The National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos” at the 6th Thessaloniki Book Fair”: article by K. Nikolakaros and A. Dermatas.

At the congress centre “Nikolaos Germanos”, in the facilities of Thessaloniki Helexpo, the Hellenic Parliament Foundation for Parliamentarism and Democracy, in cooperation with the Prime Ministers' Foundations, presented their work, within the context of their common participation in the 6th Thessaloniki Book Fair.
The presence of the National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos”, represented by its CEO Nikolaos Papadakis made a special impression.
Regardless of their ideological identity and their political choices, all the Prime Ministers who defined the political and historical course of the 20th century – and were represented by their foundations – have been deeply influenced by the thought, the activity and the political maneuvers of Eleftherios Venizelos.
This is what made the Foundation's presence exceptional.
In the limited time Mr Papadakis disposed of -there was a certain time limit for all the foundations- he concisely referred to the Foundation's work. A travel in time with rich historical testimonies.
Without sensationalism, with clarity, and concise attentive references, Mr Papadakis presented the Foundation's work that focuses on the great personality of Venizelos, who confronted major national issues.

Other speakers at the event were the Secretary General of the Parliament Nikolaos Stefanou, the Secretary General of the Parliament Foundation Evangelos Chrysos and the CEOs of the Foundation “Konstantinos Karamanlis” Konstantinos Svolopoulos, of the Foundation “Konstantinos  Mitsotakis”  Pantelis Virvidakis, of the Foundation “Georgios Papandreou” Katerina Varela, of the Foundation “Andreas Papandreou” Dimitris Gemelos and the representative of the Foundation “Konstantinos Simitis” Dimitris Katsantonis.

The event was also attended by the President of the Macedonia Department of the National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos”, Kostas Nikolakaros – teacher, as well as members of the Administration Committee.
There was a stand of the Foundation in the Book Fair, displaying its publications relating to the work and the views of Eleftherios Venizelos. A puzzle of historical records and memories. A perpetual presence. In the same space, one could find the stands of the rest of the Prime Minister's Foundations.
It is worth mentioning that thousands of residents of Thessaloniki visited the exhibition, and the Foundation's stand in particular, in order to be informed and to exchange views with the members of the Foundation. In times when the people rarely speak, when the interest in national matters is absent, the presence of so many people at the Foundation's stand was touching and hopeful.

Thessaloniki, June 2nd, 2009
KOSTAS NIKOLAKAROS
ANTONIS DERMATAS
Teachers