Akylas’ victory as Greece’s representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with his song “Ferto” sparked strong reactions and deep emotion, especially as he is one of the first openly queer artists to represent Greece at Eurovision.
On this occasion, “Historical Walks” explores the history of the queer community in Athens — a history of silences that, despite loud music and vibrant culture, remained hidden in the margins of the city.
Our guide is the novel Oh Lala! recently published by Nisos Editions. Through the life of Lala — Evangelos Chatzidimitriou, as listed on his ID but a name he never accepted — the everyday reality of the gay scene from the 1960s through the early years of the AIDS crisis in the 1990s comes to light: the meeting places, the unwritten codes, the fears and desires, the humor, and the strategies of freedom in societies not yet ready to accept difference.
Accompanied by Damianos Agravaras, historian and author of the book, we wander through the queer scene and observe it as both a historical and social phenomenon. For the history of LGBTQI+ people was largely written through the narratives of those who dared to live through the years of silence — their uncompromising need to be themselves making a resounding impact.
Produced and presented by Marilena Katsimi