The University of Thessaly Honors the Bellasi Couple

  • Ο Πρύτανης Χ. Μπιλλίνης και ο Υπουργός Παιδείας Κ. Πιερρακάκης
    Ο Πρύτανης Χ. Μπιλλίνης και ο Υπουργός Παιδείας Κ. Πιερρακάκης
  • Τιμή στους Δωρητές
    Τιμή στους Δωρητές
  • Η Δωρήτρια κα Κατερίνα Παπαγεωργίου Bellasi
    Η Δωρήτρια κα Κατερίνα Παπαγεωργίου Bellasi
  • Η Δωρήτρια κα Κατερίνα Παπαγεωργίου Bellasi και ο Πρύτανης Χ. Μπιλλίνης
    Η Δωρήτρια κα Κατερίνα Παπαγεωργίου Bellasi και ο Πρύτανης Χ. Μπιλλίνης
  • Τιμή στους Δωρητές από τον κ. Δερβένη
    Τιμή στους Δωρητές από τον κ. Δερβένη
  • Τιμή στους Δωρητές
    Τιμή στους Δωρητές
  • Τιμή στους Δωρητές
    Τιμή στους Δωρητές
  • Ο Δήμαρχος Βόλου, η κα Παπαγεωργίου και ο Πρύτανης
    Ο Δήμαρχος Βόλου, η κα Παπαγεωργίου και ο Πρύτανης

In a modest and elegant ceremony held in Volos, in the presence of the Minister of Education, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, and Deputy Minister of Education, Zetta Makri, the Rector, Charalambos Billinis, honored donors Pietro Bellasi and Katerina Papageorgiou Bellasi for their remarkable collection of engraved artworks.

“Donors are a rare treasure in our time. Pietro, of blessed memory, and dear Katerina, the academic community of our university and the society of Thessaly will forever be grateful for your sensitivity and generosity,” remarked Rector Billinis, promising that the names of the donors would grace a space within the University of Thessaly in Volos by decision of the Senate—a token of the university's gratitude to the Bellasi couple.

Minister Pierrakakis emphasized: “Thanks to the donation of Pietro Bellasi and Katerina Papageorgiou Bellasi and the care of the University of Thessaly, Volos gains a new artistic landmark. We are investing in art within higher education. This exhibition opens horizons and is vital for the local community and the university’s students, with whom we maintain constant collaboration.”

Volos Mayor Achilleas Beos thanked Katerina Papageorgiou Bellasi, stating that the collection would now serve as “a magnet for visitors to the city.” He awarded her a gift bearing the emblem of Volos. Addressing the Rector, he noted their excellent collaboration, aiming for a brighter future for the city, its citizens, and its culture.

The Bellasi couple donated 213 valuable engravings by renowned international artists such as Max Ernst, Giorgio de Chirico, Max Klinger, and others, as well as distinguished Greek artists like Dimitris Galanis, Yannis Moralis, and Alekos Kontopoulos.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister Zetta Makri, Volos Deputy Mayor for Culture Elena Antonopoulou, Deputy Regional Governor of Magnesia and Sporades Anna Maria Papadimitriou, and other notable figures from the academic and local community.

Rector Billinis called the donation “a historic moment for the University of Thessaly and modern art in Greece.” He highlighted the collection's significance and announced its first exhibition at the Giorgio de Chirico Art Center in Volos.

The collection's journey to the university began in 2016 under former Rector G. Petrakos and culminated with the signing of the Donation Agreement in 2022 by then-Rector Z. Mamouris. Rector Billinis, who advocated for the acquisition as Vice-Rector of Finance in 2018, inaugurated its first exhibition in 2024.

Donor Katerina Papageorgiou Bellasi expressed her deep emotion, recounting the collection’s creation starting in 1970 in Bologna and her late husband Pietro Bellasi's love for Greece. “Our vision, shared with the university, is to establish a scientific center for the study of printmaking and avant-garde movements, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration with international institutions,” she said.

The event concluded with a tour of the exhibition, curated by Sotiris Bachtsetzis, Fani Paraforou, and a team of university students. Open to the public since December 4, the exhibition, with free entry, will run until the end of January.

The University of Thessaly, along with the Committee for the Management and Utilization of the Pietro Bellasi and Katerina Papageorgiou Bellasi Collection, organizes the exhibition. Under the coordination of Dimitris Dervenis and the direction of the Rector, it features 213 significant works by acclaimed Greek and international artists, marking a unique contribution to Greek art and culture.