Today, which has been established worldwide as Greek Language Day, is also a day of commemoration of the national poet Dionysios Solomos.
No other language is recognized as much as this one for its contribution to the development of European and world civilization. Its role has been fundamental throughout the centuries.
Since antiquity it has been the vehicle for the formation and dissemination of important scientific theories, philosophical considerations and literary texts. Throughout the centuries, the Greek language has made a decisive contribution to the preservation and dissemination of Greek culture, surviving to this day, in its modern version, as one of the longest living languages in the world.
It is the language in which great philosophers, poets and writers such as Homer, Thucydides and others have left us their work. It is the language of the Old and New Testaments, the Evangelists and the other Fathers of our Church. It is also the language with the unique contribution to the enrichment of the vocabulary of other languages, the Byzantine chronicles, Solomos, Cavafy, Elytis, Ritsos, Vassilis Michaelides. The language that documents and reflects the continuity of Hellenism from antiquity to the present day.
For us, especially the Greeks of Cyprus, the Greek language is our first and most important characteristic, the one that gives a special strength to our existence and arms us with vigour and determination in our struggle to ensure the survival of Hellenism in this corner of the Eastern Mediterranean.
The preservation of the Greek language is inextricably linked to the future of Hellenism.
The preservation of the Greek language is inextricably linked to the future of Hellenism. It is imperative that Greeks and homogeneous people honour and support the Greek language and education, especially where there are surviving parishes and historical centres of the homogeneous diaspora, which retain this primary element of their cultural identity.
It is in this context that we promote the Greek language to our expatriates everywhere through special learning and dissemination programmes, cooperating with universities and other institutions, as well as with the organisations of our expatriates from all over the world.
Recipients of our programmes in particular are the younger members of our expatriates, whom we must keep close to our roots and pass on to them the principles and values of our history, culture and traditions. In addition to organising online programmes and making use of the opportunities offered by universities with which we cooperate, we also offer our young expatriates education and internship programmes in Cyprus.
Our expatriates are actively demonstrating their love for the Greek language by organising a variety of activities and events to honour it.
The events will culminate next week on 19 February in London, where a Cyprus-Greece bilateral cooperation event will be co-organised. The event will include, among other things, an artistic programme by students from Greek Cypriot schools in the presence of representatives of the church and organised groups of our expatriates.
With the Greek language and its dissemination we keep our national culture intact and together with our expatriates we move into the future with faith in the principles and values that distinguish us.
(PM/MB/SX)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
