Mr. Speaker, today, March 25 marks 200 years since the Greek war of independence began, the start of the revolution which would allow the people of Greece to regain their freedom after 400 years of Ottoman occupation.
On this day in 1821, the words eleftheria i thanatos, freedom or death, became the slogan of the nation, and brave men and women fought courageously for a better future for their country, for a liberated Greece.
It is thanks to the heroes of 1821 that Greeks are still around today to thrive in communities around the world.
The bicentennial of Greek independence is a momentous occasion for Hellions and Philhellenes to remember and honour these heroes, but it is also a moment to reflect on how far Greeks, both in and out of Greece, have come in the 200 years since independence and where they are headed in the future.
[Member spoke in Greek]