The Finnish Institute at Athens was founded in 1984, as the second Finnish institute abroad. It is an academic institution with a mission to carry out and promote the study of Greek archaeology, history, language and culture from ancient times to the present day.
The Institute carries out its own research projects, including fieldwork, organizes international colloquia and lectures and distributes a scholarly publication series. Furthermore, it arranges introductory courses concerning ancient Greece for undergraduate students, and helps Finnish scholars and students working in Greece. Finally, it organizes cultural events in order to promote the knowledge of Finnish culture in Greece and Greek culture in Finland.
The institute operates in a neoclassical building in the city centre, south of the Acropolis. Nearby are the institutes of Italy, Netherlands, Australia and the other Nordic countries.
STAFF
The institute’s activities are the responsibility of its director and assistant director, who are both chosen for a three-year term. Both are scholars whose research interests are connected with Greece. Additionally, the institute staff includes a research officer, a administrative coordinator, as well as one or several trainees. The institute’s guesthouse at Koroneos Building is managed by a coordinator, a property manager, and a cleaner.
Director
Petra Pakkanen
director@finninstitute.gr
Assistant Director
Lassi Jakola
jakola@finninstitute.gr
Research Officer
Maria Gourdouba
memigour@finninstitute.gr
office@finninstitute.gr
Administrative Coordinator
Vasiliki Katsantoni
+30 6946 908887
koroneos@finninstitute.gr
Cleaner
Kamila Kiriakis
KORONEOS BUILDING
Coordinator: Vasiliki Katsantoni
Reception hours at Koroneos:
Tue: 8.30–15.30
Fri: 8.30–15.30
Email: koroneos@finninstitute.gr
Phone: +30 6946 908887
Property Manager: Joakim Stavropoulos
Cleaner: Rehema Mutimbwa
STAFF 1984 –
| Directors 1984 – | |
| 1.9.1984 – 31.7.1988 | Paavo Castrén |
| 1.8.1988 – 31.7.1992 | Jaakko Frösén |
| 1.8.1992 – 31.12.1992 | Henrik Lilius |
| 1.1.1993 – 31.7.1995 | Gunnar af Hällström |
| 1.8.1995 – 31.7.1997 | Kirsti Simonsuuri |
| 1.8.1997 – 31.7.2000 | Olli Salomies |
| 1.8.2000 – 31.7.2004 | Leena Pietilä-Castrén |
| 1.8.2004 – 31.12.2007 | Björn Forsén |
| 1.1.2008 – 30.6.2013 | Martti Leiwo |
| 1.9.2013 – 31.12.2017 | Jari Pakkanen |
| 1.1.2018 – 31.12.2020 | Björn Forsén |
| 1.1.2021 – | Petra Pakkanen |
| Assistant Directors 1990 – | |
| 1.8.1990 – 31.10.1993 | Martti Leiwo |
| 1.1.1994 – 31.7.1997 | Petra Pentikäinen [Pakkanen] |
| 1.8.1997 – 31.8.2000 | Jari Pakkanen |
| 1.9.2000 – 30.9.2000 | Petra Pakkanen |
| 1.10.2000 – 31.7.2003 | Marjaana Vesterinen |
| 1.8.2003 – 31.12.2006 | Esko Tikkala |
| 1.1.2007 – 31.12.2010 | Vesa Vahtikari |
| 1.1.2011 – 31.12.2014 | Saara Kauppinen |
| 1.1.2015 – 30.6.2018 | Vesa Vahtikari |
| 1.7.2018 – 31.10.2023 | Antti Lampinen |
| 1.11.2023 – | Lassi Jakola |
| Other employees 1984 – | |
| 1984 – 2003 | Koula Papandreou |
| 1992 – 2006 | Olga Papadatou |
| 1996 – | Joakim Stavropoulos |
| 2000 – 2022 | Leena Katsantoni |
| 2002 – 2004 | Toula Protonotariou |
| 2004 – | Kamila Kiriakis |
| 2018 – 2019 | Sebastian Boulter |
| 2023 – | Rehema Mutimbwa |
| Administrator | |
| 1.2.1985 – 31.3.2023 | Maria Martzoukou |
| Research Officer (former Research and Office Assistant) | |
| 2000 – | Maria Gourdouba |
| Administrative Coordinator | |
| 2022 – | Vasiliki Katsantoni |
LIBRARIES
NORDIC LIBRARY
The Nordic library is administrated collaboratively by the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish Institutes. The library is located next door to the Finnish Institute. Opened in 1995, the main purpose of the library is to serve scholars and students specialising in ancient studies. The library includes some 40 000 volumes, mainly dealing with the archaeology, culture and history of ancient Greece.
The Head Librarian is Patrick Talatas and the Senior Academic Librarian is Antti Lampinen.
Opening times
Mon–Fre 9AM–7PM
Address: Kavalloti 7, GR-11742 Ateena
tel: +30 210 9249210
fax: +30 210 9216487
Webpage
library@norlib.gr
REFERENCE LIBRARY OF THE INSTITUTE
The institute itself has a small reference library containing some ancient literature, reference books and modern Finnish and Greek prose. The core of the library consists of books donated by the late Professor of Greek Language and Literature, Henrik Zilliacus.