Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece received this morning the Permanent Representative of Greece to UNESCO, Mr. Giorgos Koumoutsakos.
Mr. Koumoutsakos was welcomed by the Protosyncellus of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, Bishop Barnabas of Christoupolis.
During the meeting, Mr. Koumoutsakos presented toArchbishop Ieronymos what he described as a historic decision by UNESCO to proclaim February 9 as World Greek Language Day. As he noted, the decision was adopted with the support of 90 countries and unanimously approved by all 194 UNESCO member states.
“We believed in and invested in the Greek language,” Mr. Koumoutsakos stated. “This is, of course, a collective decision that benefits Greeks worldwide.” He also emphasized that “the Church has a significant role and a strong interest in our language.”
Archbishop Ieronymos underlined the responsibility of the Church toward the Greek language, stating: “As a Church, we feel a duty toward the Greek language, and I hope it will follow the path it truly deserves.” He further noted that “the importance of this decision is a moment of joy, one that we should all celebrate together.”
February 9 has now been established as World Greek Language Day, an initiative that began in Greece in 2017 and was formally recognized internationally by UNESCO in November 2025. The aim of the designation is to honor the timeless contribution of the Greek language to global civilization and to highlight its uninterrupted historical continuity.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
