymnos, organized for a group of twenty adult French Philhellenes visiting the island.
These lessons were part of the activities of the French association “Odyssey: Voyages and Discoveries” for the promotion of the Greek language in France, in collaboration with Mr. Philippe Villant—an enthusiast of the island and resident of Kalymnos—Mrs. Fotini Tiliakou, a French teacher on the island, and Mr. G. Kostakiotis, a teacher of Modern Greek in France.
The week-long course included:
- Greek language lessons
- Literary analysis of excerpts from works by Yiannis Maglis, such as “The Damned of the Sea”, “There Are No Sinners”, and “Smugglers of the Aegean”
- Traditional Kalymnian dance and song lessons
Mr. George Kostakiotis was responsible for the Greek language instruction, while Mr. Vangelis Tsaganos led the dance classes.
Lessons took place in the guesthouse of the Parish Church of the Entry of the Theotokos in Myrties, kindly offered by Father Meliton Chatzidakis, the parish priest.
Mr. Kostakiotis teaches Modern Greek at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris (INALCO – Modern Greek) and is active in the Odyssey Association (www.odyssee-periples.org).
During their stay, the students and teachers immersed themselves in Kalymnian culture:
- Visited the Maritime Museum, where they were guided by Mr. Yiannis Cheilas
- Explored the “Kalymnian House”, a heritage museum founded by the late Faneromeni Skylla and now run by her daughter Eirini
- Visited the Monastery of Saint Savvas
- Connected with locals, explored beaches, villages, and historical monuments
- Enjoyed Kalymnian cuisine in various restaurants
All participants were thrilled by the warm hospitality of Kalymnos.
There is hope that this initiative will be repeated with the same or new students, as interest in learning Greek continues to grow.
