February 9 – International Greek Language Day

International Greek Language Day is celebrated on February 9 to draw attention to its importance in shaping world civilization.

This day highlights the exceptional role that the Greek language has played in the global development of literacy, science, philosophy and culture.

International Greek Language Day, officially established in 2017 and marking the annual commemoration of Greece’s national poet Dionysios Solomos (8 April 1798 – 9 February 1857), author of the 1823 poem “Hymn to Liberty”, the national anthem of Greece, aims to promote awareness of the unprecedented influence of language to other writing systems around the world.

Video about the meaning of Greek with English subtitles

In his message dedicated to this day, Deputy Foreign Minister Giorgos Kotsiras said:

“Possessing a thousand-year pulse and amazing resilience, the Greek language has been close to humanity for many centuries, constantly and continuously found in writing. As a result of this unique journey, an extraordinary vocabulary has been accumulated, capable of deciphering even the most complex meaning. The Greek language nourishes all sciences and many Western ones languages, it exists in foreign dictionaries as part of eternal cultural osmosis.”

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