About

Holger de Bruin and Marietta van Attekum are a Dutch married couple with a long-standing connection to the Balkans, especially Greece. They both speak Greek, among other languages.

Marietta van Attekum is a psychologist, anthropologist, and linguist (modern Greek).

Holger de Bruin is a musician and musicologist. Marietta, because of her Greek and anthropology studies, has a close connection to the region. Holger, as a musician, played in the former warzones of the Balkans. They both experienced the fragility of peace in the Balkans, young countries with borders that were established only a century or even a few decades ago. Their concerns and their love for the region motivated them to start the Via Egnatia Project in 2008, aiming at promoting the ancient Via Egnatia as a symbol of the shared history to counteract the diverging tendencies that continually resurface in politics. The Via Egnatia Hiking Trail is one of the tangible results of the endeavour.

Through promotion, education, cooperation projects, and the Via Egnatia Hiking Trail, the Via Egnatia Foundation enhances awareness of the millennia of shared past among citizens and children of the Southern Balkans. Wanting to know more about the project? Check www.viaegnatiafoundation.eu.