Smaragdi Mitropoulou, a distinguished Greek writer, poet, playwright, and photographer, has left an indelible mark on contemporary literature and art. Born in Athens, she pursued her academic journey in History and Archaeology at the University of Athens before earning her postgraduate degree in Ancient History from Cardiff University, Great Britain. With a deep passion for storytelling, she also holds a Diploma in Creative Writing from the Writers’ Bureau College in Manchester, UK, and has enriched her expertise through theatre writing courses at the International Institute of Theatre in Athens and directing studies at the Cultural Foundation of Tinos Island, Greece.
Her literary career commenced in 2014 with the publication of her play Before the Sun Goes Down (Ostria Editions), marking the beginning of a prolific journey in Greek letters. She followed this success with One Moment Just an Eternity(2015) and Sounds in the Silence (2017), both collections of short stories published by Ostria Editions. Her creative evolution continued with Barsaat: The Dance of Rain (2019), a blend of short stories and poetry, and her poetry collection Mirror Words (2021), both published by 24grammata Editions. In 2022, she released the narrative Like an Old Fairy Talewith Sympantikes Diadromes Publications, followed by her novel The Lady of the Castle in 2023.
Mitropoulou’s literary excellence has earned her numerous accolades. She has won the prestigious Larry Niven Literary Award for Fiction three times, securing both First and Second Prizes in the Fiction category. In 2019, she was honored with the Alexandros Papadiamantis Prize for Prose by the literary magazine Kefalos in recognition of her contribution to contemporary intellectual discourse. Her book Barsaat: The Dance of Rain was named Book of the Year 2019 by the Greek Cultural Association of Cyprus (EPOK), a distinction she repeated in 2021 with Mirror Words. Her global recognition continued with the Panorama Youth Literary Award 2020 at the Panorama International Literature Festival in India.
Her poetic talent has also been acknowledged internationally. In 2021, her poem Eternity won a gold medal in an international poetry competition in China, while her poem I Paint received an honorary distinction at the Nosside International Poetry Competition in Italy. In 2023, her novel The Lady of the Castle was awarded the Golden Book Awardat the Panorama Golden Book Awards.
Beyond literature, Mitropoulou plays a significant role in the global literary community. She serves as an Executive Board Member of the Writers Capital International Foundation and is a Lifetime Fellow of the International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS) based in Japan. She has also contributed to academic discussions, presenting papers at international conferences. Her study Cavafis’ Timelessness through the Motive of Reminiscence and Lonelinesswas presented at the 5th Conference of the Museum of School Life and Education and published in the American Journal of Modern Education Review (November 2021). Additionally, at the 8th Panhellenic Conference Education and Culture in the 21st Century, she delivered a paper on Portraits of Women in Homer, with a particular focus on Hecuba and Andromache.
Mitropoulou’s work has been showcased at international literary festivals in Europe and Asia, where she has represented Greece. Her poetry and short stories have been translated into English, Chinese, Taiwanese, Bengali, and Spanish, appearing in prominent magazines and websites across Belgium, Tunisia, the Philippines, Taiwan, China, Nepal, Spain, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Costa Rica.
In addition to her literary prowess, she has made remarkable contributions to the field of photography. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions, including Think Seas, Think Light (2022), Art of Wind and Sea (2022), Art, a Perpetual Journey to Light (2022), Art, the Invincible Sense of the Unlimited (2023), and When Art Celebrates (2023), among others. Her solo exhibitions Life on Infinity were presented at Art16 Gallery in Kerameikos in May 2023. Her photographic works have also adorned the covers of various online magazines and featured in international exhibitions.
With her profound literary contributions, academic insights, and artistic expression, Smaragdi Mitropoulou continues to be a beacon of intellectual and creative excellence. Her ability to weave words and images into timeless narratives has solidified her place among the most significant literary and artistic figures of her time.