The Focas-Cosmetatos Foundation is located in Argostoli on the island of Cephalonia. It was established in 1984 with the endowment of the three brothers Spiridon, Kosmetos and Nikolaos Focas-Cosmetatos. The initial aims of the Foundation were: a) the conversion of the family house into a Museum displaying their personal collections and b) the publication of studies on Cephalonia and the Ionian Islands. Later, these aims were broadened so that the Foundation could meet modern needs and become a dynamic learning environment for the people, and especially the children, of Cephalonia.
Thus the Foundation has developed educational programmes, workshops, a children's lending library, the founders’ archives of documents and photographs, and has published a number of books on Cephalonia and the Ionian Islands. Since 1998, it has also been developing Cephalonia Botanica, a garden of typical Mediterranean plants, as an open learning environment.
|
|
Each of the Foundation’s activities is independent, yet works in tandem with the others. For example, the children's lending library becomes part of an educational programme about books; the books themselves are the source of information for several programmes; the coin collection forms the basis for a relevant educational programme etc.
The Foundation’s archives, which are at the disposal of every researcher, include an important photographic record of Cephalonia before the earthquakes of 1953, unpublished studies of local cultural and historical issues by the Cosmetatos brothers, and some private correspondence and family papers. The library of the Cosmetatos brothers, centered on the bibliography of the Ionian Islands and containing many rare books, has been donated to the Korgialenios Library. The diplomatic papers of Spiridon Focas-Cosmetatos were likewise donated to the Historical Archives of Cephalonia, a local branch of the State Archives. |
