Officers, NCOs, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, National Guardsmen, Reserve Officers and Civilian Personnel of the Armed Forces,

Today we celebrate the most significant event in modern Greek history and a major landmark in the course of Hellenism through the centuries. A landmark which showcases the greatness of the Greek soul and the fighting spirit of the Greeks, elements which have always characterised our Nation and make it a paradigm worthy of imitation for all the peoples of the world.

With today’s anniversary for the struggle of National Rebirth, on the day of the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, we honour our ancestors, who fought for the freedom and the independence of the Greek state.

With awe and admiration we stand before the heroes of the Revolution of 1821, who rose against and managed to defeat a mighty and numerically superior opponent, in order to declare the Nation’s Freedom. That heroic generation of the 1821 Fighters did not just throw off the Ottoman yoke, but decisively contributed to the consolidation of the proper political and social conditions throughout Europe, to bring into prominence and establish the peoples’ rights for self-determination, self-identification and national independence.

200 years after the Greek Revolution, we are convinced that the saying “Freedom or Death” was not a battle cry of desperation, but a battle cry of conscientious choice and a stance of life, teaching us that those who have decided to sacrifice themselves for their rights, are invincible.

The Greeks fight for their principles and values and do it without being discouraged by negative comparisons of numerical and materiel superiority, which, in any case, never stopped them from winning.

But they also bear a historic blessing. They usually fight before all others, against threats that the rest of the world has not grasped yet, or hesitates to confront. This fact carries a double and burdensome historic responsibility: To alert the world against rising threats and be victorious in these struggles.

Women and men of the Armed Forces,

Today, Greece plays once more a critical role, both at European and international level, constituting a pillar of stability, security and peace in the wider region of Southeastern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean. In the course of time, the country has developed into an international factor of stability, respectful of its obligations and claiming its rights, as they are stipulated by the International Law and International Conventions; it enhances its presence in areas of national interest and faces effectively and vigorously any act against its sovereignty and sovereign rights.

Living in a period with intense geopolitical unpredictability and multileveled security challenges, the Armed Forces are called to surpass the difficulties and defend our country’s sovereign rights at land, sea and air, across the Greek territory, and especially at Evros, the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Staying consistent to our initial planning, and unfailing to our effort, we have managed to enhance our Armed Forces’ defence capability and deterrence force. In parallel, our Armed Forces maintain and further improve their exceptionally high levels of readiness, while being able to face any threat which might turn against our country’s national security, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

The struggle of 1821 remains timeless and relevant; it both inspires and teaches us. The historical memory strengthens hope; it is a source of confidence and pride for the modern Armed Forces, who significantly contribute to the promotion of Greece as a pillar of safety and stability in the broader region of East Mediterranean and the Balkans.

Our ancestors’ struggles and heritage are our leading light. I invite you to carry on fulfilling your mission with the same vigour, defending the virtue of freedom, for which our ancestors fought and sacrificed themselves 200 years ago.

Glory and honour to the immortal warriors of 1821.

Long live Greece

Long live the Nation

Long live the 25th March 1821

Long live the Armed Forces

                                                                                                        The Minister of National Defence

Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos