At the ceremony held in the plenary hall of the historic Greek parliament, Vladimir Medinsky conveyed Vladimir Putin's greetings to the ceremony participants.
As part of the opening of the Year of History, a joint statement was signed to approve the programme, which includes more than 140 events in both countries. The preparation and implementation of some events has already begun.
The Presidential Aide also cited historical facts about the more than thousand-year history of relations between the Russian state and Greece. Vladimir Medinsky stressed that due to the large number of joint events and the complicated epidemiological situation in the world, the parties should not adopt a formal position and tie the Year of History to the calendar year. “It is sensible to extend these events into the next year too, which will certainly allow us to accomplish the task set by the President of Russia and the Prime Minister of Greece – to make sure that as many people as possible learn about our history,” said the Presidential Aide at the opening ceremony.
During his visit, Vladimir Medinsky, as Chairman of the Russian Organising Committee of the Year of History, held meetings with Minister of Culture and Sports of the Hellenic Republic Lina Mendoni and Secretary-General of the Hellenic Parliament Foundation for Parliamentarism and Democracy and Chairman of the Greek Organising Committee of the Year of History Evanthis Hadzivassiliou.
Vladimir Medinsky was accompanied by Special Presidential Representative for International Cultural Cooperation and the Russian coordinator of the joint year Mikhail Shvydkoi.
2021 was declared the Year of History by foreign ministers Sergei Lavrov and Nikos Dendias. On October 26, 2020, a Joint Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Athens. Symbolically, the Year of History is timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek national liberation struggle, which is marked this year. Russia made a decisive contribution to Greece's independence.
