The Foundation of the Hellenic World (FHW) and the charitable organization of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens “Apostoli”, through the Children's Multipurpose Center “Lela Karagianni” invite both young and old on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 11:00 to a special open educational activity in the imposing space of the oldest residence in Athens, at the Benizelos Mansion (96 Adrianou Street, Plaka).
The event titled “Before Freedom Came” is organized on the occasion of the celebration of March 25th and offers a unique opportunity for experiential engagement with the historical and socio-political period of the Greek War of Independence. At the heart of the event is the presentation of the project implemented by the Foundation of the Hellenic World and the company Talent S.A. for the Municipality of Megalopolis; an original digital production that brings to life the historical epic of 1821, combining scientific documentation with virtual and augmented reality technologies for an immersive journey through the events and key figures of the period.
Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the project's digital portal and discover documented information about the clothing, weaponry, and daily life of the era. Through cutting-edge technologies, FHW will provide virtual reality (VR) headsets for an immersive experience in the Battle of Karytaina (Agios Athanasios Pass), the first regular battle of the War of Independence. At the same time, through the use of augmented reality (AR) on mobile devices, figures of fighters, pashas, as well as ordinary people will “come to life” before the visitors’ eyes, offering a visualized understanding of history.
The program also includes original educational activities from the “Lela Karagianni” Multipurpose Center, where children and parents will engage with the daily life of people before and during the Revolution. Through an interactive game, participants will discover the encryption systems used by members of the Filiki Eteria to safeguard their secret plans, by encrypting and decrypting codes of the struggle.
This collaboration serves as a springboard for the dissemination of cultural heritage through education and technology, highlighting the need to remember our roots through modern, participatory activities.
The project titled “Digital historical exhibits, multimedia applications, encyclopedia/blog on the history of the revolutionary years to be hosted in the modern multipurpose space/museum for history, culture, art and technology” is carried out by the consortium of the organizations “Foundation of the Hellenic World” and “Talent S.A.” for the Municipality of Megalopolis.
