In one of the virgin shores of the Argolis Gulf, at the foot of Mount Parnonas, for some years now, we can see sprouted as an amphitheater, a new village in Greece, the Arcadian village, owned, particularly by the Arcadians in the Diaspora.
Eastwards the village overlooks the island of Spetses and tastes the fragrant breezes of the Saronic Gulf, northward the historic Nafplion and westward the imposing Mt. Parnonas with the dens of Pan and the nymphs of ancient Greek mythology, as well as those of the klefts of 1821.
Sunsets and sunrises indeed create a divine atmosphere that is hard to conceive human mind and hand to describe.
The residents, most of them Arcadians of Canada and fewer of the United States and other countries, we are sure that they are grateful of the Greek States for her generosity, a sample love and care for its immigrant children.
The visit of the Mayor at the City Hall of North York, next May, with his scheduled arrival in Toronto.
The meeting had a ceremonial rather “ethno cultural” character, but in the ensuing discussion a proposal that came from the mouths of both public officials, attracted our interest since, each side was deleastikli. This was the idea of establishing a village in Arcadia for its immigrated children.
Coming to Toronto, we reported the idea to the Board of the Panarcadian Federation of Canada who very enthusiastically accepted it, as was the same in the next Assembly. This was followed by many individual discussions between the Arcadians of Toronto for the <> and <> in the establishment of the village, and quickly found that there were many people who wanted a house in their birth place, to enable to live with then, briefly even as “Greek Canadians” and that would give them a temporary sense of “homing”. The idea began to be thought and slowly a dream and expectation. It should be noted here that the participation in buying a home for any Arcadian was personal and therefore the Federation was interested in those people, members or not, who provided an active desire.
As we heard later, the idea of the Arcadian village had begun to be cultivated amongst the Arcadians of the United States, where a group of businessmen wanted the State to grant them land to build houses and then sell them at Arcadian Greeks, perhaps even to non Arcadians, a request or better, a “bold” claim which could not be accepted by the Greek State.
In the spring of 1986, by invitation of the P.F.C, the then Mayor of Tripolis Mr. Theodore Sechiotis with his wife Maria came to Toronto. They received a proper warm-welcoming.
It was the first time after many years that an Arcadian official visited a not so small hearth of his compatriots in the Diaspora. The couple Sechioti, took part in various Arcadian events, hosted by both the P.F.C. and the Association of “Tripolis”, they came in contact with several Arcadian clubs and spoke with their executive bodies about topics regarding their members birth place. Also, the couple Sechioti visited the Arcadian Park owned by the Association “Kolokotronis” where they were impressed and saw old friends. Finally, he was invited to lunch by the mayor of North York, where he did not stop referring each time to the beautiful idea of establishing a village for Arcadians in the Diaspora, which would be the center of attraction, especially for future generations of Arcadians.
Gregory Niotis, although his lineage is not Arcadian, as Prefect of Arcadia he showed unusual interest in the issues of the region which he served and sincerely loved, he was the forerunner of the unity amongst the Arcadians of the Diaspora and established, undoubtedly, the World Panarcadian Confederation.
The inspiring and truthful speeches of Gregory Niotis, convinced even the most reluctant of Arcadians of Toronto in establishing of the Arcadian Village was now a reality. There were certainly those who, for various reasons, urged parties not to make advances for the purchase of homes, arguing that the site was rocky and that their money will be “eaten” by the then Greek government.
At a general meeting of the Panarcadian Federation of Canada held in Toronto, in the presence of Gregory Niotis, a three-member Commission was elected which comprised of people interested in buying property in the A.V. The committee undertook the task to cooperate with the construction company that would undertake this pilot program, the respective ministries and the Prefecture of Arcadia on the coordination of the various actions required for implementation of this major project.
Official Website: Arkadiko Horio
