On Monday, October 31, 2022, the “Voice of Greece” had as a guest the award-winning poet and Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo, Theodoros Rakopoulos, on the broadcasting program “Faraway words”. The modern “Odysseus” answers the questions of Natasa Vissarionos and Giannis-Stelios Tzirvelakis on the occasion of his latest poetry book “Stis Ethnikes Odous“, published by Nefeli Publications, about poetry, satire and the work of a poet. What values stand for the poetic reality and how does the guest approach them? What is the reach of poetry in the contemporary world, how does it change, and how does it adapt to the modern digital era? Dr. Rakopoulos responds, giving his views on the strange yet fascinating world of literary creation, on the inspirations, the end in itself, and the discussion that a poem can open up, while some representative poems from his collection are also presented.
Afterwards, we connect with South Africa and speak to a guest in a key position for the Greeks of Johannesburg, the director of the Greek Department of the SAHETI School, Antonia Papazoglou. A school that is a crown jewel of Greek-speaking education, with distinctions and a long and rich history. The marvelous teacher talked about the festivities with which they commemorated the Greek national anniversary of the historic “Ohi Day” on Friday, October 28th. The celebrations included theatrical reenactments, poetry recitations by high school students, traditional dances and songs. Ms. Papazoglou, with obvious emotion, spoke not only about the events that took place, but also about her own personal relationship as a Greek woman abroad. Her likening herself to the Colossus of Rhodes, where she comes from, seems particularly apt, as she said that one of her children is in Greece and the other is with her in South Africa.