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Twinning: Letter of Patriarch Bartholomew I

In the 1980s, the Alaya Association was renamed the “Alaya Association of Nea Ionia, Attica and Surrounding Areas,” adopting as its emblem the Red Tower and the historic shipyard of Alaya. During the same period, its outreach and activities expanded significantly: journeys by members to Alaya—already beginning in 1952—evolved into regular missions of remembrance and reconnection with the place of origin. These contacts fostered relationships of mutual esteem with the Municipal Authority of Alaya and with many philhellene residents.

This long trajectory of cooperation led to the official twinning of Nea Ionia and Alaya on 13 May 2001, during the mayoralties of G. Pertsemlidis and Ch. Sipahioglou respectively, and under the presidency of the Association’s Leonidas Tsismetzoglou, with the contribution of Kostas Tsompanakis. The twinning became a foundation for systematic cultural initiatives and for highlighting the shared historical memory of the two cities.

Categories: , Product ID: 21784

Description

Already in 1989 the Association had begun video recording and documenting the Greek quarter within the Castle, creating a valuable archive of digital evidence. In 1993 it honoured long-standing members and donors for their contribution to preserving heirlooms, photographs, oral testimonies, and customs of the Alayan tradition.

Within the framework of relations developed with the Church of Pisidia, the Association contributed to the purchase of the Church of St Alypios, to the restoration of the historic Church of St George of the Hill, and to the free allocation of a plot of land by the Municipality of Alanya for the construction of the Church of Panagia Pissidiotissa—the first church built on Asia Minor territory after 1922. In parallel, an icon of St George was placed in the Alanya Museum by the Association, while two olive trees were planted on the city’s seafront with a marble inscription reading “IONIA,” as a permanent symbol of friendship.

As part of the twinning, in cooperation with the Municipality of Nea Ionia, the Association has for decades hosted delegations of children from Alaya, organising educational and cultural activities that promote peace, dialogue, and intercultural coexistence.

Object Data

Inventory Number

1903

Date

2001

Ingredients

Reprint

Dimensions

Reprint

Provenance

Nea Ionia, Attica

DEEP VIEW

Museum of Alagiotes
ALAYA Cultural Space
5, Karolidou str.
14343 Nea Ionia, Greece
Research Access
Researchers of Asia Minor culture wishing to study objects from the permanent collection are invited to contact us at 6974 902336.

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