It was April 1999 when the first issue of our newspaper ΜΑΝΙΑΤΙΚΗ ΑΛΛΗΛΕΓΓΥΗ (MANIOT SOLIDARITY) was published. Timidly and through trial and error, we tried to find the path that would give shape to the impulse which led us to this form of expression. Our vision for a Mani of the future worthy of our heroic ancestors was particularly strong. Thus, the many diverse obstacles were gradually overcome — starting with technical matters, passing through financial difficulties, and culminating in the challenges that required rapid adaptation to modern printing technology. Year by year we acquired the necessary know-how which, combined with the personal processing of source material, resulted in the form and content of the newspaper you now hold in your hands.
Our main objective began with the idea that Mani is not just a place, but a way of life. It is a way of life that those of us from an older generation acquired through the experiences of our upbringing; we carry it in our genes and pass it on to our descendants. This way of life is recorded in every issue of this publication, accumulating issue by issue, condensed into our book publications, projected on our website, and digitally archived so that it remains available for future generations. This content also contributes to the harmonious integration into our land of the many new residents who have settled in our villages in recent decades, just as it happened during the great population integrations in the Mani region in earlier centuries.
On the occasion of entering the 28th year of publication, we consider it appropriate to analyse in greater detail the structure and content of each issue of our newspaper.
The smooth transition from the title to the content is achieved through the lead article on the first page. We ensure that its content incorporates elements and nuances of SOLIDARITY in analyses of ideas and events relating to broader social issues appearing in current affairs. The first page is complemented by news closely connected to our region, its developmental progress, or the major milestones of its historical journey.
The topics featured on pages 2, 3, 4 and 10 highlight elements from the history, folklore, nature and culture of our region, as these have been recorded in the past and continue to evolve to the present day. Special emphasis is given to the “Farewell” of the first Maniot scholar and enlightener Nikitas Nifakis, which is featured consistently in the masthead of page 3 as a timeless mandate for all of us, and his reflections on our region are expanded through the presentation of his verse compositions in successive issues.
Pages 6 and 7 have been dedicated to showcasing developmental projects being promoted in our wider region, identifying the manner of their implementation and the weaknesses that emerge during the course of their realisation until completion. Pages 5 and 12 cover opinion articles that also echo the ideas of SOLIDARITY, as these relate to current events and situations. Pages 9 and 11 are dedicated to recording brief news items concerning our wider region, as they appear in the current affairs of each month. As our perceptive readers will have noticed, police reports have been entirely absent even from the very first issue of the publication, because material of this nature does not align with the aims of our newspaper and our association. Believing that the printed word remains a quiet reminder that thought requires time and responsibility and that information requires verification, we maintain this editorial approach which we have followed for 27 years.
On our website www.maniatiki.gr a selected portion of the material from our printed newspaper is uploaded each month, while important texts with historical-geographical information about Mani and the settlements of its three large regions have been included. The publication of the main editorials in English facilitates compatriots (descendants of second and third generation immigrants) in becoming acquainted with the region of their family’s origin, as well as foreign residents who have settled in our area. The inclusion of the listings entrusted to us by local professionals for the printed issue increases the visibility of their businesses and activities.
We believe that a strong impetus for advancing the goals of our non-profit association that publishes the newspaper ΜΑΝΙΑΤΙΚΗ ΑΛΛΕΛΕΓΓΥΗ also arises from the publication of books and illustrated volumes about our region. We note in particular the following four titles: PAGES FROM THE HISTORY OF MANI (in two volumes), TRAVEL ITINERARIES IN MANI (in two volumes), MANI IN FOREIGN-LANGUAGE BIBLIOGRAPHYand MANI: THE TIMELESS EVOLUTION OF 10 MAJOR REGIONS.
On the occasion of this anniversary, supported by the trust and loyalty of our subscribers, we wish to express our determination to continue this work for as long as our physical and intellectual capacities permit.
THE EDITORIAL BOARD