Hellenic Community of Argentina

Who:  Xristina Tsardikou - President, Nostos

Location:  Buenos Aires, Argentina

DailyFrappe: What is your role in the Greek Organization, Nostos?

Xristina Tsardikou:  I am the founder and president.

DF: How many years have you been president?

XT:  Since 2005, so that makes 4 years now...

DF: Where do you/your family hail from and what brought you to Argentinian soil?

XT:  My parents are from Peloponesso, Arcadia, my mother from Tripoli, and my father from Levidi. My father came to Argentina in 1929 and married my mother at 1957. I was born in Buenos Aires, where I currently live, and studied. I'm a PHD, doctor in medicine. I've been back to Greece 5 times, staying for one month on each visit.

DF: When and why was the group founded?

XT: The group was founded in 2005, as a legal association, according the Argentinian laws, and recognized as cultural non-profit association for the diffusion of Greek language and culture  We live very far from Greece, and we are not as organized as other Greek communities around the world.

This makes for a very difficult situation - the distance,  the economic crisis we endured here after 2001, the difficulty to travel to Greece or listen to Greek music or to read Greek magazines.  Just trying to relate to our culture was impossible.  The Greek communities tried to survive, offering only Greek tavernas, but we needed the real meaning of the Greek culture to come alive. We needed Greece.  The one with great history, mythology, art, as well as the modern Greece that has evolved. We need to keep the Greek language alive...and teach it, not only to Greeks but to philhellenes- of which there are many in this country. 

We decided that if we were not able to be in Greece, as our souls wanted to be, we would have to bring Greece nearer to us. This is the only way, that xenitia can hurt less.  There are no Greek shops in Argentina, no television programs, no Greek magazines. The only good thing that happened was the internet. With the internet, we have a real connection to Greece, a better understating of what it's all about.

DF:  Do we know how far back the first Greeks came to Argentina?

XT: The first Greeks came to South America with the Spaniards, they were sailors, and part of the Spanish army. Many Greeks played a role in the independence of Argentina, like, Nicolas Jorge Colmaniatis from Hydra, and Manuel Spirou. 

Bartolome Mitre, one of the presidents of Argentina was of Greek origin, his surname was MITROPOULOS.  The larger Greek immigration period was between 1920-1950 and the Greeks settled in Buenos Aires, La Plata, Berisso, Rosario, Comodoro Rivadavia and Cordoba

DF: What is the current estimate of the Greek population in the country?

XT: There are two different opinions, because there never has been made a census of the Greek population, but it is said that there are 20,000 Greeks or people of Greek origin, while the Church claims that this number is 60,000.

DF: Buenos Aires is the capital of the country, is that where the most Greeks are concentrated?

XT: Yes, it is.

DF: What are some of the cultural program that Nostos hosts during the year?

XT: We offer courses in modern Greek language and Ancient Greek. Courses in traditional dances. Courses in Philosophy, and Greek literature, and theater.

We've hosted Conferences at the National Library (monthly) presenting notable professors of the Argentinas University, and from other countries, including, USA, and Greece. 

We have also provided (at one time or another):

Conferences at Local Universities

Intensive Courses of Greek language in the University of Buenos Aires 

Contests of Literature with the Association of Writers of Argentina

Contests of Photography, with the Argentinian Federation of Photography 

Expositions and conferences in Private Universities like University of Belgrano 

Greek radio program Antamosi 

Poetry contests

Book promotions related with Greek culture promoting Argentinian writers. 

Rewards to notable Argentinian students who  show interest to Greek culture 

We try to put local universities in contact with Greek ones, that's the case of UNIVERSIDAD DE BUENOS AIRES, FACULTAD DE FILOSOFIA AND UNIVERSITY OF PATRAS, for the creation of a  career about Hellenic Studies.  Cultural trips to Greece. 

Promotion of local Greek artists, and of Greeks of the diaspora, etc.

DF: Are there Greek schools for the youth? If so, how many?

XT: Now there only two. One of them is at Nostos.

DF: Do you feel that the Greek government does enough to aid Nostos, and its programs?

XT: I think that Greece invests in the Greek diaspora, but many times, the financial aid doesn't reach those who really need it.   

Nostos has received economic help from the GGAE, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was a relief  but not enough. Our activities are free, so if we want to promote Greek culture we need  help of the Greek government.

In the past, we received the cooperation of Mr. Ted Spyropoulos and the cooperation of the ELLSPH (Enosi ellhnon logotexnon ton pente ipiron,opou anoikw) They gave us the great possibility of having a once a week hourlong Greek radio program for those Greeks who live far from Buenos Aires. This important contribution allowed us to produce 'Antamosi' for 2 years. We have asked for help in Greece, but we were unable to secure further funding and had to cancel it, after 8 years of life. 

DF: What are some of the biggest issues facing the Greek community in Buenos Aires and all of Argentina? 

I think that the presence of Nostos, made a big change. Greeks got up from a long dream..and  recover their Greek identity.  Also, our voice was heard in Greece, and the cultural relations between Greece and Argentina, are becoming stronger every day.

DF: Do you work with any other South American Greek Cultural Organizations?

XT: Not at the moment.

DF: What are some goals/visions you have for the group in the future?

XT: Free schooling of Greek language and culture  in Argentina and South America 

Opening of Nostos offices where they are needed.

Opening of Greek language courses in at local universities 

Promotion of cultural facts between both cultures. 

And finally, create a dialogue between the Greeks of Argentina and Greeks all over the world (not just in Greece).

Many thanks to our new friends in Argentina! You can find more information at nostosdiaspora.com and nostosonline.gr