By Evageline Plakas
Proud as a Greek The Empire State Building. The Opera of Sydney. The Parliament of Romania. The CN Tower in Toronto. The Niagara Falls. The City Halls of San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver, as well as many other landmark buildings all over the world will be lighted with the colours our Greek flag.
This flag that represents the sky and the sea. This flag that inside the colours of blue and white encloses the entire Greece. Thanks to the 200-year anniversary from the start of the Greek Revolution, for the liberation of Greece from the Turks, our amazing country attracts again the eye of the world. Attracts the eye like 200 years ago when European Philhellenes left their countries to fight by the side of the Greeks who were fighting for the freedom of their country.
The country that gave birth to Socrates, Plato, built the Parthenon, created the Olympic Games. The country that to the mind of the Philhellenes was the birthplace of the civilization of Europe, the country that was suffering from the captivity. Two hundred years later, I look touched at the landmark buildings and the points of reference from all over the world to prepare to “wear” the blue and white colours. Even the Manneken Pis in Belgium will be dressed as an Evzone on the 25th of March. My emotion and my feelings of pride cannot be described with words. Our country, the beloved Greece, is once again at the forefront. The civilized nations remember its contribution to the global civilization and reciprocate. The Greek expats all over the world have played a big part in this attempt.
The Greek refugees who rooted in America, Canada, Australia and Europe mobilized and asked to feature also to their second home countries the immense importance that this Anniversary has for the country that they will always have in their heart. Our Greece. Allies in this attempt, they had the contemporary Philhellenes. Presidents, Prime Minister and local authorities embraced their vision and on the 25th of March the blue and white colours will be global! So, how can I not be that proud as a Greek when I see how many things we can accomplish if we unite our powers?
How can I not be that proud when 200 years after our fight for freedom continues to be a source of inspiration for humanity? How can I not be that proud for all the Greeks who rooted and shined in other countries yet they never forget their country?
For all these reasons and many others, I am proud as a Greek!!! Happy Anniversary to all the Greeks and Happy 25th of March!
