Further strengthening Greek-language education in Canada was the focus of a meeting between the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports of Greece, Sofia Zacharaki, and the Archbishop-Elect Apostolos of Canada.
The Minister congratulated Archbishop Apostolos on his election and expressed the Greek State’s full support for the new mission entrusted to him by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to foster the spiritual advancement of Hellenism in Canada and preserve its Greek Orthodox identity.
During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to the continued support of Greek Language Schools, to ensure that younger generations of the Greek diaspora preserve their language, history, and cultural identity.
Minister Zacharaki made particular reference to Archbishop Apostolos’ distinguished ministry in the United States, where for more than two decades he served in parishes with strong Greek-American communities in Massachusetts and New York. During that time, he held several key leadership positions, including Dean of the historic Saint Demetrios Cathedral in Astoria, Director of the Hellenic Cultural Center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Chancellor of the Holy Metropolis of San Francisco, Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and Metropolitan of New Jersey. As the Minister emphasized, in every position of responsibility he undertook significant initiatives to promote Greek-language education, Orthodox religious education, and the active participation of younger generations of the Greek diaspora in the life of the Church and the wider community.
“Greek-language education abroad is a national priority. Over the past few years, we have substantially strengthened the presence of the Greek State alongside our diaspora communities by sending our teachers abroad earlier than ever before, distributing school textbooks free of charge, and continuously reinforcing the institutions that keep the Greek language alive in every corner of the world. We stand firmly alongside the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada and all those who work tirelessly every day to pass on our language and culture to future generations,” stated Sofia Zacharaki.
The Minister also highlighted the Ministry’s initiatives to strengthen Greek-language education in Canada, noting that teacher secondments are now completed much earlier than in the past, ensuring that the educational needs of students learning Greek are met in a timely manner.
She further noted that since 2021, oversight of the Coordinating Office for Education in Toronto has been exercised by the Deputy Education Coordinator in New York. Recognizing the significance of the Greek community in Canada, the Ministry announced in June the opening of a competition to fill the position of Education Coordinator in Toronto, as part of its broader effort to strengthen and better support Greek-language education, particularly in Canada.
In Canada, Greek is taught as a second foreign language through afternoon and Saturday Greek Language Schools (TEG), day schools, bilingual schools, International Languages Programs within the Canadian public education system, and institutions of higher education. The Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports currently supports eight Greek-language educational institutions serving a total of 1,642 students and staffed by eight teachers seconded from Greece. In addition, the Ministry provides educational materials free of charge, thereby offering substantial support to the educational work of Greek community institutions.
For his part, Archbishop-Elect of Canada Apostolos thanked the Minister for the Greek State’s steadfast support of Greek-language education and underscored the vital role of the Greek language in preserving the identity of the Greek diaspora.
“The Greek language connects our diaspora with its ancestors. It is a priceless key to science, culture, and the intellectual development of young people. It is the language of the Holy Gospels. It is the language through which the truth was handed down. The role of a bishop is sacred and carries with it the responsibility to preserve and wholeheartedly support Greek education throughout the diaspora, while personally serving as an outstanding teacher,” he stated.
The Minister concluded by wishing the new Archbishop every success in the high ministry he is about to undertake. She expressed her confidence that, drawing on his many years of pastoral service in the United States and his deep understanding of the needs of the Greek diaspora, he will continue to work for the unity of the Greek community, the advancement of Greek-language education, and the preservation of the Greek Orthodox tradition in Canada.
