ELLI XYPOLITAKI

Labour Park - Audio Documentary Series

"Take our wreath, take our geranium, in Drapetsona we have no life anymore," wrote Greek poet, Tasos Livaditis, a poignant line performed by Grigoris Bithikotsis in 1960. As I walk through today's Lipasmata Park in Drapetsona, that song echoes in my mind. I pass by families at impromptu children's parties and groups of people gazing carelessly at the sea, and I wonder what prompted Livaditis to write such a sorrowful lyric. As I approach the bay where the remnants of slaughterhouses linger, my eyes are drawn to the towering white and red chimney and the silo that once marked the Fertilizer Factory. It becomes clear to me that life in this town was not always as carefree as it appears today.

"Labour Park" is a six-episode audio documentary that delves into the rich history of the Fertilizer Factory, exploring a narrative filled with struggles, losses, and triumphs, all set against the backdrop of Drapetsona in Piraeus, Greece. It is a production of the digital content studio, Spoovio, in collaboration with the Lipasmata Park, the Keratsini - Drapetsona Lifelong Learning Center, the organization COMM'ON and the Municipality of Keratsini - Drapetsona. It is carried out with the grant of the Greek Ministry of Culture. 

"Labour Park" produced in collaboration with COMM'ON and the Municipality of Keratsini-Drapetsona, was a central part of their "Fertile Ground" project, which received a Good Practice Award at the 5th EuroMed 2024 Conference for its contributions to the digitization of cultural heritage. The series will also be featured in the Greek Podcast Documentary Category at the 12th Chania Film Festival in October 2024.

LISTEN ON: 

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

With Greek Subtitles