The Canadian Hellenic Cultural Society &
The Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC
Present two Lectures
Monday 25 May, 2009 at 7:30 pm
The Two Byrons and Greece
Prof. John Xiros Cooper, UBC Department of English
Byron & Ellas, Athens
Byron visited Greece twice. The first time was in 1809-1810 as a young
man seeking exotic experiences. In Epirus, in Athens, and in other
parts of Europe, he had the experiences he turned into his famous
poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. Byron’s second voyage was
undertaken more than a decade later by a more mature man who was
now ready for an adventure with a more serious purpose - the
liberation of the Greek people from their subjugation by the Ottoman
Turks. In the winter of 1823-24 he arrived in Western Greece with
medicine, military supplies, money, and the ambition to lead a force
against the Ottomans. While these activities made him a national figure
for the Greeks, it was his death at Missolonghi on April 19, 1824, that
transformed him into a potent cultural and political symbol.
Thursday 4 June, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Side-Tracked by Mussolini – Greece’s Role in WW2
Prof. André Gerolymatos, SFU Hellenic Studies Program
Mussolini's blunder in attacking Greece on 28 October 1941
had a strategic impact on the outcome of the Second World
War. The Italian aggression against Greece took the Germans
by surprise and forces designated by Hitler for the attack on the
Soviet Union had to be diverted to the Balkans. In December
1941, Hitler's reluctant conquest of Yugoslavia and Greece cost
the German army dearly on the Russian front and ultimately
contributed significantly to the defeat of the Nazi Empire.
Both lectures will be held in the Upper Hall, Hellenic Community Centre
4500 Arbutus Street, Vancouver at 7:30 pm
Part of Hellenic Cultural Month, 2009: For information see www.greekday.com