The event with the characteristic title “Achilleia”, in honour of Professor Achilleas Tourkantonis, who passed away four years ago, was held with great success on the weekend of 8 & 9 September 2023.
Born in Varnavas, Attica, in 1935, he presented a remarkable work in Greece and abroad and linked his name inextricably with medical education and health.
The two-day event included greetings (Petros Katsikis – director of the museum, the medical haematologist – Attending physician at the Oncology Unit Marianna Vardinoyannis-ELPIDA, G.NOS. Children’s Hospital “Aghia Sophia” – Natalia Turkantoni on behalf of the family, Marilena Geronta-Voulgari – president of the municipal community) while the Political Scientist, Vaso Kollia, spoke about Achilles Turkantoni based on his autobiography. The message of the Secretary General of the Academy of Athens, Professor Christos Zerefos, and Achilleas’ sister, Evangelia Turkantonis, was particularly moving.
The two-day event was accompanied by the works of the artists (painters, ceramists & sculptors) A. Katsikis, M. Anastasopoulou, K. Kollia, V. Stamatis & N. Brissimi as well as the exhibition of medical objects donated to the museum by Nikos and Konstantinia Tsitsas. Pleasant notes were the voice of Myra Giannopoulou and the violin of Hara Sakali. A special moment was the awarding of Ioanna Turkantoni for her contribution to the Barnabas Blood Bank. In the two-day event, the dance part was cancelled and replaced by the offer of food for the flood victims of Thessaly, which was sent to the municipality of Marathon for this purpose.
The event was attended by the mayor of Marathon, Stergios Tsirkas and the deputy mayors Vangelis Sotiriou, Vangelis Kyparissis, the Lawyer, Internationalist and Journalist, Secretary General of the Greek Section of the Union of European Journalists Panagiotis Sfaelos, Kalliopi (Popi) Pateraki, the vice-president of Varnavas community Christos Brissimis, the local councillor of Marathon Stamatia Mylonas, the president of the Parents’ Association of Varnavas Primary and Kindergarten Mina Katsiki and the member of the Board of Directors of the Varnavas Primary and Kindergarten. Nikos Kourounakos, member of the board of the Municipal Theatre of Marathon.
