Greeks of Kyiv celebrated the Independence Day of Greece with a festive concert.

Kyiv Greeks celebrated Greek Independence Day with a festive concert.
On the eve of Independence Day in Kyiv Greek students who study Greek language, show concert.
The concert took place in Kyiv Academic Drama Theatre Franko.

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Contrary to popular opinion there never was a country called Greece or Hellas until the Revolution of 1821.  When rebellion against the Ottoman Empire gave birth to Hellas, Hellenic-speaking people had a national homeland for the first time in history.

March 25 is both a national (revolution against the Turks) and religious holiday (Annunciation).

The Byzantine Empire fell to the Turks in 1453 and the Greeks remained under the Ottoman rule for nearly 400 years. During this time their language, their religion and their sense of identity remained strong.

25th of marth 1821 Bishop Germanos of Patras raises the flag of revolution at the monastery of Agia Lavra near Kalavrita and the battle cry of "Freedom or Death" becomes the motto of the revolution.

The people of Greece shouted "Freedom or Death" and they fought the War of Independence for 9 years (1821-1829) until a small part of modern Greece was finally liberated and it was declared an independent nation.

The struggle for the liberation of all the lands inhabited by Greeks continued. In 1864, the Ionian islands were added to Greece; in 1881 parts of Epirus and Thessaly. Crete, the islands of the Eastern Aegean and Macedonia were added in 1913 and Western Thrace in 1919. After World War II the Dodecanese islands were also returned to Greece.