Ministry of Foreign Affairs marks International Greek Language Day
International Greek Language Day is “not just a reminder of our language’s uninterrupted continuity through time, but also a recognition of its timeless global contribution,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Konstantinos Vlasis said in a statement on Tuesday, as the ministry also released a video on Twitter to mark the annual event.
“In spite of the changes it has undergone over the millennia, it is the thread linking defining moments over the course of thousands of years into a single historical timeline. Its history travels so far back in time that it is universally recognized as the language that first codified higher lexical references not only to abstract and but also to technical concepts, that established universal values and laid the foundations for and shaped the key notions of western civilization,” Vlasis said.
The Greek Language is an emotion. Intrinsically linked to the Greek national identity, the hearts and minds of Greeks, who discovered the magic of expression and the wealth of their spiritual world in its words. In its words, they found a way to establish themselves through time and to create. The Greek Language is a poetic language. Greece is rightly proud of its two Nobel Laureates, George Seferis and Odysseas Elytis, who sculpted in the Greek language in a unique way. It is the language of Dionysios Solomos, who gave us the Hymn to Liberty, our national anthem. Honoring our national poet every year on 9 February, we remember his words: ‘Does anything else occupy my mind but liberty and language?’,” the statement added.
This year we celebrate #InternationalGreekLanguageDay with people from around the world who are learning Greek
Watch the full video
https://t.co/xxZ05rlPTCWatch the trailer & @PrimeministerGR's message pic.twitter.com/zT1kpNgQvH
— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) February 9, 2021
