Last Sunday, in an emotionally charged atmosphere, the visit of the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, to Nisyros took place in connection with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the accession of the Dodecanese to Greece. It is also known that during her tenure she will travel to all the small or outlying islands. Nisyros, with a volcano in the center, is a strange place, but with great history, archaeological ruins and, of course, naturalistic interest. Once upon a time, the island was literally seething with life. Now there are several hundred souls guarding the Aegean Thermopylae. The rest migrated either to America—New York has a thriving and large Nisirian community—or to Australia.

The President of the Republic arrived on the island with a stopover in Kos, where she was accompanied by the Regional Governor of the South Aegean, Giorgos Hatzimarkos. The scheduled visit was a few days early, but after the accident in Tempe, it was decided to take it on Sunday and not hold any ceremonies in deference to the national mourning that we are all going through. In fact, the initiative to declare oneself an honorary citizen of Nisyros was also shelved. Her first stop was a panegyric at the Holy Church of Panagia Potamitissa and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Monument to the Heroes, where all the authorities of the island gathered, and the port police also made themselves known from the sea.

“In the midst of mourning and deep sadness that we experience after the recent tragic railway accident, I am here on Nisyros to commemorate together those who fought for the freedom of the Dodecanese and its reunification with the Motherland 75 years ago,” said the President of the Republic. adding: “One of the brightest milestones in our history, which always reminds us of the importance of national responsibility, unity and solidarity in achieving a common, supreme goal.” A small parade followed in front of the first citizen of the country. Students also gathered at Hero with banners to protest the fatal accident. The President approached them and spoke to them for several minutes. The students at the local school, who wore black armbands in mourning for the dead at Tempe, appreciated his attention to them.

Then the President of the Republic visited the Panagia Kiras police station. There he met Lieutenant (PZ) Paraskevi Kostoula, a young girl who placed herself at the service of her country. Immediately after this, Katerina Sakellaropoulou left the island. Events dedicated to the anniversary of Integration were held on all the islands of the Dodecanese.