The World Day for Greek Language is celebrated annually on 9 February,[1] the anniversary of the death of Dionysios Solomos, the national poet of Greece.[2] It was established by UNESCO General Conference and is celebrated worldwide.[3]
In 2026, for the first time, Monday 9 February, marked the inaugural celebration of World Day for Greek Language, and tributes were paid from across Europe in recognition of Greece's historical impact on life, literature and thought in Western society. The people of Greece and lovers of the language were marked its official global celebration on the first ever 'World Greek Language Day'.[4][5][6]
History
editThe initiative to establish a day dedicated to the Greek language began in 2014, inspired by Professor Giannis Korinthios, then President of the Federation of Greek Communities and Brotherhoods of Italy. Classical lyceums and the Greek Community of Naples and Campania played a leading role in mobilizing support for the establishment of the day.
Initially, a draft law entitled “Establishment of a World Day of Greek Language and Greek Culture” was proposed, with 20 May—considered a possible date of birth of Socrates—as the suggested date. Ultimately, following a proposal by cultural management advisor Ilias Bountouris, 9 February was selected, the commemorative day of Dionysios Solomos (1798–1857).[7][8]
The observance was established in 2017 by a joint decision of the Ministers of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Education of Greece.[9] Subsequently, by a Joint Ministerial Decision (Government Gazette, 24 April 2017, no. 1384), the title “World Greek Language Day” was formally adopted. In November 2025, during the proceedings of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the international observance of 9 February as World Greek Language Day was officially proclaimed.[10][8]
To mark the occasion, events are held at educational institutions in Greece as well as in university departments of Greek language studies around the world.[11]
References
edit- ↑ "World Greek Language Day". unesdoc.unesco.org. Retrieved 2026-04-06.
- ↑ "9 February: World Greek Language Day". unesco.org. Retrieved 2026-04-06.
- ↑ Karagiorgas, Ioannis (2026-02-09). "Europe leads inaugural celebrations for World Greek Language Day". euronews. Retrieved 2026-04-06.
- ↑ "Η «Φωνή της Ελλάδας» γιορτάζει την Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Ελληνικής Γλώσσας". 2020-02-07. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
- ↑ "Κοινή Υπουργική Απόφαση ΑΣ17889/2017 - ΦΕΚ 1384/Β/24-4-2017". e-nomothesia.gr | Τράπεζα Πληροφοριών Νομοθεσίας (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-02-07.
- ↑ "Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' statement on UNESCO's designation of February 9 as "World Greek Language Day"". Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic. 2025-11-06. Retrieved 2026-04-06.
- ↑ Μπουντούρης, Ηλίας (2024). από το Α - ένα μικρό οδοιπορικό στην ελληνική γλώσσα. Αφήγηση: Γαβρίλης Ιστικόπουλος. Ιωάννινα: Little Island Publications.
- 1 2 "World Greek Language Day". Unesdoc.unesco.org. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ Σαν Σήμερα .gr. "Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Ελληνικής Γλώσσας". Σαν Σήμερα .gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2020-02-07.
- ↑ Α. Τ. Γλώσσα Γλυκολάλητη. «Οcία Ειρήνη η Χρυcοβαλάντου» - Διμηνιαίον ορθόδοξον χριστιανικόν περιοδικόν. Έκδοση Ιερά Μονή Οσίας Ειρήνης Χρυσοβαλάντου Λυκοβρύσεως Αττικής. Έτος ΞΔ΄. Σεπτέμβριος - Οκτώβριος 2023. Τεύχος 533. (Αναδημοσίευση από Περ. Απολύτρωσις, τ. 925).
- ↑ "Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Ελληνικής Γλώσσας". Sansimera.gr. Retrieved June 15, 2026.