A special connection between man and nature, between peoples and between the older generation and the younger, happened last night in Prespes. In the tri-national mountainous lake area on the northwestern borders of Greece, specifically on the island of Agios Achillios, as in the 33 previous years, this year the events took place “Prespes 2023”.

The 1st Balkan Festival took place laying the foundations for the next ones to follow, while afterwards, the Vasilis Papakonstantinouwhich is touring Greece to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Greek song this year, presented a unique program especially for this evening.

“Today the Prespes make a 180 degree turn. The entertainments were nice, the evenings unspeakable, the “sowing magic” as Solomon would say, but we grew up, the demands of the times are different. We want the Prespas to extend the first hand of friendship, peace and love to the neighboring countries. It is imposed by the lakes and the events of the time”, stated the artistic director and initiator of the institution George Lianis. Of course, he emphasizes that the dream of creating the events in Prespes was not his, but “a dream of the region”.

“This is the Balkans, it’s not a joke”

Since early afternoon and despite the doubts caused earlier by a sudden and intense storm that broke out in the surrounding area, thousands of people gradually crossed the 650-meter-long floating bridge to cross from the opposite bank to the islet located in the northwestern part of Mikri Prespa. The majority of them, familiar with the style of the event, had procured the necessary things to “lay out” on the hillside opposite the stage.

At the same time, two hundred artists, coming from five countries, took care of the last details to present a spectacle and send the message of peace and unity of the Balkan peoples.

Musicians and singers from HellasSerbia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Albania, performed songs representing them, while the dancers enthralled the audience with their vibrancy, harmony, costumes and figures.

And while the rhythm of the music became more intense as the dancers managed to coordinate, nature, which is an integral part of the mystical evening, sent its phenomena to participate in the program. The wind lifted leaves from the surrounding trees and they too swirled around the stage, while the lighting was made even more special by the lightning on the opposite side. The intense participation of nature, however, forced the organizers to speed up the program, which will be presented in its full form tonight at 8 in the New Park of Florina.

Vassilis Papakonstantinou passes the baton from youth to youth

The eternal teenager Vassilis Papakonstantinou closed the evening with a concert adapted to “Prespes 2023”. Tireless in his 73 years, he moved, troubled and aroused young people and “young people”. The program opened with “Koursaros”, a song he had just recorded, which was the occasion for his first appearance on television, specifically on the show “Reporters” by Giorgos Lianis, Kostas Hardavellas and Yiannis Dimaras, which had a theme about the motorists.

Giorgos Lianis emphasized that the reason he thought of inviting him to this year’s events has to do with the spirit of unity promoted by the institution. “Vasilis Papakonstantinou has taken the baton since the 70s and is addressing the youth of Greece, which he is bringing up to the present day, decade after decade,” he said characteristically.

Among the audience was for the second day in a row the Maria Lambraki and Christina Moustakli, the widow of the peace marathon runner Grigoris Lambrakis and the democracy fighter Spyros Moustakles respectively. The singer dedicated the next three songs of his program “Che”, “The Soldier” and “I refuse” to the two women.

The “Prespes 2023” events come to an end today.