΄Friends of Corfu΄ remove graffiti in old town

This summer, the 'Friends of Corfu', an association that began its journey by promoting Mon Repos, undertook a new project to clean buildings in the historic centre of the town. Their goal was the removal of illegal graffiti, driven by the belief that improving the town requires the active participation of all of us. It is not enough to wonder what the town can do for us, but also what we can do for the town.

The cleaning efforts began at the Palace and extended to a wide area, including Mouragia, the Church of Panagia of Mount Carmel ("Tenedos"), the Jewish Quarter, Lemonia Square, Solomou Street (Spilia), Ionian Parliament Square, Kampiello, the Annunziata Steps (Skalinada), Psaradika, Agia Varvara, the hill of Ai Thanasis, Faliraki, Agia Sophia Street, Apollodorou Street, the neighbourhood around the Museum, and the New Fortress. 

The IKA building, Zampeli Street, Orfeas Cinema, Old Town Hall Square, and the Old Town Primary School were also cleaned, along with many scattered interventions on soiled façades and narrow alleyways (kantounia). As part of this effort, racist and offensive slogans were also removed, and the campaign continues actively.

The work was carried out with the approval of the Ephorate of Antiquities and in consultation with the Municipality of Central Corfu. In addition, where needed, support was provided by the Old Town Permanent Residents Association.

At the heart of this initiative was the need for an organised effort to restore the beauty and cleanliness of the town. 

Extensively stained walls create an impression of neglect, evoking feelings of despair and resignation among residents. This leads to a downward spiral in the quality of life, with accumulating rubbish and various forms of lawlessness—a phenomenon described by the “broken windows” theory. According to this theory, small damage, if not addressed, lead to larger ones. For this reason, the "Friends of Corfu" believe in zero tolerance when it comes to wall pollution, as even small-scale vandalism can lead to widespread degradation.

In contrast, a positive intervention—a sign of care—can act as a catalyst for change, inspiring others to take action as well. 

The work of the "Friends of Corfu" demonstrated that the image of a neighbourhood can be transformed and that enthusiasm is contagious. Town residents warmly embraced this initiative, expressing supportive comments and sentiments. Through social media, they suggested buildings in need of attention, and in some cases—such as an alley off Solomou Street—residents themselves took the initiative to clean graffiti they had previously accepted as inevitable. The "Friends of Corfu" regularly return to locations where graffiti reappears.

The challenges and difficulties faced by the Municipality of Central Corfu are many, leading to accumulated problems that are hard to resolve without the active participation of residents. 

It is not enough to simply ask what the town can do for us—it is imperative that we ask what we can do for the town. Complaining, assigning blame, mere protests, denunciations, and passive attitudes do not solve problems. These must be accompanied by positive action from all of us. The "Friends of Corfu" call on everyone to contribute to the effort to reverse the downward spiral of quality of life in the town. Zero tolerance for illegal acts.

For more information and to see the association’s activities, you can visit the website www.friendsofcorfu.gr, contact them via email at [email protected], or follow them on Instagram at @friendsofcorfu.

For the Friends of Corfu,
Myrto Hatzaki