The anniversaries marking 200 years since the three victorious battles at Verga, Diros and Polyaravos have now passed. These were the battles in which the Maniots took up arms against the Turco-Egyptian forces, when they attempted to invade Mani from three directions.

We, the non-profit association MANIOT SOLIDARITY, together with the monthly newspaper we publish, saw it as a minimum debt of honour to those who led the way, to put forward, over an extended period, proposals for action, in order to raise awareness among the numerous and widespread Maniot population. Our aim was for the bicentenary of the Maniot victories of 1826 to lead to an upgrade of the celebration sites, to more substantial and meaningful events, and to keeping their historical memory alive for generations to come. (The letters we sent to the Members of Parliament of Laconia, the Mayor of East Mani and the Holy Metropolitan of Mani are posted on our website, www.maniatiki.gr, in a special section entitled: “200 YEARS SINCE THE MANIOT VICTORIES OF 1826”).

In the main article of Issue 323, February 2026, we wrote: “Since bicentenaries of major historical events are special occasions, celebrated with grandeur all over the world, the question naturally arises: how do those responsible – the central government, regional authorities and local government – intend to mark the 200th anniversary of the Maniot Victory Battles of 1826? And, above all, what importance do the two municipalities (δῆμοι) of Mani attach to this bicentenary among their priorities, given that they are the only organised collective representatives of the Maniot region in the modern era? Will this special anniversary once again be an occasion for routine, single-use public ceremonies, or will it provide an opportunity for reflection and a strong push to undertake the essential initiatives that we should already have delivered, so that the heroic struggles of our ancestors may serve as a lasting starting point for reflection, as well as a permanent reminder to all of how freedom is safeguarded?”

It is not enough simply to improve the Polyaravos battle site alone, by opening a road suitable for vehicles to the village where the three-day battle took place, repairing its parish church and upgrading the celebration to a regional event. Similar efforts are also needed to highlight the sites of the battles at Diros and Verga.

On the shore at Diros, where the decisive battle was fought, a magnificent monument was erected 20 years ago. It was made possible by a donation from the Mitsakos merchant family and was carried out under the supervision of Professor Grigoris Skalkeas. The location of the monument also points to the need to move the commemorative events from the square in Pyrgos to the shore beyond the Diros Caves, following the preparation of a suitable area. An important step in this direction has already been taken with the introduction of a battle reenactment, depicting the battle against Ibrahim’s landing forces. Established a few years ago, it takes place on the afternoon of the day before each annual anniversary. But this is only a first step towards relocating the main celebrations to where the main battle took place.

Anyone attending the annual commemorations of the Battle of Verga cannot help but feel the awkward disproportion between the imposing height of the statue of the Maniot warrior and the cramped space surrounding it. Some time ago, we suggested to the then Mayor of Kalamata that the area used for the commemorative events needs to be enlarged, at least by preparing a small technical study and a modest project to cover the nearby stream, so that more space for the celebrations is created. The proposal was well received, but it was never implemented. Another telling example is the fact that, in order to complete the urban planning study for the settlement of Verga, which the Municipality of Kalamata has been pursuing for the past 30 years, the Council of State (Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας) recently observed, while reviewing the relevant Presidential Decree, that the Wall of Verga should first be officially designated as an archaeological site with a Protection Zone. It was from this wall that the armed Maniots confronted the Egyptian cavalry during the Verga battle. If the area’s Archaeological Service and the Kalamata Municipality carry out this requirement of the supreme court, it should make it easier for the public to visit the monument that has grown hard to reach over time.

Unfortunately, our proposals fell on deaf ears. This year, the anniversaries of the three heroic and victorious battles fought by our ancestors, were marked by the same listless repetition of a formal duty. There was no organised plan to upgrade the battle sites, no effort to link them and present them in a unified way to fill the gaps that appear in the history books. No thought of promoting the battle sites together as a single tourist destination under the name “Victorious Battles” (Νικητήρια) and linking them through tours, sporting events and cultural brochures.

We, through this modest platform for sharing news and standing up for Maniot rights, we will continue to remind everyone, every year, on the anniversary dates, of what the central government and the local authorities have failed to do – and of their moral duty to honour, in practical and meaningful ways, those who fought the victorious battles of 1826 and saved the region from its planned subjugation to the Sultan of Egypt.

ΔΕΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΕΠΟΜΕΝΟ

THE EDITORIAL BOARD