Oct 18, 2015
Melina Mercouri’s 95th Birthday
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Melina, a Greek word for honey and the nickname given to Maria Mercouri by her grandfather, could also have been used to describe the actress’s low, unmistakable voice. Known to the world for her brilliant smile and award-winning performances on Broadway and the silver screen, Melina Mercouri was also known to Greeks as a champion of the proletariat who cared deeply about Greek art and its classical roots. As the first female Minister of Culture, Mercouri poured her considerable energies into building libraries, preserving Greek archaeological sites and establishing the European Capital of Culture, a designation that highlights shared cultural heritage in a new European city every year. Today’s Doodle by Kevin Laughlin celebrates a woman whose magnetism and exuberance were matched only by her love of Greece.
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