International academic conference marks 30 years since the death of Odysseus Elytis

A three-day international academic conference dedicated to the Nobel laureate poet Odysseus Elytis concluded on Sunday at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia. The event, marking 30 years since the poet's death in 1996, was organized by the Department of Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, the Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies at the University of Cyprus, and the Society of Literature and Criticism. Held under the auspices of the Greek Embassy in Cyprus, the conference was part of the Cypriot presidency’s cultural program. Ioulita Iliopoulou, the poet's companion for the final 13 years of his life and the executor of his intellectual property, participated as a keynote speaker. The conference explored Elytis's work and his significant intellectual relationships, including his long-standing friendship with poet and psychoanalyst Andreas Embirikos, which began in 1935. While the texts mention the date of his death as 1996, they also note a commemoration event surrounding March 18, 2026. Attendees and readers shared testimonies on the impact of his poetry, reflecting on his legacy and specific works such as 'Past Midnight'.