The Greek Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Sofia Zacharaki, addressed a message to students, pupils, and the wider educational community on the occasion of the feast of the Three Hierarchs, highlighting the timeless value of meaningful education and moral formation in the learning process.
“The present day is an opportunity to remember what education truly means,” the Minister noted, stressing that for the Three Hierarchs, learning was not merely the accumulation of knowledge, but “a path of personal cultivation” and an effort to become “better, more just, more responsible, and more open toward our fellow human beings.” As she emphasized, knowledge gains true value only when it is accompanied by “ethos, love, and service.”
Referring to the challenges of the modern era, Ms. Zacharaki pointed out that “in a time when information is limitless and constantly changing, meaningful education becomes even more important.” She underlined the need for young people to develop critical thinking, enabling them to distinguish what is essential from what is superficial and to use knowledge “for a good purpose.”
At the same time, the Minister highlighted the role of both the school and the State, noting that “as the Ministry of Education, we are investing in a school that cultivates critical thinking, a love of books, responsible use of technology, and inclusion.” She added that school libraries are being strengthened, textbooks renewed, and teachers actively supported, so that education may continue to be “an act of responsibility and offering.”
Concluding her message, Sofia Zacharaki emphasized that the Three Hierarchs “remind us that educators do not transmit knowledge alone, but values as well,” and that every child is “a person with thought, sensitivity, and the ability to change the world around them.” She closed with a call to action: “Let us make learning a way of life, knowledge a source of offering, and education a light that guides us toward the right choices.”
