Giorgos Petousis

Giorgos Petousis was born in 1943 in Limassol and graduated from Laniteio Gymnasium – classical department. In the 1950s, during Cyprus's armed Liberation Struggle for Union with Mother Greece, he was a member of the Alkimos Youth of E.O.K.A. When he was arrested by the British, he was sentenced on the day the Archbishop was released from the distant Seychelles to six months in prison with a suspended sentence. With the establishment of the National Guard on June 15, 1964, he enlisted (1st ESSO) and was discharged with the rank of Second Lieutenant. He began writing poetry at a very young age, starting in 1957. He was a member of the Literary Club of Laniteio Gymnasium. His mentors were the esteemed writers Yiannis K. Papadopoulos and Andreas Pastellas, who recognized his love for literature and encouraged him to write. His poems and articles were published in Cypriot newspapers and youth magazines. His first poem, "Land of Cyprus," was published in the magazine "Review of Speech and Art." He is among the first members of the Cyprus Writers' Union, where he served on the Board of Directors for a period. He was also a member of the National Society of Greek Writers of Greece and is one of the founding members of PEN Cyprus (International Association of Writers). Since 2003, he has been a founding member and, for a decade until 2013, served as president of the Limassol Writers' Society "Vasilis Michaelides." Many of his poems, short stories, and critiques have been published in reputable Cypriot and Greek literary magazines such as "Spiritual Cyprus," "Akti," "New Era," "Anev," "Epikaira," "3rd Millennium," "New Responsibility," "Our Action," "Piraeus Letters," "Anerada," among others. His poems have been anthologized in Cypriot and nationwide as well as foreign-language anthologies. Notable and commendable critiques have been written about his poetic work over time. In national poetry and short story competitions he participated in, he has often won awards and distinctions, and his poems have been translated and published in German, English, Italian, French, Serbian, and Romanian. In 2009, his poetry was included in a bilingual Poetry Anthology (English – Italian) published in Pescara, Italy, with professors from the city's University and with a selection of poems by foreign and Italian poets, curated by poet and professor Stefka Smistran from the same University. His poems were included in 2013 in the Anthology Unafogliaverteoro, poesiacipriotacontenmporanca, edited by Crescenzio Sangiglio. In 2013, at the Poetry Autumn in Smederevo, Serbia, a bilingual book, Serbian – Greek, was published with a selection of his poems. His entire poetic work has been thoroughly studied and presented by Emeritus Professor Theodosis Pylarinos at the Ionian University, as well as by professors Eratosthenis Kapsomenos and Andreas Voskos. In recent years, G.P. has been intensively involved in prose alongside poetry. Finally, in 2011, in Salamina, he was honored by the Café of Ideas with a Diploma of Honor and, along with other personalities, was awarded the Golden Medal of Alexander the Great for his contribution to Literature.