On the occasion of International Women's Day

1950. “I have an idea,” my grandfather says to my grandmother and his mother, returning home with an armful of foreign women’s magazines. “To publish a Greek women’s magazine that has fashion, cooking, pastry, household, short stories and various practical topics. What do you think?”

At that time, Greece was emerging from two wars, the economic situation was bad, the Greek woman had shouldered great burdens within the family, she still did not have the right to vote, she did not have many other modern things, professional choices were limited, the goal was marriage, and there was no Greek women's magazine that she could read, learn, be informed, and be entertained by.

My grandfather, however, saw it differently. A journalist at “Vradini”, a painter-student of Nikos Lytras, a cartoonist, a typesetter for printing houses, that day, waiting for his always late friend, he was browsing through foreign magazines at the newsstand. And that’s how he came up with the idea for the magazine that was to shape the Greek press. The biggest difficulty was who would write for the magazine. At that time, when “Gynaika” was published, there were only three female journalists. Maria Louriotou, Iris Skaraveou and Alexandra Lalaouni. He then placed an ad in the magazine asking for girls with the following qualifications: to have graduated from university, to know at least foreign languages, to have general education and culture and to be able to write. From then on, it was his job to teach them the technique of the job. And a women's editorial board is created by journalists who will later assume important positions in the Greek Press, as well as pioneers in the fields of advertising, photography and fashion.

International Women's Day today is a reminder of the journey, struggles and achievements of women throughout time. I feel grateful to have been born into a family that not only motivated but also supported the Greek woman in her emancipation, strengthening her position in society, work and personal development.

To all the women who dare, claim and move forward, Happy Birthday today and every day!