President hails Greek diaspora as ‘keepers of traditions’ in Christmas message
Greeks abroad “are keepers of Greek traditions” including that of travel abroad, “where they made new homes and excelled,” President Katerina Sakellaropoulou said in her holiday message to the diaspora.
“You experienced a tug of war between the familiar and the foreign and you fought to bridge differences, succeeding without forfeiting your national characteristics,” she said. “Along with your children, second- and third-generation Greeks, you have resisted the relentless process of assimilation, holding on to indissoluble emotional ties with your homeland that determine your self-perception.”
Greeks abroad “keep alive the tradition of their Greek identity,” which is “associated with open horizons, the need for communication, the encounter with other cultures, and the interaction with their most salient features,” she added.
[AMNA]
