The Cultural Foundation “ Routes of the Olive Tree” and the Center for Environment & Sustainability – KEPEA of Kalamata are organizing an evening event dedicated to the creation of a cultural route highlighting the industrial heritage of pre-earthquake Kalamata (Monday, March 30, 2026, at 6:00 p.m., Hotel REX, Kalamata).
The event will present the points of interest along the proposed route and analyze how industrial heritage and business history can serve as a catalyst for culture, education, and tourism. The goal is to highlight the value of local industrial history and business history as an integral part of the city’s identity and its connection to the region’s economic and social development.
The event will be addressed by: the Mayor of Kalamata, the Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism of the Peloponnese Region, the Regional Director of Education for the Peloponnese, the President of the Messinia Chamber of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Executive Director of the Foundation “Routes of the Olive Tree” Mr. G. Karabatos.
The objectives of the initiative will be presented by Mr. George Argyroiliopoulos (KEPEA Kalamata), and the following thematic presentations will be given:
Local Industrial Cultural Heritage & the Concept of the Cultural Route,
Sisi Plakonouri (Educator) Marinella Katsilieri (Ph.D. in Cultural History)
Digital Tools & Cultural Routes, George Tsiris (OTR Foundation)
Ioanna Ravani (KEPEA Kalamata), Industrial Heritage as a Resource for City Tourism, V. Katsiris (Tourism entrepreneur, President of the Tourism Department of the Messinia Chamber of Commerce & member of the Kalamata Municipal Tourism Committee).
The event will conclude with an experiential walk – a digital treasure hunt organized by KEPEA Kalamata, giving participants the opportunity to discover some of the points of interest in pre-earthquake industrial Kalamata that are featured along the route.
It should be noted that the selection, presentation, and signage of the route’s points of interest were carried out pro bono by the Cultural Foundation “Routes of the Olive Tree” with the voluntary contribution and support of local professionals. This is a gift to the Municipality of Kalamata and the OEBES on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, an initiative aimed at highlighting iconic businesses and infrastructure of pre-earthquake Kalamata and contributing to the preservation of the city’s historical memory.