by Asimina Stathopoulou, APE Country Manager for Greece
The exhibition From Messolonghi to Aegina, hosted at the historic Kapodistrian Orphanage of Aegina from the 24 January to 28 February 2026, sheds a light on unseen aspects of the period of Kapodistrian governance. Specifically, it highlights the bond between Aegina, the first capital of the State, and the "long-suffering" City of Messolonghi. Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to discover the journey of the inhabitants and defenders of Messolonghi who survived their heroic Exodus (10 April 1826) and took refuge on the island of Aegina. Using this place as a springboard, the first governor, Ioannis Kapodistrias, from January 1828, with clever strategic moves and astute political decisions, achieved the liberation of Messolonghi from the Ottomans on the 3rd May 1829, and laid the foundations for the restoration and reconstruction of both the sacred city of Messolonghi and the city of Aegina as the first capital. Through rare evidence, the refugees' struggle for survival, the diplomatic and military struggle for liberation, and finally, the titanic task of rebuilding a symbolic city are brought to light.

