Foreign cartoonists visit for ‘Masks and Politics’
Leading cartoonists from Europe and the Americas, who came to Athens at the Culture Ministry’s invitation, visited the monuments of the Acropolis and were photographed with Deputy Culture Minister Petros Tatoulis. On the same evening, they tasted the delicious famous recipes of Tselementes at a taverna run by his descendants. Today, the cartoonists will be in the Peloponnesian city of Patras, where they and their Greek counterparts will draw cartoons on the theme of «Masks and Politics,» in an event organized by the ministry, the Municipality of Patras and the Cultural Capital of Europe organization. Famed for its carnival and as a breeding ground for politicians – including former prime ministers Panayiotis Kanellopoulos, George and Andreas Papandreou, current PASOK chairman George Papandreou from neighboring Kaletzi Achaia, and former president Costis Stephanopoulos – Patras suits the subject. Smiling («It’s our job to make people laugh and think,» said one of the cartoonists) and delighted with the beautiful weather, the visitors included Britian-based cartoon artists from the Times, Independent and Guardian, New York-based Mexican-American Felipe Galindo, Martyn Turner from County Kildare in Ireland, and Jan Hage from Copenhagen, Denmark, who drew Culture Ministry secretary Christos Zachopoulos and Helbi. The visiting group’s schedule includes trips to the ancient sites of Delphi, Olympia and Mycenae.
