The National Day of my country brings in my mind the history of Saudi Arabia, a most friendly state with which we share similar pains.

Greeks and Saudis, have common elements in their history through centuries. Perhaps we cannot imagine that the foreign generals who had invaded the Kingdom, have previously devastated the south of Greece under the orders of the same oppressor.

During its history, the Greek nation has taken the figure of various states. Classical city-state in the Greek peninsula and all Mediterranean Sea, then transformed to the Empire of Alexander the Great, from the Macedonian Kingdom in Northern Greece, to the Persian Empire including Asia Minor and Messopotomia. And after its smooth disband by Romans, the Byzantine Empire had appeared which lasted for centuries. During its dominion, strong historical and friendly ties have been forged between Greeks and Arabs.

A common contribution to the world and to the civilization, sharing knowledge and science, culture and education, presenting similarities in character and behavior, and last but not least a taste of common food

After the collapse of the Byzantine Empire, the Hellenic nation has lived free in mountains and openseas, where freedom could live, inaccessible by the Oppressor who dominated cities and villages for four centuries.

The revolution of the 25th of March 1821 has started by the soldiers of the mountains and the sailors of the seas. One hundred years after this date another revolution in the Arabian peninsula created a friendly state again, Saudi Arabia.

Each of the two peoples live in a crucial point of the world geography, in a strategic peninsula which imposes upon us privileges and obligations.

All the countries live in a turbulent world with a lot of challenges in the political and economic level. In Saudi Arabia, you enjoy a prosperous economic development that gives us a lot of opportunities for cooperation. In Greece, we go through an unprecedented economic crisis which demands a lot of sacrifices from our people.

For five years my country lives in a profound economic crisis with austerity measures that had no other results except humanitarian crisis, extreme poverty, recession and unemployment.

We are focused on structural reforms in the administration, in the public and private sector.

We have to apply a new development model to stop the recession and to get again the road toward progress.

In this path, with new technologies, we need fellows to support us morally and with investments — healthy and productive.

We look to our future with hope and confidence and we ask from our friends and partners trust and solidarity.

— Ioannis Christofilis, Ambassador of Greece