On Tuesday, 10 November 2026, “Common Ground” on Voice of Greece took us to Pyrsogianni, the renowned village of stone masons in the Ioannina region, once the seat of the municipality of Mastorochoria. Joining us in the studio was Christos Martsekis, a lawyer and member of the Pyrsogianni Cultural Association.
Together with him and our other guests, we explored the village’s history, closely intertwined with the lives of its master builders, and residents’ efforts to welcome visitors through tourism that fully respects local traditions and the village’s distinctive character.
We also discussed the area’s attractions and the Society for Epirotic Studies, whose president, Aikaterini Liapi, a native of Pyrsogianni, spoke on the program. We devoted considerable time to the rich intellectual legacy of Vasilis Papageorgiou, a pioneering, progressive thinker who supported local development, culture and human relationships through his ideas and actions, guided by solidarity, tradition and a deep regard for people.
Our journey then took us to distant Australia, where we spoke with Kostas Vatskalis, former mayor of Darwin and former minister in Australia’s Northern Territory government, who has roots in the village.
From Pyrsogianni, Michalis Vatskalis, president of the association and the local community, spoke about life in the village today, its small population, its prospects and ongoing efforts to raise its profile.
Produced and presented by Prokopis Ageopoulos