Ms. Niki Papailiaki, General Secretary of the Greek Community in Paris (“Communauté Hellénique de Paris et des environs”) spoke on the show “Our Global Voice” with Dimitris Kontogiannis on Voice of Greece about the events organized by the Community to celebrate Greek Independence Day. These included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe and a school event later in the day at a venue opposite the Panthéon, attended by more than 300 people.
She highlighted the presence of the so-called Bande de la Flamme, which played the Greek national anthem during the wreath-laying ceremony, and described the school event commemorating Greece’s national anniversary, where many children demonstrated their proficiency in the Greek language through poetry and other performances. Approximately 500 children attend the Greek school, spanning kindergarten, elementary, and high school levels, which was strengthened this year with the addition of two more teachers from Greece.
Having lived in the French capital for nearly 40 years, Mrs. Papailiaki also shared her personal story, reflecting on the Paris of the 1980s when she first arrived as a young student compared to today. She also addressed the housing challenges faced by teachers from Greece and others due to the high cost of rent in the city. Additionally, the General Secretary of the Greek Community in Paris spoke about upcoming events at La Maison de la Grèce, in the city’s 16th arrondissement, in the coming weeks and months.