Prelude to the Iniades Sister Cities agreement
July 1986
The first symposium/workshop in the Ancient Theatre of Oiniades (i.e Iniades) brought together international scholars and practitioners of Ancient Greek drama. One of the chief participants was Dr. Andrew Tsubaki (deceased), professor of Theatre at the University of Kansas. Tsubaki directed a group of KU students in a production of Sophocles’ Antigone. The play was produced in both English and Greek. It was the first of many productions that were presented at the Ancient Theatre of Oiniades and began Lawrence’s long relationship with the city of Katohi where the ruins are found. Later Katohi became part of the larger municipality of Messolonghi.
June 16, 1987
The Lawrence City Commission passed an ordinance creating a Sister Cities Advisory Board.
July 2008
Dennis and Karen Christilles, while in Katohi for the KU Summer Theatre in Greece program, learned of interest on the part of Katohi officials in becoming a Sister City of Lawrence. They communicated this information to the Lawrence Sister City Advisory Board.
Summer 2008
Tom and Kathleen Hodge and daughter Taylor, and Bob and Sandra Schumm visited Iniades to assess the opportunity to establish a sister city. They met with Dimitra Pitsikou, toured the area, and made a final assessment to be presented to the Lawrence City Commission.
2009
October 2009
An Iniades delegation arrived to sign a sister city agreement.
The delegation included Mayor Antonis Aletras, Makis Matchigas, the president of Katohi, and his wife Rula and council members Apostolis Kalesis and George Lagos.
2012
A delegation led by Lawrence Mayor Bob Schumm made a good will tour to Iniades. The delegation included the mayor’s wife Sandra Schumm, Ken and Nancy Albrecht, Tom and Kathleen Hodge, and Don S.. The itinerary included touring Athens, Corinth, and Delphi before arriving in Iniades for a three day stay. Mayor Schumm presented Dimitra Pitsikou with a key to the City of Lawrence for her past work supporting the K.U. summer institute and for working to establish the sister city agreement. A report of the trip was published in the Lawrence Journal World, August 17
July 2019
Bob Schumm, Chair of Friends-of-Iniades, and wife Sandra made a good will tour to Iniades, where they were hosted by Dimitra Pitsikou for 5 days. They observed the first youth exchange; met the K.U. theater students; and met the mayor-elect of Messolonghi, Kostas Liros. An evening gathering included (left to right foreground) Dimitri Pitsikou, Mayor-elect Liros, Dennis Christilles, former Mayor of Messolonghi Antonis Aletras, and (in plaid, 2nd from right) Bob and Sandra Schumm.
July 2019
First Youth Exchange. After years of planning, the first eight students from Lawrence traveled to Iniades to live with host families, accompanied by chaperone/teacher Amy Meyers, of Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence. They made an excursion to Delphi.
One of the students, Mei, reflects on her experience.
July 2019
The KU Study Abroad Program production of “Trojan Women” was performed in Greek and English by KU Theater students with the help of local students, under the direction of Prof. Dennis Christilles.
2020
March 2020
The Sister Cities Lawrence Governing Board decided to cancel all exchanges and delegations for the year due to the Coronavirus. The much-anticipated first youth exchange students and chaperones from Iniades had been expected in Lawrence in April of this year.
November 2020
The mayor of Messolonghi sent a video greeting to citizens of Lawrence.
August 2021
After canceling the first exchange visit from Iniades youth (seven) and chaperones (two) a year ago in April, the visit was rescheduled for August by which time all participants could be vaccinated. The Friends-of-Iniades committee arranged hosts and ten days of activities. However, travel to the United States was still restricted when the time came, and the trip was postponed again. A new date was tentatively set in December before the plane tickets became invalid.
December 24, 2021
Patience finally paid off! Although some of the original nine members of the Greek youth exchange were unable to attend, five guests arrived in Lawrence on December 23. A welcome party was hosted on Christmas Eve by Diana Carlin, Joe Pierron, and the Friends-of-Iniades committee. Greek guests were Dimitra Pistikou and Maria Lahana, chaperones, with Panagiota and Glykeria Karavia, and Panagiota Balomenou (not pictured).
December 25, 2021
In contrast to previous plans, Lawrence hosts shared many holiday traditions, among them Christmas eve mass, and holiday parties. Here Panagiota and Glykeria Karavia join hosts Joe Pierron and Diana Carlin (not pictured) for Christmas dinner.
January 1, 2022
The farewell party took place on New Years Day at the home of Tom and Kathleen Hodge. The Greek guests shared traditional dancing and cake with their hosts. Dimitra Pistikou and Maria Lahana baked a Euro coin into the cake, ensuring a year of good luck for the Lawrencian who was served the lucky piece!
Our Greek visitors flew to Chicago for a couple day’s visit and covid testing in the required time before boarding their flight home. At the next Sister Cities Lawrence governing board meeting Bob Schumm, Friends-of-Iniades committee chair, acknowledged it had been a challenging time for planning because of the pandemic and the holidays, but the fact that the group arrived and returned home safely was a major accomplishment.