Leaders who shaped Philodassiki's post-war legacy
Philodassiki owes much of its post-World War II growth and success to the visionary leadership of three remarkable presidents: Kaity Argyropoulo, Vasilios V. Melas, and Michail G. Melas. Their tireless dedication to reforestation, environmental preservation, and the protection of Greece’s cultural heritage laid the foundation for the society’s enduring mission.
Today, under the leadership of our current president, George L. Melas, and the Board of Trustees, Philodassiki continues to honor their legacy while tackling the environmental challenges of our time.
Kaity Argyropoulo
Kaity Argyropoulo, née Kyriazi, was born in Egypt to a family of tobacco industrialists originally from Kissos, a village in Pelion, Greece. The family’s imposing house in Kissos is now the Town Hall.
One of the Kyriazi sons, Efstathios, left Volos for Egypt and, in 1896, established a successful tobacco factory, Kyriazi Frères, in Ismailia, Cairo. The factory building still stands today. Efstathios Kyriazis married Kaity's mother, who sadly passed away at the age of 33, leaving three children: Nelly, Kaity, and Thomas Kyriazis.
At 20, Kaity returned to Greece from Egypt. In Athens, she met Alexandros Argyropoulos, the son of Greece's ambassador to Serbia, and they married in 1925. In 1937, the architect Dimitrios A. Fotiadis built their iconic residence on Fokilidou Street in Athens, inspired by the traditional architecture of Mykonos and the Mediterranean.
During World War II, Alexandros served as a diplomat in the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was arrested and imprisoned under German occupation but was later released. Together, he and Kaity fled to the Middle East, where Kaity worked with the Greek government-in-exile. In 1942, she traveled to the U.S. to deliver lectures supporting Greek war relief efforts.
After the war, Alexandros served as Greece's ambassador to the UN, then in Italy, and later in China during Mao Zedong’s rise to power. Upon returning to Greece, Kaity visited the Kaisariani Monastery and, witnessing the destruction of Mount Hymettus, resolved to restore the monastery and reforest the mountain. She initiated and dedicated her life to these projects, laying the foundation for Greece’s modern environmental movement. Her efforts resulted in the creation of today’s Aesthetic Forest of Mount Hymettus.
Education & Achievements:
- Studied in England, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Latin and Modern Languages, and later received a diploma in art restoration and Byzantine architecture from the Instituto di Restauro in 1960.
- Authored several works, including Mountain Hymettus and the Kaisariani Monastery (1962), Wildflowers of the Greece (1965), and From Peace to Chaos: A Forgotten Story (1975). In 1970, she launched the environmental magazine Nature and Life.
- Represented Greece in The Council of Europe for matters regarding Environmental Protection.
- Received numerous accolades, including the Golden Cross of the Order of Beneficence, the Grand Gold Medal of the French Société Nationale de la Protection de la Nature, and the Silver Medal of the Rotary Club. In 1976, she was posthumously honored with a special award by the Academy of Athens for her multifaceted contributions.
Kaity passed away on March 7, 1976, following a stroke. Her funeral was held at the Church of St. Dionysios Areopagite, attended by prominent political and cultural figures. Her final wish to be buried in the Aesthetic Forest of Mount Hymettus was not granted due to legal constraints.
Vasilios V. Melas
Vasilios Melas, son of Victor Melas, was born on September 21, 1898. He studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and economics in London. Early in his career, he worked for National Westminster Bank in London. From 1933 to 1939, he served as General Manager of the Bank of Chios, and from 1949 to 1984, he was Chairman and General Manager of Elais S.A.
Active in the social sphere, he held positions on the boards of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises, the Horse Racing Society, and the Athens Club. As Secretary-General and later President of the Philodassiki Society of Athens, he collaborated with Kaity Argyropoulo and provided substantial financial support for the reforestation and development of the Mt Hymettus Aesthetic Forest. He served as president of the society until 1983.
He passed away in June 1987. His bequest continues to fund the maintenance, protection, and development of the Mt Hymettus Aesthetic Forest. He was honored with distinctions such as the Cross of Valour, the Golden Cross of the Order of the Phoenix, and the Medal of Military Merit.
Michail G. Melas
Michail G. Melas was born in Athens in 1930. He studied law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and worked in the cotton trade for C.M. Salvagos in Switzerland from 1945 to 1961. From 1964 to 1974, he was with NATO's General Secretariat and, in 1979, became Director of Regional Development in the Eastern Aegean.
He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Benaki Museum and served as President of Philodassiki from 1983 until his death in 2015. During his 32-year presidency, the association successfully safeguarded the Mt Hymettus Aesthetic Forest and addressed various threats to its preservation.
Michail also played a pivotal role in protecting the Petrified Forest of Lesbos and establishing its museum. He spearheaded the reforestation of the burned forest around Nea Moni of Chios (1997–2002) and led improvement efforts for the monastery's surroundings after its 2013 restoration.