Two seven-year-old friends, one Greek and the other Turkish, live on the outskirts of Izmir. In 1922, war and the destruction of their beloved city will change them forever. The only thing uniting them is a secret promise.

A story about the meaning of friendship and memory, against the backdrop of the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1922-24.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Promise was created by award winning UK storyteller, Anna Conomos, in collaboration with Anemon, in the context of the cross-media project ‘Twice a Stranger’.

The illustrations were created by Daniela Stamatiadi, based on rare archive photos.

The children’s book, published in Greek with Potamos, includes a DVD with performances by Anna Conomos (English), Ayca Damgaci (Turkish) and in Efi Vlahoyianni (Greek). Musician Nikos Angelopoulos performs the background music on a 'politiko laouto' (lute/lavta).

For educators who are interested in using the Promise in class, the story is accompanied by lesson plans created by Christina Koulouri (professor in Modern and Contemporary History, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences) and Katerina Vlachou (teacher, professor in speech formation and oral narrative studies).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Published by Potamos and Anemon. With the support of the British Council, the Centre for Asia Minor Studies, Konstantinidis Pastry Shops and Vermantia Productions.

The book will be available in bookstores, the Benaki Museum store and the Konstantinidis Pastry Shops, in mid-September 2012. To get a copy of the educational material or book a live performance of the Promise, please contact Elektra Peppa: info@anemon.gr (tel. +302107211073).

For more about storyteller Anna Conomos, see www.annamationstorytellers.com