National celebrations

National Celebrations

28th October Ohi Day (No day) Ohi Day is celebrated on October 28th to remind the Greeks of the rejection by Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas of the ultimatum made by the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on October 28,1940.

The ultimatum demanded that Greece allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy strategic positions or otherwise have war. It is said that Metaxas answered with a single word (Όχι=Νο).On that day the army and students parade in front of the crowd.

25th March Greek Revolution On the 25th of March people celebrate the Greek War of Independence also known as Greek Revolution. The Greeks revolted against the Turks after 400 years of slavery. On March 25th 1821 Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of revolution at the monastery of Agia Lavra near Kalavrita and the battle cry of "Freedom or Death" became the motto of the revolution. In 1830 Greece was finally recognised as an independent nation.

17th November Polytechnic Uprising The Athens Polytechnic uprising in 1973 was a massive demonstration of popular rejection of the Greek military junta of 1967–1974. Greece had been under the dictatorial rule of the military lead by Georgios Papadopoulos since 1967.The uprising began on November 14, 1973,by university students and ended in bloodshed on November 17 after a series of events starting with a tank crashing through the gates of the Polytechnic.

Parades On October 28th and March 25th, military and student parades are held throughout Greece.