The Norwegian Institute at Athens is pleased to announce the launch of the Øivind Andersen Lecture Series, a distinguished annual event honoring the Institute’s founding director, whose vision and academic leadership were pivotal in its establishment. This lecture series invites prominent scholars from both Norwegian and international institutions to present open lectures that delve into the literary, historical, and social aspects of antiquity—fields in which Professor Emeritus Øivind Andersen has made notable and lasting contributions.

Øivind Andersen is a distinguished Norwegian philologist and classical scholar whose career has made a lasting contribution to the study of Ancient Greek literature and culture. He studied Classics and Philosophy at the University of Oslo, later holding a professorship in Classics at the University of Trondheim. After spending five years in Athens as the first Director of the Norwegian Institute there (1989–1993), he returned to his alma mater as Professor of Classics, a position from which he is now retired as Professor Emeritus. His principal research interests lie in Homer and the Greek epic tradition, as well as in ancient rhetoric and philosophy, fields in which he has published extensively. Andersen is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, where he also served as Secretary General, and he is a member of the Academia Europaea.

As the founding Director of the Norwegian Institute at Athens, Andersen played a pivotal role in establishing the Institute as a significant academic and cultural presence. Under his leadership, the Institute secured permanent premises, assembled a foundational library, and built its initial academic staff. He has been a consistent advocate for strengthening classical-humanistic education in Norway and for promoting public engagement with the classical heritage of Greece. His vision for a vibrant, intellectually active Norwegian presence in Athens materialized through collaborative initiatives and scholarly publications that fostered enduring academic ties between Greece and the Nordic countries. The lecture series inaugurated in his name honors this legacy of scholarly dedication, institution-building, and cultural diplomacy.

The inauguration lecture of the series will take place on the 22nd of May (7 p.m.) at the Norwegian Institute at Athens, featuring a lecture by Prof. Anastasia Maravela (Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Art and Ideas, University of Oslo) titled: “Homer, Hesiod and ‘Homeric’ Hymns at the Service of Isis: The Reuse of Greek Epic Tradition in The Poetic Dedication of Isidorus at Narmouthis”.