October 1, 2024
From the Aegean to the Ionian: A sea of knowledge
April 5, 2024
"Democracy and Freedom"
Digital Museum of European Solidarity in Greece (1967-1974)
The project "Democracy and Freedom: Digital Museum of European Solidarity in Greece (1967-1974)" was completed in 2023 on behalf of the Contemporary Social History Archives (ASKI). Its aim was to digitize and highlight valuable archival material and publications in the possession of ASKI. The digital repository showcases a vast—largely unknown until now—geographical and thematic range of anti-dictatorial activities and expressions of solidarity with the Greek people during the dark years of the dictatorship of April 21, 1967.
In this context, diadrasis developed the Digital Museum and a series of web and mobile applications that utilize more than 100,000 digitized images (archival material, photographs, and publications). The company Scripta handled the digitization process, while infoLib created the ASKI digital repository, which highlights networks of people and organizations, stories of struggles and movements aimed at the downfall of the dictatorship and the establishment of democracy in Greece.
With a focus on knowledge dissemination, open access, and interoperability in the digital environment, the entire content of the digital repository is also integrated into the National Aggregator of Cultural Content, SearchCulture, of the National Documentation Center.
The project was implemented under the Operational Program "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation" by the Ministry of Finance, EPANEK/NSRF 2014-2020.
Παραδοτέα
On the website of the Digital Museum of European Solidarity in Greece (1967-1974), visitors can explore a variety of web applications—such as a digital repository, timeline, interactive map, and thematic exhibitions—to familiarize themselves with the digitized archival material. As it is a research project, the website also features articles by scholars addressing specific themes, while more than 100,000 documented images of archives and publications from the collections of ASKI and the Laboratory for the Study of the History of Left-Wing Youth (EMIAN/ASKI) are hosted.
The Periodic Exhibitions application showcases selected items of anti-dictatorial action and protest, chosen for their aesthetic value and impact. Posters are featured as a medium for spreading ideas of democracy, freedom, and solidarity, originating from different moments of the period and various countries. Additionally, the exhibition presents photographic documents that capture moments of spontaneous protests and organized demonstrations of support (such as marches, rallies, and protests), which took place across numerous cities in Europe and America.
The Interactive Timeline application provides a concise presentation of both small and large anti-dictatorial actions, creating a registry of largely unknown acts of solidarity and resistance against the dictatorial regime. The timeline emerged from in-depth research into the anti-dictatorial publications Eleftheri Patrida and Eleftheri Ellada, conducted as part of the project. Visitors can refine their search by year and type of action (publication, event, protest, press conference, or European institutions).
The Interactive Timeline application provides a concise presentation of both small and large anti-dictatorial actions, creating a registry of largely unknown acts of solidarity and resistance against the dictatorial regime. The timeline emerged from in-depth research into the anti-dictatorial publications Eleftheri Patrida and Eleftheri Ellada, conducted as part of the project. Visitors can refine their search by year and type of action (publication, event, protest, press conference, or European institutions).
The digital walking tour application transforms the city of Athens into an interactive guide, highlighting key locations of anti-dictatorial struggle, framed by original archival documents. Through this application, users can discover elements of daily life during the period from 1967 to 1974. On one hand, the app reveals the roadblocks, arrests, imprisonments, and relentless torture of citizens, while on the other, within the same urban landscape, it showcases small islands of freedom and democracy that emerged in public spaces, creating landmarks of democracy.
