Voice of Greece’s “Common Ground” visited the historic village of Kontias on the island of Lemnos on Tuesday, 21 July 2026.
Throughout the program, Charalampos Roulias, President of the Cultural Association of Kontias, joined the studio as the program’s guest, guide, and companion, introducing listeners to the history and character of the village.
The program also connected by phone with Nektarios Parisis, President of the Association of Kontias Residents of Australia, based in Melbourne. A second-generation Greek Australian whose parents emigrated to Australia in the 1950s, he spoke about the village he came to know and love through visits from an early age.
Finally, former mayor Dimitris Voulgarakis discussed present-day Kontias and the challenges facing both the village and the island, including infrastructure issues and the lack of state support. He also spoke about AES Philoktitis, the local sports club founded in 1981, whose football team competes in the island’s amateur league. Despite limited resources and little financial support, the club continues to play an important sporting, cultural, and social role in the local community.