Press release – Milos Mining Museum 20th anniversary
On Saturday, June 9, 2018, Milos Mining Museum (ΜΜΜ) celebrated its 20 years of operation along with its numerous friends and associates at an event full of historical memories and total account. The event was attended, among others, by the Mayor of Milos, Mr. Gerasimos Damoulakis, the Chairman of the island’s Port Fund, Mr. Nikolaos Xenakis, Mr. Odysseas Kyriakopoulos, Mrs. Fali Voyiatzaki, Vice President of the Goulandris Museum of Natural History, Mrs. Eleftheria Dimou , Prof. Michalis Fitikas, Mr. Loukianos Komis, Mr. and Mrs Marketou, executives of IMERYS on Milos, and others.
The guests were welcomed by Mrs. Anna Vogli, Director of MMM and the Milos Operations Manager of Imerys Industrial Minerals Hellas S.A., Mr. John Sanoudos, who made reference to the Company’s support to the Museum and its work over the years, especially thanking Mr.Manousos Kantsos and Mrs. Vogli for their contribution.
Reverend Nektarios conveyed the greeting of Dorotheus II, the Metropolitan of Syros & Milos. Then, Milos Mayor Mr. Damoulakis addressed the public referring to the educational and cultural work of the Museum and the relationship it has developed with the local community over the years, and highlighted the importance of Miloterranean, a MMM initiative addressing the needs of tourism and education at a local level. Mr. Athanasios Kefalas, Managing Director of IMERYS Industrial Minerals Greece S.A., commented on the contribution of the Kyriacopoulos Family to the creation and development of the Museum as a cultural and educational center as well as to the support IMERYS has been providing to the Museum’s actions over the last 3 years.
Main speaker of the event was Nicole Kyriacopoulos, who made a historical retrospection of the Museum’s founding first idea all the way through to its completion, referring to the working group that she created 22 years ago following the wish of Mrs. Kitty Kyriacopoulos. Then, a brief reference was made to the milestones of the Museum’s 20 years of operation, the creation by Efi Xirou of two short films with the old miners’ narratives in 2002, the Museum’s independent operation as a non-profit organization in 2007, MMM’s 2009 renovation undertaken by the architect Despina Tsafou, and the official opening of the Zaphiris Vaos Obsidian Collection exhibition in 2011, under the supervision of Antikleia Agrafioti, Professor of Prehistoric Archeology. Special thanks was addressed to Dr. Eleftheria Dimou, Mineralogist, for the texts of the re-exhibition and of the Museum Guide, available at the Museum Shop as of this year.
Mrs. Vogli presented the Museum’s educational activities from the very first year of its foundation until today, through photographs taken during the various educational programs, attended each year by more than 800 students of all educational levels of the Milos Schools. A special presentation of all MMM’s educational activities were presented to the teachers of Milos at a special event on May 19, 2018.
Special mention was made to the activities and programs that took place within the framework of the 20th anniversary celebration and on the occasion of MMM’s participation to the International Museum Day 2018 and the European Year of Cultural Heritage. Six Mix-Match & Run programs were implemented in collaboration with the Mineralogy Museum of the Athens University and 6 Homo Oryctus programs in collaboration with the Cultural Company Peripatos, which organized the very successful Escape Room for adults from 17-20 May. In the framework of its new programs, MMM, reaching out beyond the island’s geographical boudnaries, launched this year a museum kit as well as a self-guided tour set for families and small groups, an original approach to the Museum’s exhibits. Both packs are available in Greek, English and French, making of the Museum a cultural attraction for Greek and foreign visitors.
A brief speech by the representative of the European Museum Forum Mrs. Cristina Vannini followed, analyzing the long term relationship of the two institutions. Prof. Antiklia Agrafioti concluded the Speeches section, with a referrerence to the significance of the Zafiris Vaos Obsidian Collection exhibition and its objectives defining the relationship between space (i.e. Milos) and things, (i.e. the Vaos Collection). Geology and Culture are inextricably intertwined on this island; a further exploitation of the Vaos Obsidian Collection could lead to the development of Practical Training Seminars for the academia, making of Milos a center of research and education on Obsidian.
The event closed with a tour of the guests at the Museum’s exhibition areas and a treat with MILOTERRA wine from the Trachilas Vineyard of IMERYS.
Milos, 11 of June 2018
