Canadian Greeks celebrate 25 March

A crowd of Canadian – Greek citizens of all ages, yesterday, watched the parade of the diaspora community in Montreal, marking the anniversary of the 25th of March national holiday, in the presence of Montreal mayor Denis Coderre.

Braving the weather which pegged a chilling -16 C children from Greek schools and citizens from local diaspora organizations paraded proudly down Jean Talon Avenue, which was bedecked in Greek flags.

The parade was preceded by a service (doxology) at the Annunciation of the Virgin church at Extension Park, in the presence of Greek Consul General Thanos Kafopoulos, Montreal mayor Denis Coderre, Liberal Party parliamentary head Justin Trudeau, Quebec parliament member gerasimos Sklavounos, Montreal deputy mayor Mary Deros, greater Montreal Greek community president Nikolaos Pagonis, and other officials.

The Consul General in his address hailed the Greek community of Montreal that is significant among Diaspora communities, maintaining and bolstering their Hellenic identity and culture with the Orthodox faith and Greek education at its spearhead. Mr Kafopoulos also noted the Greek state's support for the diaspora community despite the crisis.

He also referred to the exhibition “The Greeks,” which will exhibit 500 items from 22 Greek museums that will be shown for the first time outside Greece, in Montreal in December, and later Ottawa, Chicago, and Washington.

Toronto was also the scene of a parade in which 3,000 members of schools and local diaspora organizations braced weather of -15C, while thousands of Greek flags waved proudly around them.

A church service preceded the parade, officiated by the Metropolitan of Canada Soterios. The salutary address of the day was delivered by Greek consul at Toronto Dimitris Azemopoulos, who stressed that Greeks in 1821 dares to forge a new path through their revolution, creating a model for the world.

The parade was followed by wreath laying at the statue of Alexander the Great in the presence of Ontario prime minister Kathleen Wynne.

This Sunday, 30 March, the grand parade of the diaspora is programmed in New York in the presence of New York mayor Bill de Blasio.