European Cultural Centre of Delphi

The European Cultural Centre of Delphi (E.C.C.D.) was founded in 1977 thanks to the inspiration and initiative of Konstantinos Karamanlis with the view to establishing a European and worldwide intellectual centre in Delphi. Discussions about the foundation of such a centre began in the 1930s when, in the aftermath of the Delphic Festivals (1927 and 1930), the Parliament and the Senate passed a law providing for the establishment of an International Intellectual Cooperation Centre. In 1957, Greece filed a draft proposal to the Council of Europe for the foundation of an Intellectual Centre in Delphi, which was also accepted. The conference hall was designed by the architects Kostas Kitsikis and Antonios Lampakis; its construction began in 1966 and was completed in 1970. The cost was covered by state funds and funds of the Council of Europe. In 1977, by an act of the Greek Parliament, the E.C.C.D. was established under the supervision of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and the auspices of the Council of Europe. According to its founding law, its aim is to “serve international cultural interests” and “develop common cultural principles that will unite the peoples of Europe” through the “publication of studies on European culture, the organisation of cultural meetings and other cultural activities…”