With the aim of hearing children's voices again and the school bell ringing once more, sixteen young people from Athens and Sparta left urban life behind and headed for Vamvakou in Laconia, a small picturesque village on the slopes of Mount Parnonas, at an altitude of 903 m, with only nine remaining permanent residents. They named their adventure «Vamvakou Revival,» and with the moral and financial support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), they established an organization in 2018 «to revitalize the area using its history, human capital, and natural wealth,» as they themselves say.
The choice of village was not random. The sixteen young people who returned to take part in this wonderful endeavor have ties to the place, as does the ISN, since it is the birthplace of its founder, Stavros Niarchos. However, their attempt to revive the village goes beyond the boundaries of Vamvakou, as their intention is to chart a «path to revival, aspiring to serve as a model for many other villages in Greece and internationally to follow.».
Having completed the first stages of its revival, the mountain village of Laconia now welcomes visitors to its new guesthouse, which offers a rich program of recreational and cultural activities. For August, educational programs and the journey of the mosaic with Adamantia Mastrokiriakaki are scheduled for August 20, and camping games in nature with Evangelos Theodorou for children are scheduled for August 21. On August 27, adults will be able to enjoy melodies and lyrics on the theme of love, performed by singer and actress Alina Kotsovou, accompanied by pianist Maros Theodorakis. Also, on August 27 and 28, musical games with the Faltso group are planned for children.
As part of the program, the Vamvakou school was renovated and transformed into a modern and innovative STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics) center called V.Lab (Vamvakou Technology Lab fully powered by SNF). Until the classrooms are filled with children again, V.Lab offers children, young people, and adults the opportunity to learn about and use new technologies. This is because the revival effort is not limited to the return of a few people but, as they themselves describe it, «through collective action and synergies, the aim is to develop new activities related to innovation, agritourism, and the agri-food sector (study on its development prospects in Vamvakou and the surrounding areas), with an emphasis on creativity.» This will ensure the future of the village on the basis of sustainable development, with the primary goal of attracting new permanent residents. «The key vehicle is the creation of employment opportunities and the provision of modern living conditions, so that in a few years Vamvakou will once again be bustling with life,» explains the team.
Meanwhile, to boost visitor numbers to the village, in addition to the summer festival that runs from June to the end of August, educational programs and cultural activities such as theater, cinema, music evenings and lectures, art workshops, board games, and an open lending library. The school grounds also feature a basketball court and sports equipment, such as balls, mats, and a trampoline, which can be used by young and old alike to participate in activities such as yoga sessions. At the same time, a restaurant and café have reopened in the village, and visitors can enjoy organized and safe sports activities in Parnonas, such as hiking on the trails of Vamvakou, mountain biking, renting one of the HAIBIKE electric bikes, touring by mini bus or 4x4 in the forest, and participating in mountain running races.
As the group of sixteen young people who now live in the village write, building their own terms for a quality life, «for each of us, of course, Vamvakou has a special place. For Anargyros, it means refuge; for Eleni, love; for Takis, roots; for Tasos, care; for Haris, a place of expression. Be that as it may, our village is what we simply call our point of reference.».
