The final round of the March 25th Oratory Competition for High School 2 and IB DP 1 students took place at the Athens College Theater, on Thursday, March 20, 2025. The "March 25th" prize for the 2024-2025 school year was awarded to Panagiota-Nikoleta Dourida. Competing students delivered speeches on the following topic:

"Our war against the Turks […] is a national and sacred war; a war fought solely to reclaim our rights to personal freedom, property and honor, rights that all well-governed and neighboring peoples of Europe enjoy. It is only here, under the cruel and unprecedented tyranny of the Ottomans, that these rights have been violently stripped from us […]".

Declaration of Independence in Epidaurus, 1821 (excerpt)

"When we decided to start the Revolution, we did not stop to consider how many we were, that we had no weapons, or that the Turks controlled all castles and cities. No one asked "How can you fight with ships that carry only wheat?". Our only driving force was our longing for freedom - it overwhelmed us like a flood.  And so, priests, councils, captains, scholars, merchants, young and old alike, we all united in this common cause and began the Revolution".
            

Theodoros Kolokotronis speech at Pnyx (excerpt)

"FIGHT FOR FAITH AND MOTHERLAND!
The time has come, O Hellenes! The peoples of Europe have already fought for their Rights and liberties, and now call upon us to follow their example. Even though they are partially free, they have done everything in their power to increase their freedom and Prosperity. Our brothers and friends everywhere stand ready […]. Let us join together then with enthusiasm! […] To arms, then, friends, the Motherland calls us!

        Revolutionary Proclamation, Alexandros Ypsilantis (excerpt)

According to Iakovos Michailidis, historian of Modern History, "as Greeks, it is our duty to honor, with the respect it deserves, our national and liberating revolution, which granted us freedom and led to the formation of our national identity. It is also an occasion for reflection. Our freedom and the development of our national identity in a civil, political and social framework, is tested and reaffirmed every day". 

a. How do you perceive the concept of patriotism today, and how can it be translated into action, in response to the specific needs and challenges of our time?

b. It has been argued that "if patriotism is driven by the desire for progress, both for ourselves and for those different from us, nationalism is driven by the desire to impose ourselves on those who are different from us". Nowadays, do you observe phenomena of nationalism and intolerance? In what ways could such phenomena be eliminated?

The panel of judges included Ms. Agathi Georgiadou, Doctor of Philology from King's College London, writer, and literary critic, Mr. Andreas Kakridis, Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science and History, at Panteion University, and Ms. Konstantina Boltsi '12, Technical Team Leader and March 25th Prize Winner in 2011.

The students who competed in the final round were:

1. Dourida Panagiota-Nikoleta

2. Kyriakopoulos Labros-Nektarios

3. Tachmatzopoulos Pantelis

4. Tryfonopoulou Angeliki

5. Tsilika Argyro

The students who qualified for the semifinal round were:

1. Georgiou Melitini

2. Misthos Antonios

3. Papageorgiou Melina

4. Theochari Eleni

5. Vagias Panagiotis

Congratulations to all students who participated in both the final and semifinal rounds of the Competition.