Today is the 200th anniversary of the day Greece gained its independence following a 500-year occupation under the Ottoman empire.
In addition to delivering remarks on the floor of the Senate in honor of the historic anniversary, Senator Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul) issued the following statement:
“Today, on Greek Independence day’s 200th anniversary, we honor the nation of Greece for the sacrifices made by their people to overcome the brutal occupation of the Ottoman Empire. Americans generously provided humanitarian assistance to the Greeks during their fight for independence because they understood that liberty is worth giving one’s life to defend. The bond between the United States and Greece has remained strong over the last century, as Greece is one of just three nations which has allied itself with the United States in every major international conflict during the past 100 years. To this day, our two nations continue to work together to promote peace, stability, democracy, freedom, and human rights around the world, which is why we reaffirm the democratic principles from which our two great nations were born.”