Grecìa Salentina

File:Calimera - Grecia Salentina - panoramio.jpg

The Union of the Towns of Grecìa Salentina (Unione dei Comuni della Grecìa Salentina) consists of eleven towns and forms part of the province of Lecce in the administrative area of Apulia (Puglia), and was founded by the Griko population in 1966. The purpose of this union was to promote the knowledge of Griko and preserve its culture, by organizing research at the university, teaching the language at schools and publishing books and poetry in the endangered dialect.{{cite journal |author=Journalists in Europe |title=Europ, Issues 101-106 |journal=Europ. Hors Série |publisher=Journalists in Europe |year=2001 |pages=29–30 |oclc=633918127 |issn=0180-7897 |quote= Better organised, the population of Salento, near Lecce, founded in 1996 the Union of the municipalities of Grecia Salentina… The purpose of this union is to promote the knowledge of Griko and safe-guard its culture, by teaching the language at school, organizing research at the university, publishing books and poetry in the dialect. }}

The following towns are members of the Union: Calimera, Martano, Castrignano dei Greci, Corigliano d'Otranto, Melpignano, Soleto, Sternatia, Zollino, Martignano, Carpignano Salentino and Cutrofiano.{{cite book |author= Lüdtke, Karen |title= Dances with spiders: crisis, celebrity and celebration in southern Italy|publisher=Berghahn Books |year=2009 |page=118 |isbn=9781845454456 |quote= {{ISBN|1-84545-445-6}}" "The towns of the Grecia Salentina include: Calimera, Carpignano Salentino, Castrignano dei Greci, Corigliano d'Otranto, Cutrofiano, Martano, Martignano, Melpignano, Soleto, Sternatia and Zollino. }} The towns of Carpignano Salentino and Cutrofiano joined the Union in 2007, though the inhabitants of these two towns have not spoken their original Greek dialect called griko for two centuries.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ekathimerini.com/culture/1231599/teli-na-cusi-tin-glossa-grika/|title=‘Teli na cusi tin glossa grika?’|last=Sakalis|first=Alex|date=14 February 2024|work=Kathimerini|access-date=25 March 2025}}

Source:{{cite web |url=http://www.comune.melpignano.le.it/melpignano-nella-grecia-salentina |accessdate=2011-01-17 |publisher=Unione dei comuni della Grecia Salentina |quote=La popolazione complessiva dell’Unione è di 54278 residenti così distribuiti (Dati Istat al 31° dicembre 2005. Comune Popolazione Calimera 7351 Carpignano Salentino 3868 Castrignano dei Greci 4164 Corigliano d'Otranto 5762 Cutrofiano 9250 Martano 9588 Martignano 1784 Melpignano 2234 Soleto 5551 Sternatia 2583 Zollino 2143 Totale 54278 |title=Archived copy |archive-date=2011-01-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110118051355/http://www.comune.melpignano.le.it/melpignano-nella-grecia-salentina |url-status=dead }}

Since 2020, the Grecia Salentina Marathon has been organized every year and the route starts in Piazza del Sole, in the heart of Calimera, while passing through 9 more municipalities of Grecia Salentina.https://irunmag.gr/travel/5os-maratona-della-grecia-salentina/

In 2023, the football team AEK CROTONE (formerly Real Fondo Gesù) was founded in Crotone. The name and colors of the team refer to AEK of Athens.https://calabriadilettanti.it/il-real-fondo-gesu-diventa-aek-crotone/

In 2014 in Taranto was founded the football club HELLAS TARANTO. https://www.salentosport.net/calcio/eccellenza/hellas-taranto-ennesima-involuzione-squadra-juniores/

• Griko people
• Magna Graecia
• Catepanate of Italy

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.greciasalentina.gov.it/ Grecia Salentina union website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819193309/http://www.greciasalentina.gov.it/ |date=2014-08-19 }}

{{Salentinian Greece}}

{{Griko people}}

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Category:Countries and territories where Greek is an official language