In February 2018, the award-winning author and historian Asterios Koukoudis "passed away" suddenly.
He himself, in his public will published in the Magistrates' Court of Thessaloniki, bequeathed to the Public Central Library of Veria the research material about Vlachs and the copyright on his books in Greek and English.

The donation includes:

• Books
• photographic material, which highlights the geographical dispersion, as well as the social and economic life of the Vlachs
• his correspondence
• his studies
• original archival material, which he used during the writing of his award-winning work "Studies for the Vlachs"

The staff of the library, wanting to look worthy of the trust of the deceased, worked intensively, with absolute respect for the recording and promotion of his collection. It is worth mentioning the help that Ms. Anastasia Tanampasi, Dr. History of Education of the University of Western Macedonia.

Through this material, we will always remember the man Asterios, who we had the rare fortune to meet up close, first as a member of the Public Library of Veria and later as an award-winning author. Convincing and simple, like all truly great!

The cataloging of the donation books which are accessible through the electronic catalog of the library has already been completed. The books in the collection are not borrowed and the public can only consult them in the library reading room.

You can see the entire collection of Asterios Koukoudis here

This donation comes to add and decisively enrich the collection of material of local interest available to the Library of Veria. In combination with the digital library MEDOUSA http://medusa.libver.gr/ which now lists a sufficient number of digitized items, they are an important source of information about the tradition and culture of the region.

This donation is another example to be imitated by all our fellow citizens so that the Library can spread and highlight on the one hand anything related to the history and culture of the area, on the other hand as it already does to continue to provide free access to this material. for the need of the research and wider public.

Asterios Koukoudis (1965-2018), was  a graduate of the Pedagogical Academy of Heraklion, Crete (1984) and holds a degree in assimilation from the Pedagogical Department of the Pedagogical School of Florina, University of Western Macedonia. He studied Gemology and Goldsmithing at the  Gemmological Institute of America, Santa Monica, California, USA (1989). His involvement with postgraduate studies (Postgraduate Studies Program, Cultural Studies, Semiotics and Communication, University of Western Macedonia 2013-2015) and his various research and writing collaborations with the university community, highlight the lifelong and permanent.     

 He has worked on a research project of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle in Thessaloniki (1994-97). He has published 9 books on the Vlachs and some of them have been translated and published in English and the language of FYROM. He has published more than 10 scientific articles on the history and social anthropology of the Vlachs and history of education. He has made a series of presentations, speeches and lectures with similar topics in Greece and abroad. He has organized similar Exhibitions, in Greek and English, which were presented throughout the country and the neighboring Balkan countries. He has worked in Primary Education since 1999 and in Lifelong Learning programs since 2014. For his research and writing work he was honored with the Prize of Letters and Arts of the Academy of Athens (1998).


His involvement with postgraduate studies (Postgraduate Program, Cultural Studies, Semiotics and Communication, University of Western Macedonia (2013-2015) and his various research and writing collaborations with the university community highlight his lifelong and continuing education.

His contribution to the historical and national research, where he "clarified the History of the Vlachs in Veria, but also in the wider Imathia, highlighting the locality and the sources" is documented in the publications and in the many public speeches, with which he offered non-profit knowledge and arguments to a free scientific dialogue with the Associations and the citizens.

Presentations, lectures and scientific lectures document the importance of archival, historical research:

• «Contemporary Vlach identity and reality in Greece», Farserotul Society, Bridgeport Connecticut, USA, 5 July 2003.
• "The Vlachs of the metropolitan Pindos, late 19th to early 20th century: photographic presentation", 4th Symposium on dance research,  The music and dance tradition of the inhabitants of the mountainous area of ​​Pindos and the effects during the transition to the urban environment  , Greek Dance Archive, under under the auspices of the International Organization of Folk Art IOV - In operational relations with UNESCO, Vovousa, 16-18 July 2004.
• "The history of the Vlachs of Eastern Macedonia" 6th Seminar of Folklore and Vlach Traditional Dances  P.O.P.S.V. , Xanthi, 25-26 September 2004
• "The reactivation of Romanian propaganda in the Balkans: policy proposals", seminar:  The Vlachs and the Sarakatsani in the Balkans , Ministry of National Defense, Pentagon, Athens, January 27, 2005.
• "Photographing the Vlachs: a photograph of a thousand words", Cultural Association of Perivoliotes of Magnesia, February 14, 2006.
• "Population exits from Aspropotamos - late 18th and early 19th century", 9th Symposium on History, Folklore, Vlach Traditional Music and Dances  P.OP.S.V. , Aspropotamos, Trikala, 11-12-13 May 2007
• "The dispersion of the Grammoustians in 1900", Cultural - Folklore Association of Vlachs of Sidirokastro, Sidirokastro of Serres, September 7, 2007.
• "The Vlachs in the lens", Association of Vlachs of Thesprotia Prefecture, Igoumenitsa, October 26, 2007.
• "The Thessaloniki of community conflicts and the involvement of the Vlach element, 1900-1912",  100 years since the founding of the association of Livadiotes of Thessaloniki "Giorgakis Olympios"  , Thessaloniki, March 30, 2008.
• "The settlements of the Vlachs in Katerini at the beginning of the 20th century", 10th Symposium on  History  , Folklore, Vlach Traditional Music and Dances P.OPSV. , Katerini, 17 May 2008.
• "The settlements of the Arvanitovlachs in Macedonia",  50 years of Vlach culture in Ieropigi , Cultural - Landscaping - Folklore Association of Ieropigi, Ieropigi, Kastoria, June 29, 2008.
• "The Vlach presence in the region of Kastoria", Association of Vlachs of Argos Orestiko, Argos Orestiko, April 25, 2010.
• "Vlach urban settlements in Western Macedonia, late 19th - early 20th century",  11th Symposium on History, Folklore, Vlach Traditional Music and Dance P.OPSV. , Kleisoura, Kastoria, September 11, 2010.
• Vlachs / Aromanians in sources and texts of the 18th-19th century ", Postgraduate Seminar of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Kapodistrias, Department of Archeology & History, Professor Olga Katsiardi - Hering, academic year  2010-11, seminar topic:  From '' Genos', in 'Ethnos' /' Romans', 'Greeks',' Greeks' and other peoples of Southeastern Europe in texts of the 15-19th c.  , 11 January 2011.
• The contribution of the Vlachs to the Greek Bourgeoisie: the example of Thessaloniki (1821-1912), Proceedings of the POPSV Conference entitled "Thessaloniki and the Vlachs", Thessaloniki, January 22, 2011
• "Vlach nomadic populations and installations in the santzaki of Serres in 1900",  13th  Symposium of History , Folklore, Vlach Traditional Music and Dances POPSV. , Heraklion, Serres, September 8, 2012.
• "Arvanitovlachoi in Vermio and the North: a rental contract for a hut installation, early 20th century",  15th Symposium on History, Folklore, Vlach Traditional Music and Dances, P.O.P.S.V. , Naoussa, 6-7 September 2014.
• Vamvakidou Ifigeneia, Solaki Andromachi & Koukoudis, Asterios, «Students of Florina's University Are Painting the Locality: Historic Significations»,  12 th World Congress of Semiotics, New Semiotics, Between Tradition and Innovation  , New Bulgarian University Sofia, 16-20 September 2014.
• Vamvakidou Ifigenia, Koukoudis Asterios & Solaki Andromachi, "Conflicting issues of local history: the monument of the Holocaust in Ioannina",  1st Panhellenic Conference on Sociology of Education, Research in the sociology of education: present and prospects  , University of Ioannina Kindergarten teachers, Ioannina, 16-17 October 2014.
• Koukoudis Asterios, Ifigenia Vamvakidou, Solaki Eleni, Bakali, F., "Good practices at the 23rd Elementary School of Kalamaria (2014-15): interdisciplinary cultural material and semiotic applications",  Conference on Diversity and Multilingualism , TEPAE and Polydromo, Thessaloniki.

We also note his university work as:

• Auxiliary teaching in the undergraduate courses at the Pedagogical School of the University of Western Macedonia on the subject of special stories for the case study in the Vlachs of 1900
• Autonomous teaching in the university program Lifelong "Culture, Tradition and Dance"
• His great contribution to the university program "Acquaintance of Thessaloniki by Russian speakers: History, Monuments, Culture",
• But also the scientific tours of the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki,  which documents its academic and interdisciplinary identity.

His historical writing, as it is bibliographically and officially recorded, is considered innovative and important:

• Asterios I. Koukoudis,  Ta Megala Livadia tou Paikou , Association of Megalolivadioton Paikou Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 2000.
• Asterios I. Koukoudis,  Thessaloniki and the Vlachs , foreword: President of the Hellenic Republic Konstantinos Stefanopoulos, Studies on the Vlachs 1, Zitros Publications, Thessaloniki 2000.
• Asterios I. Koukoudis,  The Metropolises and the Diaspora of the Vlachs , foreword: President of the Hellenic Republic Konstantinos Stefanopoulos, Studies on the Vlachs 2, Zitros Publications, Thessaloniki 2000.
• Asterios I. Koukoudis,  The Olympic Vlachs and the Vlachomoglena , foreword: President of the Hellenic Republic Konstantinos Stefanopoulos, Studies on the Vlachs 3, Zitros Publications, Thessaloniki 2001.
• Asterios I. Koukoudis,  The Vergian Vlachs and the Arvantitovlachs of Central Macedonia , foreword: President of the Hellenic Republic Konstantinos Stefanopoulos, Studies on the Vlachs 4, Zitros Publications, Thessaloniki 2001.
• Asterios I. Koukoudis,  The Vlachs: Metropolis and Diaspora , Foreword: the President of the Hellenic Rebublic Mr Konstandinos Stefanopoulos, translation: Deborah Whitehouse, Studies on the Vlachs II, Zitros, Thessaloniki 2003.
• Asterios Koukoudis,  The social life in the Vlach villages of Macedonia 1900 , Photo Exhibition, Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle, Thessaloniki 2006.
• Asterios I. Koukoudis,  From the life of the Vlachs in 1900 , Egnatia Epirus Foundation - Kapon Publications, Athens 2008.
• Asterios I. Koukoudis,  The Life of the Vlachs in 1900 , translation: Judith Pink - Megas, Egnatia Epirus Foundation - Kapon Editions, Athens 2008.
• Vassilis K. Gounaris - Asteris I. Koukoudis, "From Pindos to Rodopi: In search of the facilities and the identity of the Vlachs",  History  10/1997, pp. 91-137.
• Asterios I. Koukoudis, «The Vlachs: Metropolis and Diaspora, Introduction, assessment, and conclusions»,  The Newsletter of the Farsarotul Society , Vol.XVI, Issues 1 & 2, Fall 2002 / Spring 2003, pp.1-17 .
• Asterios Koukoudis, "The history of the Vlachs of Eastern Macedonia", (Xanthi, 25-26 Sep. 2004),  Proceedings of the 1st-7th Seminars of Folklore & Vlach Traditional Dances, Panhellenic Meetings  , Edited by: K. Adam, Panhellenic Vlachs, pp.192-203.
• Asterios Koukoudis, "Urban School of Vardar 1866 - 57th Primary School of Thessaloniki 2007",  Thessaloniki City,  Branch Volume 22, Thessaloniki June 2007, pp.1-48.
• Asterios Koukoudis, "Medieval Great Wallachia and the Byzantine Commonwealth",  History  15/2009, pp. 49-63.
• Asterios Koukoudis, "Population exits from Aspropotamos: late 18th - early 19th century", Proceedings of the 9th Symposium of History - Folklore and Vlach Traditional and Dance, POPSV,  Aspropotamos in space and time , Tzourtza Educational Branch of Athamania (FATA), Trikala 2009, pp. 116-129.
• Asterios Koukoudis, "Vardari Urban School (1897-1922): historical sections and students' origins", Conference Proceedings  Local educational history: teachers talk about the history of their schools  , foreword - curator: Christos Tzikas, Epikentro, Thessaloniki 2009, p. .37-50.
• Asterios Koukoudis, "Vardari Urban School (1897-1922): historical sections and the origin of students", Conference Proceedings  Teachers write and talk about the history of the schools of Thessaloniki  , Department of Pedagogy - IANE, School of Philosophy A .Π.Θ. & Thessaloniki History Center, Municipality of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 2010, pp.58-75
• Asteris Koukoudis, “The contribution of the Vlachs to the Greek Astism: the example of Thessaloniki, 1821-1912, Proceedings of the Conference:  The Vlachs in Thessaloniki , Panhellenic Federation of Vlach Cultural Associations - Society for Macedonian Studies, Thessaloniki, January 22, 2011, pp. 9-16.
• Asterios Koukoudis, "The Vlachs in Naoussa of 1821: evidence and indications of timeless presence",  Studies of Imathia , Year C ', Volume 3 (2011), Society for the Study of History and Culture of Imathia, Veria 2012, pp. 293-318.
• Asterios Koukoudis, "Iraklia Serres: a collective Vlach Odyssey",  Serraika Chronicles , (under publication) 17th volume, Historical and Folklore Society of Serres & Melenikou, Athens 2013.
• Asterios Koukoudis, "The integration of the Vergian Vlachs in the Greek state: challenges, divergences and consequences, (1912-1940)", Society for the Study of History & Culture of N. Imathia, Scientific Days of Local History - 2, We are talking about Veria of the 20th century, 1910-1925: from the empire to the nation , Verroia 2013, pp.109-124.
• Koukoudis Asterios, Vamvakidou Ifigenia (2015), "Mapping the Vlach Diaspora in the Balkans",  International Symposium: Culture and Space in the Balkans  (Thessaloniki 21-22 / 11/2014), Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, University of Thessaloniki, Makedon University of Macedonia, pp. 89-107.

His contribution to digital historiography is also additional and commendable:

• Collection, digitization and documentation of 800 black and white photographs with the central theme of the Vlach populations in the late 19th and early 20th century. Donation to the Archive of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle in Thessaloniki.
  http://www.imma.edu.gr/imma/dbs/Artifacts/index.html?lq=KOUKOUDIS

We recall his words from the preface of his master's thesis:

"In 2014, I found myself working at the 23rd Elementary School of Kalamaria, I participated in the Postgraduate Studies Program, Cultural Studies, Semi-Structures and Internships of the Pedagogical School - Department of Kindergarten Teachers of the University of Western Macedonia. Then I was given the opportunity to see historical identities from a different perspective. At the same time, I had to teach the subject of History in the 6th grade of Primary Education. I had to talk to the children about a period during which the sense of the modern Greek was structured and shaped. Undoubtedly, the history lesson, the textbook and the teaching environment create for children conditions for the composition of representative images in their minds. They get acquainted with the absolutely catalytic period of the Greek Revolution, when the Greeks laid the foundations of the first, of the modern Greek state. So, with the triple specialty of teacher, historian and postgraduate researcher in visual literacy, I wondered if children could compose and reproduce a part of history. If the children, even the small sample of the 6th grade that I taught, can reconstruct and convey to us the image of the man, who from the roots of an oriental multinational empire transformed into a citizen of a modern European nation / state. Who is the Greek for the children, what is his image, who lived and acted in the years of 1821? The idea for a postgraduate thesis was born ". I wondered if children could compose and reproduce a part of History. If the children, even the small sample of the 6th grade that I taught, can reconstruct and convey to us the image of the man, who from the roots of an oriental multinational empire transformed into a citizen of a modern European nation / state. Who is the Greek for the children, what is his image, who lived and acted in the years of 1821? The idea for a postgraduate thesis was born ". I wondered if children could compose and reproduce a part of History. If the children, even the small sample of the 6th grade that I taught, can reconstruct and convey to us the image of the man, who from the roots of an oriental multinational empire transformed into a citizen of a modern European nation / state. Who is the Greek for the children, what is his image, who lived and acted in the years of 1821? The idea for a postgraduate thesis was born ". what is his image, who lived and acted in the years 1821? The idea for a postgraduate thesis was born ". what is his image, who lived and acted in the years 1821? The idea for a postgraduate thesis was born".

Also, Asterios Koukoudis, found the 1st statute (1908) of the Association of Livadiotes of Thessaloniki "O Georgakis Olympios" in Gennadio Library of Athens and offered it to the Association in 2004, giving a wonderful relevant lecture. He also made an excellent speech at the "Ioannis Vellidis" Conference Center, at the ceremony for the 100 years since the founding of the Association, in 2008. The Association of Livadiotes of Thessaloniki honored him, proclaiming him an Honorary Member.