Ohi Day was celebrated in Tashkent

Ohi Day Celebrated in Tashkent

Ohi Day is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus, celebrated annually on October 28. On November 1, it was celebrated at the Greek Cultural Center in Tashkent.

86 years ago, on October 28, 1940, during World War II, the Italian ambassador delivered an ultimatum from Benito Mussolini to Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas demanding permission for Italian troops to occupy strategic positions in Greece. In response, the Prime Minister firmly stated: "Ohi!" ("No!").

On the very same day, at dawn on October 28, 1940, Mussolini's troops attacked Greek units on the border of Greece and Albania. Thus, Greece entered World War II, offering fierce resistance to the Fascist forces.

Despite the enemy's significant numerical superiority, Greece managed to repel the Italian offensive and even launch a counteroffensive, shifting the fighting to the territory of Albania. With roughly equal losses over the course of seven months, the Greeks successfully pushed back the Italian troops along the entire front line.

However, in the spring of 1941, Nazi Germany entered the war on Mussolini's side, and the balance of power became unequal. Greece found itself under occupation for three years, but this did not mean complete capitulation: the remnants of the Greek forces continued to fight the Wehrmacht in North Africa, and from November 1942, a partisan movement unfolded across all of Greece.

In October 1944, German troops were withdrawn from Greece, as the Soviet troops advancing in the Balkans could block them, and the British entered Greece.

In memory of the decisive rebuff to the Fascist troops, October 28 is a holiday in Greece. On this day, the country remembers its heroes, honors their memory, and says: "NO!" to fascism and war.

Every year on October 28, military parades, public celebrations, and demonstrations take place in Greece. National flags are displayed on many state institutions and public buildings.

The Greek diaspora also celebrated the public holiday; the event took place at the Greek Cultural Center in Tashkent.

The guests of the festive events were welcomed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Greece to Uzbekistan, Paraskevi Tzeveleki: "Ohi is a short word whose historical significance fills the hearts of all Greeks with pride to this day. Contained within this word is the determination of an entire nation to defend its freedom and dignity, fully aware that this choice would require heavy sacrifices.

This 'No' was written on the Pindus Mountains with the blood of our soldiers. Greece answered 'fire with unlawful fire,' as our great poet Odysseas Elytis wrote in his poem 'Heroic and Elegy Song for the Lost Lieutenant of the Albanian Campaign'."

Greece lives wherever there are people who keep the language, history, culture, and collective memory alive. It lives in the families, communities, schools, and churches of the Greek diaspora abroad. And above all, it continues to live thanks to the legacy of values and ideas passed down from generation to generation.

"Our main responsibility is to pass this memory on to future generations. It is our duty to teach children not only what happened in 1940, but also why these events still matter today. They must know that behind this 'No' were people who did not submit to ultimatums and chose freedom, fully aware of the high price at which it can be won and preserved."

Addressing the representatives of the diaspora, people born in Uzbekistan, the ambassador said: "You can love Greece without distancing yourselves from the country where you grew up. You can be proud of your Greek heritage while actively contributing to the development of the society in which you live. You can preserve the language, history, and values of your ancestors while creating something new of your own."

After all, the value of the diaspora lies not only in the fact that it preserves Greek identity far from Greece.

It also lies in its ability to bring Greece closer to other nations, open new opportunities for cooperation, and prove that different cultural identities can peacefully coexist, mutually enrich each other, and bring shared benefits.

The celebration of Ohi Day was attended by representatives of the Greek diaspora and the general public, while the concert program was presented by musical and dance ensembles affiliated with the Greek Cultural Center.