Hellenic Armed Forces Day Reception at the Embassy of Greece (Nov. 21 2016)

The Embassy of Greece in Beijing honored today the Hellenic Armed Forces Day at its premises, during a modest reception organized by the Defense Attaché Office under Col. Praxitelis Gounis. The Ambassador of Greece Leonidas Rokanas addressed the attendees  comprising military Attachés from numerous diplomatic mission in the Chinese capital, as well as 8 member of the peoples Liberation Army, i.e.   Meng Guoping (Maj. Gen, Deputy Chief of Staff PLA Air Force) and Mr  Wang Dazhong  (R. Adm.l, Assistant of Chief of Staff of PLA Navy). Almost 100 people attended the event.

While addressing the event, Ambassador Rokanas referred to the importance of the Day as Greece celebrates its Armed Forces and the sacrifices made by its members and all Greek people under arms in order to safeguard the sovereignty and dignity of  the country and world peace.

Mr Rokanas referred to the Greek roots of the noble tradition of all citizens serving their countries under arms, a tradition emanating in the Homeric Epics and in the ancient Greek city-states, where civic responsibility to protect the country was taught and practiced, and was first institutionalized in the history of the West.

Today, amidst a wider surge of instability in the neighboring areas of Greece, especially in the Mid-East,  the Hellenic Armed Forces, he noted, safeguard peace and provide substantially to the cause of stability in the region of S.E. Europe, at the crossroads of three continents. Despite the debt and humanitarian (refugee) crisis, Greece has contributed substantially through its Armed Forces and the sacrifices of its people so that major challenges are addressed, especially that of preserving security and stability in the wider region.