A message addressed to the new generation, as well as clear political and social reports, was sent by former Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis during his speech at the graduation ceremony of the Aristotle College of Thessaloniki. Addressing the graduates, Mr. Karamanlis chose to put aside the typical festive tones and talk about values, attitude of life and responsibility towards society and the country, calling on young people to maintain their authenticity at a time when, he noted, he often rewards the opposite.
On one of the most characteristic points of his speech, he advised young people to love life, nature and people, while sending a message of greater political interest. "Love life and nature. The Greek mountains, forests and seas, animals and above all people. Especially our warm, dobrew, donor fellows. Keep an eye on those who are too in love with themselves, with money, with authority," he said.
The former prime minister also stood in the value of historical memory and national consciousness, calling on young people not to feel uncomfortable about the feelings of contact with history and tradition. “If you feel a screech in your soul, a silent tear rolling by listening to ‘I know you from the edge’ or ‘I Overwhelm the winners’, do not be ashamed, do not feel old fashioned, outdated. Your honor and your pride. You are more in than anyone," he said applauded.
His reference to the need for young people to participate in the audiences, at a time when, as he observed, he was not characterized by great collective narratives or heroic times. "Greece needs you. He needs your freshness, your ideas, your momentum. We live, it's true, in times non-heroic. So it is good to remember that the country is much bigger than us," he stressed. The most unexpected snapshot of the speech came towards the end, when Mr. Karamanlis chose to recruit lyrics from the well-known song of Lucian Kelaedone "God bless us", causing smiles to the audience.
"Some scattered lyrics of a great musical success of the only Lucian Kelaedone come to mind," he said, before reciting: "At all right we say yes to the plates and parties we say yes, to dogs and cats we say yes, in action we say yes. No, we say heroin and addiction, we don't tell the outsiders, we don't tell the lame, not the fancy.".
Watch video of the graduation ceremony
In detail the speech of the former Prime Minister at the Aristotle College graduation ceremony
Ladies and gentlemen,
Members of the management and training staff of Aristotle College.
I want to thank friend Christos Grozoudis for the extremely honorable invitation to attend the 2026 graduation ceremony from Aristotle High School.
Dear Christos,
You continue consistently, morally and effectively the life work of your brothers who, 60 years ago, founded College. The evergreen Claus and the late Polycarpus. First of all, over 30 years from my first visit, I declare impressed by the new, state-of-the-art and innovative facilities of the College that house high school and high school. They combine functionality, aesthetics and respect for the environment in a unique way.
Dear Parents and night protagonists, graduates of the class of 2026.
It's a special honor for me to be here today. To share with all of you moments of joy and emotion. Join this iconic celebration for the successful outcome of an important chapter in the life of every man. To live with you the enthusiasm and satisfaction of what is now being completed. But also hope, expectation, perhaps agony, for what follows.
Today closes a great beautiful and creative cycle of your life. The years of high school, the years you spent in these desks, did not only offer you knowledge.
You had the chance, I would say the privilege, to attend a school that its initiators and leaders envisioned, already since its founding, as a community of learning, values and people, who believe that education is not only about knowledge, but primarily the formation of integrated personalities, ready to create their future with confidence, morals and responsibility.
A school model, with philosophy deeply anthropocentric. With emphasis on the values of Greek education, the love for our country and the respect of our roots. At the same time, it keeps the eye firmly on the future and the challenges of the modern world.
Success is not yours alone. It belongs rightfully to your parents, who have stood beside you with love and understanding all these years of your education. Who were subjected to sacrifices and trials. Who believed in you and supported you in every way. I think they deserve a warm round of applause.
Your success certainly belongs to your teachers. The people who with dedication, patience and scientific excellence passed you the supplies for the great journey of life. They deserve a big "thank you".
From tomorrow you spread your wings for a world exciting, but also extremely demanding. We are living in an era of rapid changes, sudden upheavals and noisy twists.
Technology is now developing at dizzying speeds. Artificial intelligence rearranges our everyday life, the way we work, communicate, solve complex problems.
Global challenges require new analytical tools and new answers.
In this liquid world simple information is not enough. Your great comparative advantage is the substantial education and critical thinking you have acquired here. These are your weapons against uncertainty. Don't get carried away by the ease of surface reading and shallow analysis. They always lead to precarious conclusions and incomplete answers. Search, ask, think! Investigate, question with arguments. Drop the minor, the junk. Focus on the big and the important. Always seek the truth.
I urge you not to fear obstacles. Difficulties, twists, and even failures are part of the route and almost always the best teachers.
Set high goals and pursue your dreams with stubbornness, morality, and dignity.
Never forget your responsibility to society. The democracy and progress of our country need active citizens, young people with social sensitivity, solidarity and respect for fellow human beings.
Spread your wings, study, travel, meet the world. But keep your roots strong. Close Greece forever in your heart.
First and foremost, we're Greeks. We are and you are worthy, heirs to an ecumenical civilization. And this is extremely important in a world where national identities are liquidated.
We're Macedonians! Original Macedonians. Here we step today in 1912 - in terms of history just yesterday - the soil was not Greek. Our country was under long occupation. We didn't lose our identity in tyranny. Don't lose her in conditions of freedom.
We Greeks are lucky. And in terms of size and the invaluable importance of the historical and cultural heritage of which we are privileged administrators and continuum. But also why we never had to, we never accepted - as others have done - to make the need history, distort historical truth, familiarize ourselves or usurp identities of others.
Of course this great fortune, this priceless legacy also carries a very heavy responsibility: The preservation and constant reassurance of the values and meanings that hold us as a nation and as a society. In this high duty, with your vanguard our young and young, we must respond. With confidence and pride.
We must maintain our tradition. What's uprooted hard to root again. Every time we dance a tight Macedonian, a Kotsaris, a Baiduska, our grandfather, our grandmother, dances with us. The afflicted refugees who arrived with carts in Thessaloniki and made it great.
Greece needs you. He needs your freshness, your ideas, your momentum. We live is true in times of non-heroics. So it is good to remember that the country is much bigger than us.
Friends and Friends,
I think of some scattered lyrics of a great musical success of the only Lucian Kelaedone from your distant 1980s:
"We say yes to them,
On the plates and parties we say yes,
We say yes to dogs and cats,
In action we say yes.
No, we say heroin and addiction,
No, we're telling the outsiders,
Not to the lame.
Not to fancy’
In other words, love life and nature. The Greek mountains, forests and seas, animals and above all people. Especially our warm, dobrew, donor fellows. Mind those who are too in love with themselves, with money, with power. And if you feel a screech in your soul, a silent tear rolling by listening to "I know you from the edge" , or "I overpower the winner", do not be ashamed, do not feel old-fashioned, outdated. Your honor and your pride, you are more in than anyone!
With these thoughts and with feelings of love, I want to wish you through my heart good luck in every subsequent step. Good career.
Be healthy and creative.
And always remember that the future is not something that will just happen. It is something you will primarily shape."