Dear Greeks,
It is with great emotion and respect that I address all diaspora compatriots in every corner of the world. All of you who, despite having established yourselves in places beyond our national borders, continue individually and collectively to maintain strong cultural and emotional ties with the homeland. All of you who took the values of Greek culture with you on your journey into the world, promoting these values in the countries where you chose to live. You who, in a process of constant and dynamic growth, tackled as a challenge your leaving the homeland. You worked hard, healed the wound of homesickness with the promise of the future, bridged cultural differences and contributed to the prosperity of the societies you integrated, with Greece always in your hearts.
The year that is ending has been difficult throughout the world and in our homeland. The coronavirus pandemic deeply wounded societies. Hundreds of thousands of people left this life in sad, lonely deaths. Countless families suffered grief, economic insecurity and psychological distress. I know that many of you felt disappointment and anger during the past year at being unable to visit Greece to see your loved ones or perhaps even bid them farewell. I know that some of you experienced this illness first hand, and that some of you did not survive. I am deeply moved every time I read a Greek name in the lists of Covid victims that are published in foreign newspapers. But at the same time, I feel great pride, seeing so many diaspora Greeks participate actively in the scientific effort to respond to the pandemic. I am heartened by their ingenuity and tenacity, their self-sacrifice and sense of social responsibility. In humanity’s fight to bring the deadly virus under control, they are heroes on the front line.
But the Pandemic was not the only adversity faced by our homeland in 2020. We also had to deal with the provocative and aggressive behaviour of a Turkey disputing our sovereign rights and undermining our region’s security and stability. We went through a period of great tension over the migration problem, which has often been used to exert diplomatic pressure to achieve other ends. And of course we are experiencing the unavoidable economic problems caused by this pandemic of unprecedented proportions and duration.
But we are not discouraged; we have stayed strong. Uncompromising on our national issues, we are seeking a mutually sincere and constructive dialogue with Turkey. A dialogue based on international law, because this is the only way to promote peace and stability in our region. While committed to the humanitarian treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, we are also resolutely defending our borders against illegal entry. Worn out from a long economic crisis, we are regrouping to respond to the need to reorganize and develop our economy, strengthening healthy productive forces and building on the sacrifices made by all Greeks in recent years.
Dear Greeks,
2021 is bringing hope that the pandemic will abate so that we can gradually return to normal social life. But at the same time, for Greeks everywhere, 2021 is also a year of great historical significance. The Greek Revolution of 1821 opened the way to liberation from the Ottoman yoke. It was the dawn of the political consolidation of Greece into a nation state. Linking the demand for liberty with the progressive ideas of the enlightenment, it created the moral and political conditions for abolition of the notion of any yoke anywhere in Europe, giving the 19th century its great historical meaning. Today, the bicentennial of Greece’s rebirth gives us the opportunity for national introspection and creative reflection. It invites us to consider what we have achieved as a nation over these 200 years, to cultivate our collective self-knowledge, to reorganize internally so that we can respond to the challenges of today based on the eternal values bequeathed to us by our forebears’ struggle for liberty and self-determination.
I am well aware that all of you are with us and support us in this effort. Through your hard work, tenacity and creativity, and your adaptability to the countries where you live, you managed not only to become part of the social fabric, but also to stand out in your given walks of life, leading the way and assuming positions of great responsibility in the lands where you built new lives. And at the same time, you preserved Greek traditions as a notion synonymous with open horizons, the need for communication, cultural dialogue, openness. Your bond with Greece, an admixture of historical experience, memory and sensibility, has been and is expressed tangibly and on many levels, and I assure you that the homeland is always mindful of your contribution.
You and your families have my heartfelt wishes for a merry Christmas and an optimistic, happy and creative new year.
December 24, 2020