In ancient Athens "municipality" meant the assembly of citizens as a sovereign political body, and then the administrative subdivision of ancient Attica, the largest municipality at the time.
Today, we are not, of course, in the age of antiquity, but in a much more difficult, problematic and transitional, I believe, era, with changes and restructuring of everything. Climate change, the pandemic, but also prolonged poverty are plaguing the citizens. Besides, the living conditions with immigrants and hyper-tourism require a corresponding adaptation, because without it, the center of the city of Athens becomes inaccessible for the Athenian citizens.
And today the citizens are still the dominant political body, they have rights as well as obligations. The municipality, at the same time, has the institutional obligation to take care of the citizens and the public space where they live.
I have lived in the center of Athens since I was born, and I would not ask for much from its next mayor, but what is necessary for all of us for a sustainable city. Athens is by nature one of the most beautiful cities in the world, praised by the poets, and its prospective mayor must first of all have a specific plan ready and properly exploit the national and European resources for its implementation. Well-intentioned beautification with pots is not enough for such a city, where in its center the garbage cans are dirty, overflowing and dangerous to use.
We need spaces free to the public, environmentally safe and upgraded with the means that Technology generously offers. We need public parks, safe playgrounds, workshops for citizen employment, public libraries, museums in a historical city with cultural heritage. It is painful for locals as well as foreign visitors to see old buildings, some historic, smudged and dilapidated, giving the city an image it does not deserve. Sidewalks... are occasionally at risk for the pedestrian, who prefers to walk down the road and be in danger from the cars. It seems, however, that this phenomenon is chronic, if we judge from Souri's lyrics: "Suddenly the sidewalk begins to narrow, / and the traveler immediately has to get off"!
The Athenians, who love their city, are waiting for a worthy mayor, who will make this European city viable and an ornament, which will be praised by modern poets. They should not forget that in the municipal elections, the right choice of the mayor is beneficial, who will have a plan, a goal and the ability to implement these necessary but also...easily understood requests, regardless of party and color!
At a time when Athens had begun to develop and modernize socially and politically, K. Palamas had transferred the words of Athena to her holy city, thus expressing his personal passion for Athens, but also his willingness to contemplate ancient city, which now became the recipient of modern western culture.
Hymn to Athens
Joy to you, white country and happy country!
No country on earth, no country in the world
he found no such talisman as my own eye.
I passed through other countries very quickly
and they showed me my favorite places in Greece
like a wind and a cloud and a star.
But on you I establish my throne eternally
and my love took root in your soil only.
Prof. Stella Priovolou, president of the Body of Emeritus Professors of EKPA, dean of the Municipal People's University of St. Paraskevi.
photo Dias12 / https://pixabay.com
