President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias on Wednesday visited Marioupolis, where the Greeks of the Ukrainian city received him with traditional Sea of Azov songs and dances at their cultural center.

“It is a very moving day with great messages for Hellenism," Papoulias, who is on the second day of his visit to Ukraine, told the expatriates at the headquarters of the Federation of Greek Associations of Ukraine.

Welcoming the president, who was surrounded by boys and girls with Greek costumes, as well as by the elderly of Azov, the President of the Greeks of Ukraine Alexandra Protsenko stated that the expatriates “are not searching to migrate, but with the assistance of Greece, to continue to live there where they were born.”

Papoulias called on the Greek universities to work more intensively “in order for there to be full registration not only of the language, but also all the other cultural elements of Hellenism of the Sea of Azov and of Crimea.” He also called on Greek companies, particularly banks, to examine more specific steps that could contribute to the development of the region.

Later, Papoulias inaugurated the mansion “Meotida”, which will operate as a Cultural Center of the Greek community of Marioupolis.  “Meotida” was given as a donation by the company “Michaniki”, the founder of which is Prodromos Emfietzoglou, who was also present at the ceremony.

Source: Athens News Agency

^
top

print this page   send this page