Aegean Arts Circle hosts meeting
A meeting took place recently on Andros, involving foreign writers invited by the Aegean Arts Circle of New York and its director Amalia Meli. Meli wants «to combine her love of Andros with creative work in this writers’ workshop. I wanted to show the writers… the beauty of Andros, for them to learn its history and meet in the calm environment of the island and be creative. I think I have succeeded.» Two people helped her in terms of hospitality: Panos Vassilopoulos, director of St George Lycabettus, where the writers stayed, and Tassos Vourlas at Andros Holidays, where the writers met for 10 days. What did her guests think? Diana Sperrazza, senior producer at Discovery Channel and a CNN journalist, said: «I feel like I belong here. I could stay in Andros and write here.» Kathryn Watterson, award-winning writer and a professor at Princeton University commented: «For a writer it’s a gift to get up in the morning and write with a view of the Aegean. We made friends and discussed the progress of our writing. Amalia took us to see traditional Andriote music. We danced, at least we tried; we had a fantastic time.» Jim Prately from Texas, a professor of molecular cell biology, said, «This trip was special because my great-grandfather migrated from Greece to America.» Meli wants to bring writers, artists and musicians to Andros to get to know the place she loves.
