The 2nd Youth Diaspora Congress is being hosted at the Foundation for the Hellenic World and Georgios Gerapetritis was present. The Foreign Minister delivered a greeting speech, in which he emphasized the strength of Greeks abroad and the progress made in this congress. Indeed, the increase is remarkable: “Last year, we had 16 countries which we made 31, we had four continents, which we made five.” Furthermore, he emphasized that in the three-year national strategic plan for the Greek Diaspora, the priority is to reduce the distance between native Greeks and diaspora Greeks, both literally and metaphorically: “It aims (note: the plan) to create that cradle of Hellenism, so we can bring Greeks abroad closer, and we can also find ourselves closer to Greeks abroad.”
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“We want to preserve this core of Hellenism as its most vibrant cell,” Georgios Gerapetritis initially emphasized. “This organization is not an isolated event, but actually constitutes the starting point for a new effort,” he noted and added: “We commit at the Foreign Ministry that we will also do the necessary monitoring of all the actions you will have achieved during the years to come.”
Georgios Gerapetritis: “Greece’s children from all corners of the world”
Georgios Gerapetritis felt joy for the gathering and his presence in it, since “Greece’s children from all corners of the world are coming together, so that we too, here in the metropolis, can feel that we serve our homeland, we serve the greater family of Hellenism and that, at this moment, we can feel proud of our children, who will take over the country’s destiny, hopefully sooner rather than later.”
“Hellenism has no limits, has no place. Wherever found, the Greek will succeed, will maintain bonds with the homeland, will remain in their soul more Greek than any of us,” he emphasized. “Hellenism is one and unified.” He also commented on the high significance of the Congress themes: “Because what we are experiencing is truly a deluge, tectonic changes in all the world’s geopolitical elements. Every day we find ourselves facing a new crisis.” He further noted: “We find ourselves facing a new challenge. All challenges now have a universal, transnational character, whether it’s the climate crisis or the food crisis or health crisis or armed conflicts. All crises now resonate in the world, and that’s why we must feel that we ourselves are the entire world.”
Genuine ambassadors of Greece
He encouraged Greeks abroad to work for Greece. “You yourselves should work as genuine ambassadors of Greece in the places where you live,” he emphasized characteristically. He then noted: “Take care to create those cores around our embassies and consulates, our country’s diplomatic missions abroad. To be able to cultivate even more Greek universal culture, the Greek language. To spread to all parts of the world the great values that bind Hellenism through time.”
Furthermore, he previewed the World Greek Language Day, which will be celebrated for the first time on February 9, 2026: “A very important initiative, which we undertook and which was vindicated by UNESCO, so that, two weeks ago, the Greek language was proclaimed as a language of global scope, which we will celebrate.” He also emphasized: “No one needs to speak about the contribution of the Greek language to the arts, culture, philosophy. Everything connected to culture ultimately has to do with the Greek language. Cultivate this.”
“Always think of the homeland, think high. Think that you yourselves are those who will save the world. You will be those who will take the reins and with this responsibility proceed, based on the values you have received from your family, but also the values that nest in your hearts. May Greece always remain in your souls,” he concluded.
