Commemorating the Liberation of Chios, the 10-year anniversary edition of Chios Music Festival presents “Chios Resistance”, a multifaceted artistic and educational project dedicated to a defining period in the island’s modern history: the German Occupation, the Resistance and the Liberation of Chios (1941–1944).

Conceived as an encounter between historical research, collective memory and contemporary artistic creation, the project seeks to illuminate lesser-known aspects of this critical period through personal stories, historical testimonies and archival documentation. At the same time, it aims to create new ways of engaging with local history, bringing it into dialogue with contemporary cultural expression and the younger generations.

The project is conceived and implemented by the Chios Music Festival, with Places & Traces, based in Lemnos, participating as a partner specifically in the educational component of the project. Its contribution focuses on the development and implementation of the educational activities, supporting an experiential and creative approach to historical knowledge and encouraging the exchange of educational and cultural practices within the North Aegean.

The project is co-funded by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Athens through the German-Greek Future Fund.

Running from September to December 2026, the project unfolds through three interconnected strands:

Memory Walk

An experiential journey through 10 significant landmarks in the city of Chios, offering participants the opportunity to encounter the history of the Occupation, the Resistance and the Liberation through the places, stories and people connected to them.

Educational Programme

A series of creative activities for secondary school students, combining research, historical inquiry and storytelling. Through artistic and experiential methodologies, students will explore the history of the period and develop their own interpretations and narratives, moving beyond conventional approaches to historical education.

Multimedia Performance

An original musical and audiovisual production drawing upon historical documents, archival material and personal testimonies. The performance will transform elements of the island’s collective memory into a contemporary artistic narrative, bringing together music, image and historical testimony.