03/06/2026
OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER
“Culture at the borders is not a luxury — it is presence”
Dear Prime Minister,
I am addressing you publicly, not to make accusations, but to raise a question that goes to the very core of our cultural policy.
The Beyond Borders International Documentary Festival of Kastellorizo, an institution of international recognition that for the past ten years has connected Greece with the global creative community, is now facing an immediate risk of suspension.
Not due to a lack of effort.
But due to the absence of consistent support.
And here lies the critical issue:
Culture at the borders is not a luxury — it is presence.
Kastellorizo is not merely a place where an event is held.
It is a point where the very meaning of the country acquires a daily and tangible dimension.
Every cultural activity there is not simply an “event,” but an act of public presence.
Today, this institution is at risk not because of a lack of ideas or capacity, but because of the absence of a stable framework that would allow it to continue.
And thus, a reasonable — yet difficult — question arises:
If the country itself cannot ensure the continuity of such a presence at its borders, who will?
This question is not posed to provoke.
It is posed to underline the need for a clear political choice.
Because the absence of support is not neutrality.
It is a decision — with consequences.
Dear Prime Minister,
The continuation of the festival is not merely a matter of cultural management.
It is a choice that concerns the image and presence of the country itself.
At a time when the significance of borders is once again coming to the forefront, the absence of culture from them cannot go unnoticed.
The responsibility is clear.
And time is now limited.
Yours sincerely,
Eirini Sarioglou
