About The Greek Institute

Our mission is to create a greater awareness and understanding of the extraordinary achievements of Greek culture from antiquity to the present.

The logo of The Greek Institute depicts a Preclassical Athena surrounded by the words:

ARETE SOPHIA TECHNE

We believe that there is a continuity of the Greek language, literature, and arts from antiquity to the present, and that the values of ARETE (a striving for excellence);  SOPHIA (the wisdom of Greek culture);  and TECHNE (the expression of one's aesthetic sensibility);  are cornerstones of Greek culture.

All the programs and events of The Greek Institute are designed to reflect these values.  They also reveal the strong presence of Greek culture in Western civilization.

Key Information

The Greek Institute is an independent, non-profit (501C3) cultural and educational institution.  It was founded in 1988 by well known educator and translator, Athan H. Anagnostopoulos, Ph.D.

 It is governed and advised by individuals of Greek descent and Philhellenes, who are dedicated to the success of its programs and long-term goals.  It is supported by private donations, corporate and foundation grants, memberships, and revenues from its programs and classes.

The Language

The Greek Institute offers courses in Homeric, Classical, New Testament, Byzantine, and Modern Greek.

We also offer private tutoring and translation services.  Classes are available throughout the year and to anyone who is interested in learning Greek in an open, relaxed, yet academically challenging environment.

The Literature

A central focus of The Greek Institute is to present written works in history, philosophy, democracy, and also, novels, short stories, and poetry.

We offer lecture series, author series, and publish bilingual editions of Greek authors.  We also have a permanent library at the Institute which is available for on-site use, and a bookstore with over 1,500 titles.

The Arts

The Greek Institute includes art exhibitions, film series, dramatic readings of Ancient and Modern Greek plays, musical concerts, and dance performances in its overall programming.  The Institute also has a permanent collection of works by prominent Greek and American artists.

Collaborations

The Treasure of the Greek Language - The Greek Institute has an exclusive collaboration with The Treasure of the Greek Language, a private foundation in Athens, Greece.  The purpose of The Treasure of the Greek Language Foundation is the diachronic research of the Greek language through a unique database which will contain the entire corpus of works of Greek authors through the ages.  This enormous database will be available to scholars and all interested in digital form (CD-ROM & Internet).  The Greek Institute is the sole distributor in the United States, Canada, and Australia of the educational and literary materials of this project.

The Greek Institute offers an educational trip to Greece, "Literary Greece," exploring the literary richness of Greece, every fall.

Greek-American Organizations - The Greek Institute collaborates with local and national Greek-American organizations on specific projects relating to Greek culture.

Universities, Colleges, and High Schools - The Greek Institute has various agreements and collaborates with other educational institutions to provide instruction of Greek as well as to co-sponsor special events.

Become a Friend of The Greek Institute

The Greek Institute is a dynamic and ever-growing center for Greek culture.  Its mission is to create a greater awareness of the extraordinary achievements of Greek culture from antiquity to the present.  

Become a Friend of The Greek Institute and join in supporting its high quality programs.  Enjoy the many opportunities and benefits offered to the Friends of The Greek Institute throughout the year.  For more information, please call (617) 547-4770.

Contact Us

The Greek Institute is located at 1038 Massachusetts Avenue at Harvard Square, in Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.

Governance

The Board of Directors

• Athan H. Anagnostopoulos, President

• Georgios Anagnostopoulos

• Maria Anagnostopoulos, Program Director

• William Arvanites

• Theodore Anastos, Esq.

• Stephen Yeonas, Jr., Esq.

Advisory Board

• Joan Cassidy

• Thomas Cassidy

• Georgia Girdis

• Dimitri Hadzi

• Barbara Kapp

• Nikita Lyrist

• Barbara Miliaras

• Paul Mitarachi

• Thomai Sinopoulos

• Katherine Zevitas

Development Committee

• William Arvanites, Chair

• Maria Anagnostopoulos

• Theodore Anastos

• Diane Arenella

• Henry Irving

• Chris Kyriakis

• Cheryl Mariolis

• Dorothea Williams

Cultural Outreach Committee

• Diane Coulopoulos

• Rhea Lesage

• Miretta Flytzani-Stephanopoulos

Author/Lecture Series Committee

• Liana di Girolami Cheney

• Helen Nayar

• Rhea Lesage

Gallery Committee

• Catherine Kernan

• Elizabeth Moraites

• Stephanie Orphanos

CD-ROM Committee

• Peter Tamis, Chair

• Demetra Anagnostopoulos

• Thomas Bruno

• Maria Collins

• Cheryl Mariolis

• Diane Tamis