ATHENS — "The education of our children is the best guarantee for the endurance and prosperity of our democracy," President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou said on Thursday, in an address to the Panhellenic Student Conference, on "Dialogue or clash of cultures? On the occasion of the landmark of 2,500 years from the battle of Thermopylae and the naval battle of Salamis", which was organised by the high school and lyceums of Athens College, in collaboration with the Marianna Vardinoyannis Foundation.

In particular, the President of the Republic stressed that cultivating the mind and education not only constitute Greece's national identity and unity but also a noble feeling of belonging to a community, with common values and references. It is at the same time a fundamental condition for communication with others, respect for diversity and tolerance.

"Deepening in knowledge, we better understand ourselves and the position of the others, what at first sight seems to deviate from our own standards, seems strange to us. In today's societies, in our homeland, and especially in European countries with strong minorities, the peaceful coexistence of different cultures is a challenge. The preservation of freedom and equality and democratic pluralism, without any tolerance for forms of fanaticism and intolerance. Citizenship is an exercise of virtue and self-knowledge away from dogmatism, negative stereotypes and prejudices," said Sakellaropoulou.