"Hellenism in Latin America is in good hands," says Greek PM

"Hellenism in Latin America is in good hands," says Greek PM

"Hellenism in Latin America is in good hands," says Greek PM

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday participated in a video conference with representatives of Greek communities in Latin America.

The PM said he was "moved by the Greek flags set behind them, wherever these people may be, in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay and the rest of Latin American countries."

"Whenever we are united we do great things, whenever we are divided we are faced with big problems. And I believe that now more than ever - as the country is coming out of the adventure of the pandemic - it is our obligation and my obligation as Prime Minister of the country to preserve the unity of Hellenism," Mitsotakis emphasised.

The government has already sent hundreds of textbooks to Latin American countries for the needs of local schools and promised to consider sending more teachers from Greece to the larger communities as of the start of the upcoming school year.

He also referred to the innovative platform staellinika.com. The program was conceived and supported by the Secretariat General for Public Diplomacy & Greeks Abroad of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies at Simon Fraser University (SFU), Vancouver, Canada. Support for Spanish and Portuguese languages will be added before the end of the year.

"Nothing is stronger than the experience of a young child who has heard about Greece only from their parents from the Greek community or from books, than to visit the country. And I think these are experiences that will accompany him or her for a lifetime," he continued. 

The PM noted that Greeks abroad can always access www.gov.gr, where they can find several useful services, due to be extended to consular authorities soon.

The teleconference was attended by Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Kostas Vlasis, Deputy Minister for Education, Zetta Makri, Secretary General for Public Diplomacy and Greeks Abroad, John Chrysoulakis, as well as representatives of the Greek Communities of Argentina, Anastasios Kavathas, Brazil, Stavros Kyriopoulos, Mexico, Costas Galanis, Panama, Ioannis Liakopoulos and Uruguay, Pavlos Augustis.

The President of the Greek Community of Argentina Anastasios Kavathas stressed the need to "preserve our language" by strengthening the schools that operate in the communities, and also referred to the traditional dance programs they have implemented. "In this way we want to be close to Greece," he said.

On his part, the Vice President of the Greek Community of Uruguay, Pavlos Augustis, thanked the Prime Minister for sending educational books a few months ago and referred to the special philanthropic feelings that Uruguay has, where, as he said, there is a square called "Athens" and main roads with the name "Greece."

*More on GCT: The largest Greek flag will be waved in Santorni on March 25
GCT Team

This article was researched and written by a GCT team member.

Copyright Greekcitytimes 2024