Former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis delivered a message aimed at the younger generation, while also making clear political and social references, during his speech at the graduation ceremony of the Aristotle College of Thessaloniki. Addressing the graduates, Mr Karamanlis chose to set aside the customary celebratory rhetoric and instead spoke about values, outlook on life and responsibility towards society and the country, urging young people to preserve their authenticity in an era that, as he noted, often rewards the opposite.

In one of the most notable passages of his speech, he advised young people to embrace life, nature and humanity, while also sending a message of broader political significance.

“Love life and nature. The Greek mountains, forests and seas, animals and, above all, people. Especially our warm-hearted, straightforward and generous fellow citizens. Be wary of those who are excessively in love with themselves, with money and with power,” he said.

The former Prime Minister also stressed the importance of historical memory and national consciousness, encouraging young people not to feel uncomfortable about the emotions inspired by history and tradition.

“If you feel a stirring in your soul, a silent tear rolling down your cheek when hearing ‘I recognise you by the sharpness of your sword’ or ‘To You, the Champion General, victorious thanksgiving’, do not be ashamed, do not feel old-fashioned or outdated. It is your honour and your pride. You are more in than anyone else,” he said to loud applause.

His remarks on the need for young people to participate in public life also attracted particular attention, at a time which, as he observed, is not characterised by grand collective narratives or heroic eras.

“Greece needs you. It needs your freshness, your ideas and your drive. It is true that we live in unheroic times. It is therefore worth remembering that the homeland is something far greater than ourselves,” he stressed.

Perhaps the most unexpected moment of the speech came towards the end, when Mr Karamanlis chose to invoke lyrics from Loukianos Kilaidonis’s well-known song “May God Keep Us Well”, prompting smiles among the audience.

“Some scattered lyrics from a great musical success by the unique Loukianos Kilaidonis come to mind,” he said before reciting:

“To decent people we say yes,
To jokes and parties we say yes,
To dogs and cats we say yes,
To action we say yes.
To heroin and addiction we say no,
To the clueless we say no,
To the dull we say no,
To the pretentious we say no.”

Full Speech by the Former Prime Minister at the Aristotle College Graduation Ceremony

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Members of the administration and teaching staff of Aristotle College,

I would like to thank my friend Christos Grozoudis for the highly honourable invitation to attend the graduation ceremony of the Aristotle College Class of 2026.

Dear Christos,

You continue, with consistency, integrity and effectiveness, the life’s work of your brothers, who founded the College 60 years ago: the ever-active Vasilis and the late Polykarpos.

First of all, more than 30 years after my first visit, I must say I am impressed by the College’s new, state-of-the-art and innovative facilities that house the Gymnasium and Lyceum. They combine functionality, aesthetics and respect for the environment in a truly unique way.

Dear parents and stars of this evening, graduates of the Class of 2026,

It is a particular honour for me to be here today. To share with all of you moments of joy and emotion. To take part in this emblematic celebration marking the successful completion of an important chapter in every person’s life. To experience alongside you the enthusiasm and satisfaction for what is being completed today. But also the hope, anticipation and perhaps even anxiety for what comes next.

Today marks the end of a long, beautiful and productive chapter of your lives. Your years at secondary school, the years you spent in these classrooms, have provided you with far more than knowledge.

You had the good fortune — indeed, I would say the privilege — to attend a school whose founders and leaders envisioned it, from the very beginning, as a community of learning, values and people who believe that education is not only about knowledge, but above all about shaping well-rounded individuals, ready to build their future with confidence, integrity and responsibility.

A model school with a deeply human-centred philosophy. A school that emphasises the values of Greek education, love of country and respect for our roots, while at the same time keeping its gaze firmly fixed on the future and the challenges of the modern world.

This success, however, is not yours alone. It rightfully belongs to your parents, who stood by you with love and understanding throughout all these years of education. Who made sacrifices and endured hardships. Who believed in you and supported you in every possible way. I believe they deserve a warm round of applause.

Your success also belongs, of course, to your teachers. The people who, with dedication, patience and academic excellence, equipped you for the great journey of life. They deserve a heartfelt thank you.

From tomorrow, you spread your wings into a world that is both exciting and exceptionally demanding. We live in an age of rapid change, unexpected upheavals and dramatic transformations.

Technology is advancing at breathtaking speed. Artificial intelligence is reshaping our daily lives, the way we work, communicate and solve complex problems.

Global challenges require new analytical tools and new answers.

In this fluid world, information alone is not enough. Your greatest competitive advantage is the substantive education and critical thinking you acquired here. These are your weapons against uncertainty. Do not be seduced by the ease of superficial readings and shallow analyses. They always lead to insecure conclusions and weak answers. Search, ask questions, think. Investigate and challenge with arguments. Discard what is trivial, the clutter. Focus on what is important and significant. Always seek the truth.

I urge you not to fear obstacles. Difficulties, setbacks and even failures are part of the journey and are almost always the best teachers.

Set high goals and pursue your dreams with determination, integrity and dignity.

Never forget your responsibility towards society. Democracy and the progress of our homeland need active citizens, young people with social awareness, solidarity and respect for others.

Spread your wings, study, travel and discover the world. But keep your roots strong. Hold Greece forever in your heart.

Feel it. First and foremost, we are Greeks. We are, and you are, title-holders and heirs to a universal civilisation. And this is extremely important in a world where national identities are becoming increasingly fluid.

We are Macedonians. Genuine Macedonians. Here, where we stand today, in 1912 — in historical terms only yesterday — this land was not Greek. Our homeland was under long occupation. We did not lose our identity under tyranny. Let us not lose it under conditions of freedom.

We Greeks are fortunate. Fortunate both in terms of the scale and the invaluable significance of the historical and cultural legacy of which we are privileged custodians and continuators. We are also fortunate because we never needed, and never stooped to — as others have done and continue to do — turning necessity into history, distorting historical truth, or appropriating and usurping the identity elements of others.

Of course, this great fortune, this priceless inheritance, also entails a very heavy responsibility: preserving and continually reaffirming the values and meanings that bind us together as a nation and as a society. It is our duty to rise to this lofty task, with you, our young women and men, at the forefront. With confidence and pride.

We must preserve our traditions. What is uprooted rarely takes root again. Every time we dance a Macedonian syrtos, a Kotsari or a Baidouska, our grandfather and grandmother dance with us. Alongside the long-suffering refugees who arrived in Thessaloniki in carts and helped make it a great city.

Greece needs you. It needs your freshness, your ideas and your drive. It is true that we live in unheroic times. It is therefore worth remembering that the homeland is something far greater than ourselves.

Friends,

Some scattered lyrics from a great musical success by the unique Loukianos Kilaidonis from the distant 1980s — distant for you — come to mind:

“To decent people we say yes,
To jokes and parties we say yes,
To dogs and cats we say yes,
To action we say yes.
To heroin and addiction we say no,
To the clueless we say no,
To the dull we say no,
To the pretentious we say no.”

In other words, love life and nature. The Greek mountains, forests and seas, animals and, above all, people. Especially our warm-hearted, straightforward and generous fellow citizens. Be wary of those who are excessively in love with themselves, with money and with power.

And if you feel a stirring in your soul, a silent tear rolling down your cheek when hearing “I recognise you by the sharpness of your sword” or “To You, the Champion General, victorious thanksgiving”, do not be ashamed, do not feel old-fashioned or outdated. It is your honour and your pride. You are more in than anyone else.

With these thoughts, and with feelings of affection, I would like to wish you from the bottom of my heart every success in each of your future steps. A successful career.

May you be healthy and creative.

And always remember that the future is not something that will simply happen. It is something that you, above all, will shape yourselves.