The glamorous ceremony took place on Wednesday, June 24th, in the presence of the Prime Minister, political leaders, ministers, MPs, prominent figures from culture and the arts, as well as a large crowd of citizens.
From AUTODIA, the event was attended by General Director Margarita Panagiotopoulou, Head of Concerts Nagia Katsouli, and Board Member Dionysia Andrikopoulou (D-Version Music Publishing).
The President of the Parliament characterized Stavros Xarchakos as a creator who broke down all kinds of barriers in art, education, and political action, calling him a "Great Orphic".
"He is both a mystic and a mystery. Earthly yet artistically superhuman. A master of harmony who truly knows the inner power that comes from music. An acrobat between the high spheres of spirit and matter, and at the same time, an interpreter of life and its values. Always present in the joys and sorrows of our times. In our pain and our hopes. In the Now and Forever of Greece," Mr. Kaklamanis beautifully stated.
"You would expect me to make a speech in return, but I cannot. I am deeply moved and, therefore, speechless," Stavros Xarchakos said with great emotion.
The ceremony was followed by a concert featuring works by the Greek composer, which took place in the courtyard of the Parliament, conducted by Stavros Xarchakos himself.
In the concert titled "The Soul That Became Music", Dimitris Basis and Iro Saia performed 19 well-known hits of the composer, including: "Pos na sopaso" (How can I stay silent),"Ena proino" (One morning), "Na me thymasai" (Remember me), "Aspri mera kai gia mas" (A brighter day for us too), "Taxidi gia to Santa Fe" (Journey to Santa Fe).