Anna Karamanou: “The Peaceful Uprising of Female Sapiens 1821-2021”

As far as I remember, her main concern has always been women.

Her name is deeply engraved with her struggles.

Many times in the past, when I was asked to say a few words on the occasion of International Women’s Day, in the back of my mind I had her image.

Because how could women who distinguished themselves in various fields of life, and others who were not highlighted for the greatness of their soul and their everyday unseen struggles, assert their position if it weren’t for those who never stopped fighting for their rights in the international community?

Each time, therefore, when I tried to touch on a part of my topic to unfold it, dozens of symbols suddenly emerged because the woman, since the beginning of humanity on earth, has been an unparalleled symbol.

For this symbol, Anna Karamanou speaks in her new book. She has lived in Syros for years, has her own home there, and loves it as her second homeland.

Here on our island, she has made many friends, and as an excellent hostess, she organizes lovely literary evenings that hark back to other eras.

Here, during the pandemic, she wrote her new book, firmly grounding it in the historical timeline of women’s roles throughout the development of the modern Greek state.

A fascinating and original journey that begins with the 1821 Revolution and reaches all the way to the present day.

Personally, I couldn’t be surprised by the content of this book, as I have known Anna for many years, followed her admirable journey, and see it as only natural. As president of the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality from 2002 to 2004, she made a lasting impact.

With the inventive title “The Peaceful Uprising of Female Sapiens 1821-2021,” she addresses the countless gaps concerning women throughout 200 years of Greek history.

For the first time in history, an exceptionally thorough investigation records the role of women in the struggle for Greek liberation, starting from the Ottoman yoke and tracing the parallel journey of women and the Greek state.

How, uninvited, they fought to support their homeland through the many and varied challenges Greece faced.

One A true story that historians and writers often overlook. As she herself characteristically states in the interview she gave me, “I write about the heroic uprising of Greek women and their emergence from centuries of marginalization and obscurity to the forefront of history and public life. For those who rose up and participated in wars uninvited. On their own! Without being conscripted by any authority. Without any prior recognition of rights.”

Your book pays particular attention to the dynamic efforts of Greek women to emancipate themselves and claim their rights. What prompted you to write about the role of women in the Greek Revolution?

My book truly offers a historical journey that begins in 1821 with the voluntary participation of women. Because no one called the women to enlist, they participated on their own, and this is very significant. Something that historians have neglected to mention. In general, the achievements of women and their involvement in the wars—throughout 1821, but also in subsequent wars such as the unfortunate 1897 war, the Balkan Wars, and the liberation of Epirus—was crucial. Women’s participation was decisive.

And all of this has been silenced. So, I wanted to uncover all these details that show the journey of women toward the attainment of what should be obvious: the equality of male and female sapiens, as I say in my book, but within the context of major historical events. The Revolution of 1821, the governance of Kapodistrias…

This, however, means research.

Of course, research.

How long did it take?

Two years. Of course, there are also elements from my doctoral thesis, where I made a comparative analysis between Greece and Turkey. But this book is limited to 200 years. It starts from 1821 and also talks about the #MeToo movement, and the crisis in Greece. In other words, the struggles of women are not disconnected from the major historical events. What happened with Kapodistrias, with Charilaos Trikoupis, with Eleftherios Venizelos, with Konstantinos Karamanlis and Greece’s European aspirations, the major changes in gender equality that occurred in the 1980s… and it reaches up to the present day. I think it is very useful.

Regarding Syros?

I have many details about Syros. Because the Syros was the first and the best. Immediately after the revolution, it was the most developed region in Greece. Already in 1824, in Ermoupoli, Syros, Evanthia Kairi was here, and the education of women had begun. No other region of Greece had education for women, especially secondary education. No one was interested in the education of women. It was almost forbidden for women to attend school.

Syros was a pioneer. I already have a chapter in my book titled “Pioneering Syros,” when we talk about education. Also, here were Roïdis and Sours, who had interesting views. They said many nice things, and sometimes funny ones, regarding the feminist movement of women at the time. I refer to Roïdis and his dialogue with Kalliroi Parren. The first issue of Efimerida ton Kyrion (The Ladies’ Newspaper) was published in 1887, on March 8th. This means that we have our own March 8th. Now, I don’t know how March 8th became established. Some research is needed here to find out. Because in 1910, March 8th was established as International Women’s Day. I also mention the women’s struggle for the right to vote. But the struggle began with the right to education and participation in the process.

You also refer to the Lyceum of Greek Women.

I refer to it in detail. First of all, there was the great Kallirroi Parren. Even her work has not been highlighted as much. We know about all the heroes, in any case, and those who led the institutional formation of Greece, but we do not mention the women. Kallirroi Parren was one of the first educated women, a journalist, but she also had a husband – and this is important – who supported and encouraged her. Something that is rare, to find such men… feminists.

She then participated in the tough fight for the right to vote. Various organizations began to form, and she founded the “Lyceum of Greek Women”… because Parren lived to an old age. She left a very important legacy for women.

What drives you to constantly fight so hard for women and their rights? As long as I’ve known you, it seems to be the purpose of your life.

Yes, it is. Because women are unfairly treated. They are so capable…

Why, however, do women today seem to fight less, at least compared to the past?

Because patriarchy is very strong, especially in Greece. Look elsewhere to see what is happening. There has been great progress, especially in Scandinavian countries. There, we have female prime ministers… Here, we have a party, KINAL, where 7 candidates were announced, and not a single woman dared to run. There is such doubt towards women, such discouragement of women’s initiative, it’s unbelievable. We are the last in the European Union and in the European Parliament.

Do you see any light at the end of the tunnel?

Look, there is responsibility from the governments as well… from the top. Because in the 1980s, things happened from the top. But in the 1980s, there was a Margarita Papandreou, a Keti Kostavara. I believe in the role of personalities. There was Melina Mercouri, at that time, who fought. Then, after we achieved legal equality, and when it comes to the laws, we are fine in Greece, some people thought we were done and no longer needed to fight.

There has never been a mass feminist movement in Greece, like we see in Spain. Have you seen what’s happening with women in Spain? Millions of women take to the streets, and here – when some struggles happen – only 100 to 200 women gather.

However, it is the men who say that there needs to be a movement because women have prevailed.

Yes, yes. The best defense is attack. Men feel that they are losing privileges, and that’s why they resist and react. Because they believe it’s a zero-sum game, meaning that for every position a woman gains, a man loses it. So, we men must face women before they counterattack.

This means we still have a long way to go.

The struggle is tough. Therefore, some women need to believe, and Most importantly, there needs to be solidarity and mutual support among women. There isn’t. And especially, there is some hostility towards women who attain positions of power or manage to stand out. There is low self-esteem and self-confidence among women. So, there is a questioning within ourselves… among women.

Because women have internalized patriarchal values. That men are superior, just because they are men, that they are better and do everything better. They do nothing. They are about to destroy the planet. Men, women, are raising issues. We women must take power before patriarchy and male dominance destroy the planet.

“Is there no progress?”

There is progress. I don’t know if I will live to see this great progress that I felt occurred during the pandemic. You must have heard of the studies conducted by Harvard. They showed that countries with female leaders, such as Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Taiwan with its 24 million inhabitants, had very few deaths and very low virus spread. The same is true for New Zealand. So, women have come to the conclusion that they are more capable of governing the planet than men.

For some of our qualities, men criticize us, such as empathy, compassion, kindness, and soft tones. These are the qualities, according to the Harvard study, that future leaders should possess. Because we are used to seeing strength as being that of someone who shouts and bangs their fist on the table. A person who is polite and gentle is considered not very assertive. These things are coming to an end. I don’t know when these changes will be reflected in society. We still have time, but women also have individual responsibility.

This is my [insert number] book.

This is my third book. I had written one in 1980. The first one was published by OAED, as it was about education and employment. This is the third one. However, now I am preparing one about Turkey. I will write about the 100 years. I have a lot of information because I have been there many times. Turkey was founded in 1923. That’s why Erdoğan is so furious. He wants, on the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, to erase Mustafa Kemal Atatürk from the consciousness of the Turkish people. Whatever he was, Atatürk was a pioneer. One of the greatest leaders.

In the consciousness of the Turks, he is the father of the nation. Erdoğan, through his pharaonic projects and international aggression, wants to overshadow Atatürk and be remembered in history as the formidable leader who expanded Turkey’s influence, etc. Since I know quite a bit about this political agenda, I will write a book from the perspective of women. I’m very excited about this topic.

Where and when will you present your book?

I will present it in Syros, probably next summer.

One thing is certain. Anyone who reads the historical events connected to the actions of women in the liberation struggle and their crucial contribution to the creation of the new Greek state amidst the political noise and historical events of two centuries will understand that progress and change are not… a matter for men alone.

Short biography:

Anna Karamano was a member of the European Parliament (1997-2004), a member of the Presidency of the Socialist Group, and president of the Parliamentary Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality.

Vice-President of Women of the Party of European Socialists and Democrats (PES) since 2004.

Social and international politics, lifelong learning, gender equality, political philosophy, and human rights are at the core of her interests and actions.

Unionist of OTE (1974-1991), General Secretary of the OTE Workers’ Federation, member of the Women’s Committee of GSEE, member of the Women’s Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), representative of GSEE in the Board of Directors of OAED.

Founding member and General Secretary of the Political Women’s Association, member of the Association of Greek Women Scientists and the Hellenic Political Science Association.

National representative in two European networks of the European Commission (1982-89 & 1992-96), on issues of political gender equality and employment, Secretary of the Women’s Sector of PASOK (1994-2001), Vice President of the Socialist International Women (1996-2003), General Secretary for Gender Equality at the Ministry of the Interior (1996-97).

“Peace and Friendship A. Ipekci” Award for contribution to Greek-Turkish rapprochement (1999), Soroptimist Union Prize (2004), and International Award from the Hungarian Government (2008) for contribution to the struggles for women’s rights.

Studies: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: a) Bachelor’s degree in Greek and English Philology from the Faculty of Philosophy, 1978, b) Master’s degree (with honors) in European and International Studies, 2006, and c) PhD in Political Science and Public Administration (with honors), 2014.