Today we celebrate the 18th birthday of OVI Magazine, but before we get to the Atlas-like efforts of Thanos at building and carrying this wonderful publication on his shoulders, let’s take a moment to reflect on what OVI Magazine means to both the contributors and the readership, and here I’ll start with my own perspectives as a contributor to OVI Magazine.

I have been writing for OVI Magazine now for just over 8 years, and in that time have contributed my poetry and art, articles, and have also been a part of the OVI philosophy Symposium working alongside the late Professor Emanuel Paparella contributing philosophy articles. For this writer, OVI Magazine has been a labour of love, it has given me a platform for both my poetry and art, thoughts and reflections, and that applies to many of the team here on OVI Magazine.

We live in dark chaotic times, the human species is tearing itself apart competing for shrinking resources while feigning a concern for the state of the ecology of the Earth. But it’s not the Earth that we really care about, but our very own survival. For long after the human species vanishes from this Earth in some future extinction event, the Earth will recover, as it always does. We are nothing but savage soulless monkey-men - a species without souls - no better than the other primates and mammals that populate this planet, and with all due respect to the religions espoused by the Abrahamic faiths, they are nothing but beautiful delusions, and it is through these beautiful delusions that humanity has arrogantly placed itself as the guardian of the Earth and above all life that dwells here. Yet the solution to the Earth’s - and mankind’s problems - lie with man himself.

We have the power to destroy or rejuvenate life on this planet, the power lies in the force of our own desire and unity. Yet here, we are sorely lacking unity; we project bickering, hatred, war, chaos, theocratic fascism, a world where women are treated as second class citizens due to their sex, we classify as subhuman people who follow their nomadic instincts who search for a better life, instincts that are deeply ingrained in our DNA to wander this planet searching for food and shelter. Yet here we show our cruelty and inhumanity and put up barriers via the artifice that is the nation-state, and our own tribal affiliations via nationalism and jingoism.

Here I paint a dark picture, that the optimism for the future of this planet is dimming, but it doesn’t have to be this way.  Here. It’s publications like OVI Magazine, that fight alongside similar publications around the globe that offer small flickering beacons of light and hope. Small beacons of our shared humanity. Where Poets, artists, writers, journalists, scientists, professors, sculptors, thinkers, academics, and many more work on this humanist platform to share and discuss our humanity with love and respect. A space that is an example of how peoples from differing backgrounds, ideas, faiths, philosophies, sexual orientations, and political affiliations can act in a peaceful unity in reflecting on our differences and similarities; where our similarities here unite us all.

From space our planet looks like a small fragile quivering blue dot floating in a black meaningless universe, that we are the only beacon of life in the cosmos, and where each of us enters this life to live a small twinkling moment of life, which is miraculous and precious indeed. We poets, writers, thinkers, philosophers and artists feel this fragility, we see the beauty and the ugliness of humanity and unflinchingly express this through our works; and for myself, OVI Magazine has given me a platform to also express my identity as a poet. Where it has provided all of us who work for OVI Magazine with a platform to express our varied identities and talents.

All this is due to Thanos Kalamidas, whom I am honoured to call a friend and colleague, who has built and carried this publication on his shoulders like a Titan. To you Thano my friend, know how large and important your contribution is, in building this marvellous humanistic beacon of light in an increasingly darkening world, and how important beacons of hope like this are for our human future. The late American scientist Carl Sagan once said; “The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies was made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of star stuff.” How true indeed, and it is this unity of all life on Earth that drives Thanos, and all of our expressions here on OVI Magazine.

Happy birthday Thanos, and OVI Magazine!

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With a digital painting special made for Ovi's birthday
by Nikos Laios

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Don't miss Nikos Laios eBook
The Silent Symphony
A collection of poems and paintings,
you can download for FREE, HERE!

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Also check Nikos Laios' EBOOK
Ida & Her Magic Camera
is online now and you can download for FREE HERE!