The Deputy Minister of National Defence Thanasis Davakis attended today, Thursday 4 September 2025, the anniversary event in Gyali on Nisyros island, where the historic “Miaoulis’ well” is located. This ceremony was organised by the District Administration Office of Kos and Nisyros, in cooperation with the Nisyros Municipality, in the framework of the effort for the collective historical memory and to showcase a lesser-known monument of the national struggle for liberty of 1821-1828.
The well was opened, at the time, after an order of Admiral Andreas Miaoulis from Hydra, due to a suggestion by Giannis Zapetis, a sailor child from Nisyros, thus solving the problem of the provision of potable water for the crews of the Greek fleet, in view of the imminent victorious Battle of Gerontas in late August 1824.
Other attendees were the Most Reverend Metropolitan Bishop of Kos-Nisyros Mr Nathanail, the MP of the Dodecanese Vasilios Ypsilantis, the District Officer of Kos-Nisyros Konstantina Svynou as representative of the Head of the Southern Aegean Region, the Mayor of Nisyros Christofis Koroneos, the Mayor of Kos Theodosis Nikitaras, the Commanding General of the 80 Higher National Guard Battalions Command Brigadier General Dimitrios Kouletsis, the Director of Activities of Mines and Quarries of the AGET IRAKLIS Group of Companies Eleftherios Christoforakis, the Director of LAVA Inc. Antonios Kotsabasoglou, representatives of the Security Forces and the political parties.
Mr Davakis, during his address, mentioned among other things:
“Today we are here in Gyali, a place that may have been away from the flames of battle, but which proved an indomitable ally of our freedom. Here, two centuries ago, the Greek ships found refuge, strength and water to persevere during the critical days of the Battle of Gerontas, which took place in the bay opposite Leros and Kalymnos.
That victory was not just a military one. It was a result of organisation, forethought and collective effort. The well of Miaoulis, still existing, did not provide water solely to the crews of our Fleet. It also provided water for the tree of the Greek independence, the evergreen tree of the liberty of the Greeks!”
