On Monday 17 March 2025, the Deputy Minister of National Defence and MP for Lakonia, Thanasis Davakis, accompanied by the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Houpis, attended the anniversary festivities of the Municipality of Eastern Mani in Areopolis, regarding the outbreak of the Greek Revolution of 1821.
Mr. Davakis laid a wreath at the Petrobey Mavromichalis monument and made a brief address:
«I would like to express my great emotion, because I have been coming here, in Areopolis, on this day, since I was a little child.
Our national poet, Kostis Palamas, has written a stanza of an iconic poem, on which he addresses Greece:“ Then, having now no other rung, from which to fall still lower. Down the ladder of Misfortune, you shall be summoned to an upward climb. And, to achieve this end, oh joy sublime! Great wings upon your shoulders shall unfold – Your glorious wings of old!”.
Dear friends, co-patriot Greeks, I feel like those wings began growing here, on this rock, where the people of Mani and Petrobey lived, 204 years ago, in order to liberate our country. Regardless of if we are their descendants or not, we all must draw courage and look up to those people, through our deeds for our democracy, freedom, and human rights.
As representative of the Hellenic Government and the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as well as MP for Lakonia, I humbly bend the knee to this rock; the rock of Freedom, the rock of the bright example, the rock of sacrifice, the rock that makes us all proud.
Thank you deeply».
