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BALKANFILA XX opening ceremony is just 35 days away. There is still time to gather your family, buy your tickets, and start packing. The organisers say there is a good chance you will experience one of the most memorable philatelic visits of your lifetime.

Thessaloniki is a delight to explore. Founded in the 4th c. BCE, the city’s history spans several millennia, blending its Macedonian, Roman, Byzantine, Levantine, and Ottoman heritage with its contemporary flair. In philately, the city was introduced to us as Selanik (Ottoman and modern Turkish), Solun (Serbian, and Bulgarian), Saloniki (Russian), Salonicco (Italian), Salonique (French), and Salonica (English). At the turn of the 20th century, twelve foreign post offices operated here, run by their respective countries or shipping companies.

Several exhibits at BALKANFILA XX will showcase the city’s multicultural past, while many others will highlight the strength of philately in Southern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean countries. Among these, four outstanding exhibits—one each by Joseph Hackmey, Stavros Andreadis, Louis Fanchini, and Anestis Karagiannidis—make up the Court of Honour.

Whenever you need a break from exploring the exhibits, take the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine (hopefully), and taste a bougatsa (a cream- or cheese-filled phyllo pastry) while enjoying your frappé coffee (made with instant coffee, cold water, and ice cubes).

The exhibition will run from Wednesday 13 to Saturday 16 November. It will be hosted at Pavilion No. 6 (Pavilion of the Nations), a continuous room on the ground floor, spanning 127 metres in length and 30 metres in width. The Palmares dinner will take place on Friday evening at the rooftop garden of the Mediterranean Palace, where smoking is permitted on the veranda.

The provisional programme of the events is here: https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/programmeEN.pdf
Other details as they are coming in: https://efeth.gr/en/balkanfilaxx/

[photo credit: FEPA]

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