The Anglo-Hellenic League was founded in the aftermath of the 1912–13

Balkan Wars The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans, Balkan states in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan states of Kingdom of Greece (Glücksburg), Greece, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Montenegro, M ...

in order to counter anti-Greek propaganda in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. Dedicated to promoting Anglo-Greek understanding and friendship, the League has a long history of charitable and cultural work. After the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, through John Gennadius, a co-founder and Honorary President, the League took a leading role in establishing the Koraes Chair of Modern Greek and Byzantine History, Language and Literature at

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV ...

. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the League raised funds for the starving Greek population and for the

Greek Navy The Hellenic Navy (HN; , abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy historically hails from the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence ...

and the Merchant Marine. In the immediate post-war years the League gave assistance to a children's home, a hospital in Athens and to war-ravaged villages in remote parts of Greece and gave similar help to the southern

Ionian Islands The Ionian Islands (Modern Greek: , ; Ancient Greek, Katharevousa: , ) are a archipelago, group of islands in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese ("Seven Islands"; , ''Heptanēsa'' or , ''Heptanē ...

after the

1953 Ionian earthquake The 1953 Ionian earthquake (also known as the Great Kefalonia earthquake) struck the southern Ionian Islands in Greece on August 12. In mid-August, there were over 113 recorded earthquakes in the region between Kefalonia and Zakynthos, and the mo ...

. In 1979/80 the League raised over £80,000 towards the 'Save the Acropolis' Appeal. It is an organisation supporting and promoting Anglo-Greek relations and understanding. In 1990 it published a biannual magazine ''The Anglo-Hellenic Review''. This publication ceased in autumn of 2014 after 50 issues. It is a member society of the Hellenic Centre, and since the mid-1990s it is housed at the Hellenic Centre in London. From 1986, the league awards annually the

Runciman Award The Runciman Award is an annual literary award offered by the Anglo-Hellenic League for a work published in English dealing wholly or in part with Greece or Hellenism. On some years the prize has been awarded jointly and shared between two or mo ...

(named in honor of the writer and historian

Steven Runciman Sir James Cochran Stevenson Runciman (7 July 1903 – 1 November 2000), known as Steven Runciman, was an English historian best known for his three-volume '' A History of the Crusades'' (1951–54). His works had a profound impact on the popula ...

) for books published in English and relating to

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

and Hellenism.Runciman Award goes to two winners
Kathimerini (edition in english), page 6, Life / Books section, Thursday, June 7, 2007

References

Bibliography

ΑΙΜ 25, King's College London College Archives

- President and Chief Patron of the League retrieved 10 June 2007
Database of Archive of Non-Governmental Organisations, record for Anglo-Hellenic League

External links

Anglo-Hellenic League
{{Authority control 1913 establishments in the United Kingdom Culture of Greece Greece–United Kingdom relations Organizations established in 1913 United Kingdom friendship associations