Ladies and Gentlemen

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to ESTIA Neas Smirnis, the most significant Ark for Minor Asian Culture.

ESTIA Neas Smirnis was founded in 1930 by Greek refugees of Minor Asian descent.

The mission of ESTIAS is:

a) to collect, study and rescue the national, intellectual, historic, folkloric and lingual richness of the Greek community of Minor Asia, Pontus, Eastern Thrace and Istanbul, which was uprooted from its homeland
b) the intellectual, artistic and civilizing uplifting and entertainment of its members and friends
c) the undertaking of educational and social action
and
d) the maintenance, promotion and bequest to the upcoming generations of the Remembrance and the Notion of the memorable Greek lands beyond the Aegean and in general the Intellectual and Historic Grandeur of Greece
Through its fine activity, ESTIA Neas Smirnis has become the Ark for Minor Asian Hellenism and was awarded in recognition a Golden Medal and Prize by the Academy of Athens, a 1st class Golden Prize by the National Foundation of King Paul I and many praiseful letters by eminent personalities of our country.

We invite you to the House of ESTIA, in order to travel to nostalgic eras, study the history and culture of our ancestors, but also to jointly enjoy special events.

This year, we are again all, including myself, as President of the Club, proud because we delivered on our promises: the work we produced in intellectual and recreational terms was rich, we kept our doors open to all the friends of Wit and the Ionian culture and expanded our cooperation with cultural and Minor Asian establishments. We enhanced new actions and inaugurated new institutions that signaled the new pathway of our Club, confirmed our intentions and proved our determination.

We await you all at the hospitable House of ESTIA to enjoy the events we organize for you, to discover the Minor Asian wealth of our Library and tour the collections of our Museums, which feature the greatest treasures of the Ionian Land. Your presence would be a great honor to us.

My sincere thanks.

IOANNIS K. PAPADATOS

PRESIDENT OF ESTIA NEAS SMIRNIS