5th Petit Paris d' Athènes - Women In Europe

The 5^th Petit Paris d' Athènes once again is going to host musical performances, art and photo galleries, street art, theater, street performances, colloquiums, “tables rondes” and “rendez vous sociaux”, educational activities, petanque and chess. This year, the festival is co-organized by the Athens ArtNetwork, the City of Athens Organization of Culture, Sports and Youth and the Region of Attica, under the auspices and support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports as well as with the support of the French embassy, the French Institute of Greece and the Hellenic Railways Organisation.

This year’s central axis is «Women in Europe» («La femme en Europe»).

One of the most troubling issues of our time is the role of women in Europe’s present and future society. The turbulent climate nurtured by the economic and social crisis is threatening to derail a previously well-established course in which women have been taking agency in all aspects of public life. Once again, the duty befalls on art to light the way being the mean for freedom of thought and speech through the ages. Any woman born in, or arriving at Europe has the right to create and express herself, perhaps more in here than anywhere else. We invite men and women alike to «defend» that right by producing art centered around our year’s theme.

The festival will take place from the 5^th to the 15^th of October 2017, in the area included inside Omonoia Square, Vathis Square, Karaiskaki Square, Larissa station and Peloponissos station. Most roads in this region have French names due to a long history of foreign traditions merging with Greek ones through visiting travelers and immigrants. Since its conception it was meant to fill one of the most badly treated regions of Athens with culture and art, by which process it quickly became a widely celebrated multi-festival. Over 500 artists from all over the world participate in 40 carefully selected spots (theaters, consevatoires, schools,galleries,bistro,hotels,parks,squares,buildings of historical import).

The first Petit Paris in 2013 was dedicated to Albert Camus and the 100^th anniversary of his birth. In 2014, it was dedicated to the Belle époque and the start of World War I. In 2015 the theme was “The culture of Café and Bistros” («Bistrot et Café Culture») with a special tribute to rive gauche. Last year our theme was «Team Spirit and Arts» («L' esprit d' Équipe et les Arts»). For the year 2017 the theme for Petit Paris d' Athènes  is going to be “Women in Europe”.