HELLENIC FEDERATION OF FRIENDS OF MUSEUMS
In June 2001 there took place at Porto in Portugal the Annual Meeting and General Assembly of the World Federation of Friends of Museums. WFFM - the new English logo, replacing the previous French FMAM

Federation Mondiale des Amis des Musees). I had the honour to represent Greece as president of the Hellenic Federation and was able to take in the problems, as also the optimistic prospects. which were tabled by each country, concerning the significant and now recognized role played by Friends in the world of museums and in the supply of culture. I consider it worth mentioning that the presence of Greece. once more among the member states of these meetings, was warmly greeted.

"Ladies and gentlemen, dear Friends of the World Federation,
It is with joy and emotion that I find myself amongst you at the General Assembly and Annual Meeting in Porto, in particular after such extended absence of Greece from WFFM meetings. I wish to believe that the internal functional difficulties of the Greek Federation have now been overcome,
and that we shall from now on signify our presence energetically and creatively, within the spirit of the WFFM. as well as in the spirit of cooperation inspired in us by the former president of the WFFM, Greek Ambassador Mr. Aristotle Frydos, who some years ago had so admirably, from his eminent position, represented Greece. I should however like to bring to memory, briefly, in order to bridge the gap of years, the history of the Hellenic Federation so as to inform the new members of the World Federation.
On the initiative of the Board of the Friends of the ever pioneering and very important Benaki Museum, in the presidency of Mr.Nikos Rok-Melas, and with the support of the unforgettable G. Spentzos. In November 1986, in Athens. in collaboration with the WFFM, an international symposium was organized on the subject "The Museum and its Friends: the problems con­nected to a contemporary institution". The organizing committee con­sisted of Mrs. A.Amondry, Mrs. Lila de Chaves representing the Board of the Friends, A.Kalligas, I.Pesmatzoglou, E.Pyrlas and K.Tsamados. The sympo­sium was placed under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and its Minister Melina Mercouri, always remembered, honoured by the presence of the president of the then FMAM, Mr. Edmund Bovey. That important symposium was judged by the WFFM as most successful, also from the point of view of participation, since all agencies involved had taken part: professionals from museums (ICOMJ, collectors, executives of the Ministry of Culture, as well as on the organizing side, since the reception given to visiting members was irreproachable. In this way, the WFFM gave us the green light for the establishment of the 'Hellenic Federation'.
Following a period of some instability in the last six months, we may observe a very positive climate in regard to the Hellenic Federation and have the pleasure of enrolling five new associations of Friends of Museums:
Of the initial goals of the HFFM's new Board was the improvement of the existing statutes: at the Statutory General Meeting of April 2001 a new English logo was decided upon: Hellenic Federation of Friends of Museums IHFFMJ instead of the French.
We have additionally intensified our approach to the Ministry of Culture, which demonstrates great sensitivity to matters relating to the Athens Olym­pic Games in 2004, also the cultural Olympiad in their framework. It is in this spirit that I would request the Meeting to accept my suggestion, that the next-but-one Meeting and General Assembly be held in Athens in 2004, at the end of spring or beginning of summer, shortly before the Olympic Games, and in the universal Olympic spirit."