Xanthi mountain youth festival: Culture, Music and Delicate Balances
The 19th Kentavros Youth Festival in Xanthi drew large crowds on 7-8 August 2026 with concerts by Giorgos Tsalikis and Aynur Aydın, traditional dances, and support from regional authorities.
The two-day event, organised by the Kentavros Youth Association (SY.N.KE.), combined contemporary musical performances, traditional dances and parallel cultural activities. On the first day, Friday 7 August, the festival opened with a concert by Giorgos Tsalikis, while the programme was complemented by displays from traditional dance ensembles.
On the second day, Saturday 8 August, the programme concluded with a concert by popular Turkish singer Aynur Aydın, alongside the customary raffle draw.
The events were honoured by the presence of Vasiliki Pavlakaki, Deputy Regional Governor of Xanthi, who underscored the steadfast support of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace for youth initiatives and activities that highlight the local tradition of the mountainous zone.
Pavlakaki praised the work of the Organising Committee, expressed her gratitude for the honorary plaque awarded to Regional Governor Christodoulos Topsidis, and emphasised that the Region will continue to support events that strengthen social cohesion.
Also in attendance were:
- Huseyin Zeibek, Member of Parliament for Xanthi,
- Ahmet Kurt, Mayor of Myki,
- Bahri Beltso, Vice President of the Party of Equality, Peace and Friendship (KIΕΦ/DEB),
- Mustafa Traba,
- Umut Yamik, Vice-Consul of Turkey in Komotini, as well as representatives of local associations.
The event was held with the financial and logistical support of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Municipality of Myki, and private sponsors.
In a social media post, the Kentavros Youth Association (SY.N.KE.) issued a public statement centred on preserving cultural heritage, stating among other things: “These children, when they step on stage, cry out what they want to be forgotten and rewrite what they want to be erased… Our culture is our identity, our religion is our light, our language is our breath. We took from yesterday, we carry to tomorrow.” Despite the charged rhetoric that often accompanies the organisation’s announcements, in practice the two-day events proceeded smoothly, with the festive and entertainment aspects dominating without any tensions being recorded.
Editorial Comment:
The Kentavros Youth Festival is one of the most vibrant cultural institutions in mountainous Xanthi, yet it has long operated within a delicate institutional and political backdrop due to systematic attempts at outreach and influence on the organising association by the consular wing and parastatal actors.
This year’s smooth running of the festival and the dominance of its purely entertainment character in the field of celebration confirm that the State’s firm stance and institutional vigilance in recent times are forcing the pro-consular system to comply with the requirements of existing legislation.
Source: TAXIARCHISpress
