…beyond its legendary sunlight and crystalline magical waters, Greece is so much more than a jewel in the Mediterranean.
“You know, it is said that we Greeks are a fervent and warm blooded breed. Well, let me tell you something – It is true. ” – Melina Mercouri
Melina Mercouri is one of the great women figures of Greece in the 20th century.
A many-sided and vibrant personality, a great theatre and film actress of international fame who played a leading role in the struggle against the Colonel’s Junta in 1967 – 1974.
The parts she has portrayed have made cinema history. She was also a politician who left her mark on Greek culture.
She received an Oscar nomination and won a Cannes Film Festival Award for her performance in the 1960 film Never on Sunday. Mercouri was also nominated for three Golden Globes and two BAFTA Awards in her acting career.
As a politician she was elected a Member of Parliament in 1977 and reelected in 1981 and was appointed to be the minister of culture. One of her major efforts was an attempt to persuade the British government to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece; she also increased government subsidies for the arts.
In 1997 UNESCO created the Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes; the prize is awarded every two years.