On Wednesday 24 April 2024, the Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, participated in the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the death of Lord Byron, which took place in the Hellenic Army Academy (Evelpidon).
The Minister of National Defence was welcomed by the Commandant of the Hellenic Army Academy, Major General Anastasios Polychronos.
The celebrations were attended by MP Mr Nikolaos Papanastasis, the Metropolitan of Glyfada, Elliniko, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Vari, Ηis Eminence, Mr Antonios, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Athens, Ms Susan Geary, the Deputy Head of the Regional Unit of Aetoloakarnania of the Region of Western Greece, Mr Athanasios Mavromatis, the Mayor of the Sacred City of Messolonghi, Mr Spyridon Diamandopoulos, the founder of the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism, Mr Konstantinos Velentzas, the Curator of the Art Collection of the Hellenic Parliament, Dr Theodoros Koutsogiannis, the History Professor of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dr Irini Apostolou and more.
On behalf of the military leadership, the ceremony was attended by the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Choupis, the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief of Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras HN and the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Dimosthenis Grigoriadis.
During the ceremony, 19 honorary cannon salutes were fired in memoriam of the date of Lord Byron’s death (19 April 1824).
The ceremony began with an address by the Commandant of the Hellenic Army Academy, while the founder of the Society for Hellenism and Philhellenism, Mr Konstantinos Velentzas gave a speech on the subject “The contribution of Philhellenes in the Organisation of the Hellenic Regular Army”. Professors Theodoros Koutsogiannis and Irini Apostolou gave speeches on the subjects “The War of Image: The role of Philhellenic Art during the Hellenic Independence Struggle” and “Aspects of French Philhellenism” respectively.
During his address, the Minister of National Defence stated:
“It is a great pleasure to be at the Hellenic Army Academy today, to pay our respects to Philhellenism and the 200th anniversary of Lord Byron’s death.
An English poet, whose name, however, was associated with Messolonghi and the Hellenic Independence struggle. I always say that the Hellenic Revolution, as well as the Italian Risorgimento, the unification struggle of Italy, are the most beautiful stories of the Romanticism era.
And if we have to pick out the personalities of those stories, which have had the greatest appeal to the continent of Europe, I believe those would be Garibaldi for the Italian Risorgimento, but also George Noel Gordon Byron, or Lord Byron as we call him, in the story of the Greek Revolution.
Because his death was a great motivation for the altering of the way that the Greek Independence was perceived as a concept.
Ladies and Gentlemen, and I am manly referring to the younger people in the room, the Cadets of the Academy, we Greeks always learn history by witnessing a situation ourselves.
It is extremely useful to have a broader understanding of the situation around us. In 1821, Europe had just experienced the Napoleonic Wars, the 1815 Congress of Vienna, mysticism, prejudice and the good intentions of the Tsar of Russia, Alexander I. So, there was a double need for a Holy Alliance, which would not allow for new rearrangements and disturbances of Europe’s borders, like it had happened during the French Revolution and the Congress of Vienna.
The Greek Revolution developed along those lines, which were hostile by definition, and a tremendous effort needed to be made in the infant European societies of the time, in order for the attitude of Europe towards us to change and for Europe to ultimately be led to the Battle of Navarino, as well as for the Hellenic Revolution to lead to the independence of our country.
In those terms then, the role of Philhellenes, and especially of Lord Byron, whose 200th death anniversary we are celebrating today, is absolutely crucial. I am certain that Mr Velentzas will explain that sufficiently later on, and mainly with love.
However, what I would like to say at this point is that as Minister, I will make sure that the 19th of April will constitute an official celebration date in honour of Lord Byron, during which the 19 cannon salutes will sound. As you know, when he died in Messolonghi he was 37 years old. The 19 cannon salutes signify, however, the 19th of April 1824, the date of his death, and is a very resounding answer, that Hellenism remembers and loves him.
Thank you very much”.