On April 24, 2024, in Ancient Corinth, the educational and cultural program “Incarceration in Antiquity and Today” took place. This year’s program marks the anniversary of ten years of cooperation among the institutions:
- Ephorate of Antiquities of Corinth
- the American School of Classical Studies
- DIAZOMA
- Pierce Psychology Club
- Pierce Orchestra and Choir
- Schools and institutions of Corinth
- Olympia Odos.
This year’s program is inspired by the Columbia University Global Center’s “Leros 2023 Seminars,” organized by Columbia University professors Stathis Gourgouris and Neni Panourgia, and will be presented at the Leros 2024 Humanism Seminars.
Pierce students presented kinetic experiential games of confinement and three songs about incarceration and freedom, with the guidance of their Music Teachers, Dora Panagopoulou and Orestis Hadjinakis.
Dr. Mary Belogianni, the director of the educational programs of Diazoma, honored us with her presence and participation. The coordinator of the annual event in Ancient Corinth is Dr. Nektaria Glinou, school psychologist at Pierce.
An important contribution to the program was the latest research findings in the Roman dungeon of Ancient Corinth by Professor Matthew Larsen (University of Copenhagen). The 3D reconstruction of the prison by Prof. Larsen’s team was also presented for the first time. Prof. Larsen’s team focuses on interdisciplinary research on “The experience of incarceration in the ancient Mediterranean”. The Ephorate of Corinthian Antiquities (Dr. Giota Kasimi) in collaboration with the American School of Classical Studies (Dr. Julia Tzonou, Ms. Taylor Cwikla) presented a lesson plan on the dungeon and the inscriptions found in the dungeon, on the prison grounds and inside the museum.
The 2nd Gymnasium of Corinth (Cornelia Kountouri, Principal) presented contemporary forms of incarceration (social networks, toxic relationships, exclusion of classmates) with silent film theatre performances. The professor of the University of Patras, in the Department of Cultural Environment Management, Dr. Nota Pantzou, attended the activity, as her area of expertise is “Cultural Heritage: Management and Promotion”.
Olympia Odos, as every year, provided the transport, the food and the valuable filming of the action.