NEW YORK – The celebration of the 200 years since the Greek Revolution of 1821 continues with Sail to Freedom – 200 Years of Independence which takes place on June 6. Ships adorned with Greek flags will be sailing towards the Statue of Liberty. Organized by GlobalAlive LLC, a company based in New York, the event honors the critical contribution of the nautical force of Greece, the “bourlotierides” of Hydra and Spetses and the mighty captains like Laskarina Bouboulina and Andreas Miaoulis who played a pivotal role in the Hellenic Revolution. The event also highlights the ancient ties between our country and the sea.
The sailing route towards the Statue of Liberty was selected as a sail towards the symbol of freedom for all races. Head of the armada will be a three-masted ship with Katerina Soldatou, an internationally renowned aerial dancer, onboard, along with Director Kostas Kimoulis who will supervise the filming and the broadcast of the event. Key members of the Greek community will also be onboard the main ship while other sailing vessels alongside will carry representatives of international media.
During the sailing route, Soldatou will perform an extreme dance routine from the main mast of the ship with huge blue and white silk fabrics. The spectacular show by Soldatou, spinning in the void, will represent the courageous decision that our ancestors took in 1821 to defy the mighty Ottoman Empire with their scarce resources. Their love for freedom inspired them to start the Revolution, an act similar to a jump into the void. It is also an allegorical recreation of the legendary Dance of Zalongou that took place in December 1803, with the heroic resistance of the women of Souli who literally jumped into the void choosing an honorable death over the disgrace from the Ottomans and this was perhaps one of the first Hellenic rebel yells that preluded the historic “Freedom or Death” of the Hellenic Revolution.
The idea behind this unique event is to raise awareness in Greece and in the Greek communities around the world, to increase the interest about Hellenic history and to increase the American interest in the Hellenic revolution during the years of 1821-1829.
We celebrate the Hellenic spirit, our values and the ideas of “Freedom” and “Democracy” with an inspired and unique event that will attract the eyes of the world. A work inspired by the strong desire to remind everyone of the natural beauty of Greece along with the willpower and the bravery of our nation. Our ancestors fought and died not only for the land but also for the ideas like freedom of will, freedom of speech, freedom of action and for the freedom that defies tyranny.
Nikos Terzis, a Greek composer and producer, is the head of music supervision and has also composed a piece especially for the event and the Greeks who have formed strong communities abroad. A soprano will participate accompanied by a cello musician from the Conservatory of New York.
More information about Sail to Freedom – 200 Years of Independence is available online: https://www.greece2021.nyc/.
Source: Thenationalherald.com
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