The Greek Embassy in Cairo continued its Greek National Day celebrations on Wednesday with a grand reception held at the historic Greek School in Heliopolis.
The venue, an iconic symbol of the Greek presence in Egypt, was chosen to highlight the longstanding cultural and historical ties between the Egyptian and Greek peoples.
The reception drew a distinguished crowd of senior officials and diplomats, including Greek Minister of Immigration and Asylum Makis Voridis, Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Ambassador Nabil Habashy, and Greek Ambassador to Cairo Nikolaos Papageorgiou. Representatives from foreign embassies and members of Egypt’s Greek community were also in attendance.
Celebrated Egyptian actress Laila Elwi opened the ceremony with a heartfelt speech, proudly recalling her Greek-Egyptian roots. She thanked the Greek Ambassador for choosing a venue so personally and culturally significant, having herself been educated at the Greek School in Cairo. Veteran artist Mimi Gamal also addressed the audience, celebrating the enduring friendship between the two nations.
In his remarks, Ambassador Papageorgiou expressed his joy in marking Greek National Day at a site so deeply woven into the history of the Greek community in Egypt. Built in 1929, the Greek School has stood as a cornerstone of Greek heritage in Cairo.
He paid tribute to the Greek community in Egypt for its efforts in organizing the event and emphasized the historical importance of the Greek Revolution of 1821—the foundation of the modern Greek state—and the sacrifices made in the pursuit of independence and freedom.
Highlighting Greece’s role as a pillar of regional stability, the ambassador stressed the country’s unwavering commitment to international law and its active engagement in both bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
He added: “Such relations—like those enjoyed by Greece and Egypt—are always important. They are even more vital today, given the turbulences in our broader region, such as the war next door in Gaza and the volatility prevailing in many parts of the world. Greece has always appreciated the prudence and wisdom with which Egypt has navigated these challenges.”
“Greeks and Egyptians have interacted for millennia,” he continued. “This shared history is an invaluable asset—one that strengthens the deep sense of proximity between our two nations.”
Ambassador Nabil Habashy described the occasion as “a great honor,” noting that Greek National Day commemorates noble sacrifices made in pursuit of freedom and dignity. He praised the increasingly strategic nature of Egypt-Greece relations in recent years, particularly in the fields of energy, geopolitics, and labor.
He also mentioned the importance of the cooperation between both countries in the field of energy, including the mega electrical interconnection project between Egypt and Greece that will help in fulfilling the concepts of clean energy and stability for both peoples.
He also highlighted the importance of the trilateral mechanism involving Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus, and expressed anticipation for the upcoming summit in Athens this May. “Long live the friendship between Egypt and Greece,” he concluded.
Greek Minister Voridis also reflected on his visit to Cairo, calling the event an influential way to conclude his visit. He noted several bilateral meetings with key Egyptian officials and commended the strength of the partnership between the two countries.
He described: "I'd like to thank you so much for the cooperation. for this uh strategic identity approach an approach in issues quite complex, quite difficult, but it is so I'm so glad to say that we have not only a deep strategic relationship in many, many areas, it's different reach, but I think we have found a common approach also in dealing with complex issues of migration."
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