Today's anniversary is a defining and possibly the most historic day for Hellenism.
Surely such events will continue in the future.
Most importantly, however, and bringing the dimension of 1821 into our current context, if we really want to commemorate such anniversaries, we must show through our daily way of life, through the way we conduct our politics that we have taken the messages from the struggle of 1821. A struggle that has many, many timeless messages.
I would like to take this opportunity today to focus on two of these messages.
The first one concerns the fact that although 400 years passed under the Ottoman yoke, 400 difficult years for Hellenism, the Greeks never compromised with the Ottoman occupation and managed, after a hard struggle, not only to achieve the goal, the goal of liberation, the goal of freedom, but also to send messages to other peoples around the world about the importance of struggling to gain their freedom. And these messages are taken very seriously by us in Cyprus who were part of this struggle for freedom.
Although Cyprus - those who have studied it historically know - was not included in the plans of the Society of Friends at the beginning of the struggle because of its distance from mainland Greece, Cypriot Hellenism participated in this struggle.
So today we take this message and we do not compromise with the occupation. We know very well the facts, we know very well the difficulties we have to face.
We are deeply concerned by the attitudes, by the revisionist approaches that we have to face, but much more this concern is translated into concrete initiatives that we hope and will strive in this direction, to create the kind of data that will break the deadlock and lead us to the longed-for liberation, the reunification of our country.
The second message is also linked to what I have just mentioned. It is the factor of discord that we have seen, we experienced it in the 1821 struggle, that when and whenever such conditions of discord prevail, unfortunately, the results are tragic for Hellenism.
And I would like to use this opportunity today to convey from our side, and I am sure that there will be a response, that we will do everything possible, with absolute respect for possible different approaches, different ideas.
I believe that the goal is common, the possible disagreements may be about the tactics to achieve the goal, but the goal of liberation is common. Conditions of unity which, however, also extend to the wider Hellenism and concern our relations with the Greek Government.
And today, I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who from the very first moment has stood by us in this effort, both within the EU and elsewhere, so that we can achieve our number one priority, which is none other than the liberation, the reunification of our homeland.
And I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who from the very first moment has stood by us in this effort, both within the EU and elsewhere, so that we can achieve our number one priority, which is none other than the liberation, the reunification of our homeland.
If we really want to commemorate the anniversary of 25 March 1821, we must do so in our daily political life. We are here to be judged daily by Hellenism. Happy birthday to all Greeks, happy birthday to Hellenism everywhere."
(PM/MX)
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs to PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
