Melina Merkouri October 18 th 1920 March 6

Melina Merkouri October 18 th, 1920 - March 6 th, 1994

She was: • an actress • a singer • a politician • a cultural icon

Theatrical career • 1938: Melina was admitted to the National Drama School. • 1944 : She first appeared on stage. • 1951 : She became a protagonist in the French theater as well. • She also appeared on Broadway in the USA and she toured the whole country.

Cinema career Her career in Greek and international cinema was also very important: • She was nominated for the leading actress award in the Cannes Festival and • for an Oscar award for her movie “Never on Sunday”.

Performer She had released 15 musical albums and she had also appeared in TV shows in BBC and in French and German television. She had written her own biography book with the title “I was born Greek”, whose earnings were used to support the anti-coup-de-etat struggle in Greece. Famous became her answer to a journalist who asked her about being exiled from Greece: “I was born Greek and I will die Greek”

Political career During the Greek dictatorship (1967 -1974): she fought against it by giving many concerts and organizing several demonstrations. She also met with international politicians and spiritual leaders with the aim to raise awareness against the dictatorship regime.

Campaign for the return of the stolen Acropolis Marbles She became the Greek Minister of Culture during 19811989 and 1993 -1994, a position that inspired her to start a campaign for the return of the Acropolis marbles, which were stolen by Lord Elgin and which are currently exhibited in the British Museum in London.

The “Melina Merkouri” Foundation As the Minister of Culture she founded the “Melina Merkouri Foundation” which aspired to contribute to the diffusion of Greek culture around the world. The foundation was concerned with: q The return of the Acropolis marbles q The creation of the new Acropolis museum. q Organizing exhibitions, lectures, conferences, publications and educational programs to promote the values and ideals of the Greek civilization q Granting scholarships q Awarding prizes to artists and scientists.

Melina Merkouri awards • Every year the European Commission awards a 1. 5 -million-euro prize to the current Cultural Capital of Europe in her honor, for her contribution to cultural development. • Every two years UNESCO presents the Melina Merkouri award to people or organizations that help preserve cultural monuments, a prize of 20. 000 US dollars. This takes place on March 6, the anniversary of her death.

Melina Merkouri died after a battle with cancer on March 6 th, 1994 in New York’s Memorial hospital. Years after her death, one of her visions, the new Acropolis Museum, finally became a reality but the return of the Acropolis Marbles still remains unresolved.

She embodied all the qualities of a talented visionary and remains an inspiration for women in Greece till this day for her dynamic personality.