Spyros Merkouris

Spyros Merkouris (1930-2018) was born in Athens, a member of a well-known political family (grandson of the Mayor of Athens, Spyridon Merkouris, 1856-1939; son of the officer, MP, and minister Stamatis Merkouris, 1895-1967; and brother of the actress and Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri, 1920-1994). He was a member of the EPEN youth, a member of the Democratic Defense during the dictatorship, and later a founding member of PASOK. During the anti-dictatorial struggle, he organized a tour for Melina Mercouri in 14 European countries (March-April 1968). He served as an Advisor to the Ministry of Culture (1981-1989), coordinated the institution of the European Capital of Culture (inaugurated in Athens in 1985), and subsequently became a member of the European Network for the Capitals of Culture or "Cities of Culture" of Europe (ECoC). He was involved in the production of films such as "Christ Recrucified" and "Never on Sunday" (directed by Jules Dassin). Additionally, he curated television films like "The Poets Sing of Greece," "Traveling Through Myth and Time," "The Cultural Heritage of Onassis," as well as a series of films about Byzantium. He passed away in Athens on Friday, August 24, 2018, at the age of 88, following health complications.