31 ΟΚΤ '19
28η ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΥ 1940 – October 28th 1940
Celebrating the 79th Anniversary of “OHI” Day at Hellas House
On Monday, a solemn event, organized by Hellas Group, on the occasion of the 79th Anniversary of “OHI” Day was held at Hellas House followed by a reception. The Founder & CEO of Hellas Group, Mr. Pavlos Kontomichalos and the Consul General of the Hellenic Republic in Shanghai, Mr. Vasileios Koniakos, gave a welcoming speech to the audience.
From left to right: Mr. Fokion Drossos, CEO of My Odyssey Travel (Hellas Group), Mrs. Sophia Kontomichalou, President of Hellas Group, Mr. Vasileios Koniakos, Greek Consul General in Shanghai accompanied by his wife, Mr. Pavlos Kontomichalos, Founder & CEO of Hellas Group, and Mr. Takis Skolarikis, Vice-President of Hellas Group taking a group photo during the “OHI” Day event at Hellas House.
On October 28, 1940 Italian dictator Benito Mussolini gave an ultimatum to the Greek government with the requirement to allow the Italian troops to occupy the territory of Greece, on which the Greek people unanimously answered “No” (“OHI” in Greek) and took up an unequal struggle with the enemy.
More than 100 people attended the reception including Greek and foreign businessmen, local and foreign government officials, international executives, people from the intellectual and cultural circles, entrepreneurs, the Greek community in Shanghai as well as friends of Greece.
Mr. Kontomichalos welcomed the guests and pointed out the significance of “OHI” Day as a day to remember Hellenic values for freedom, passion and heroism. He also talked about the men, women and children of the Greek resistance movement and their relentless battle against the Nazi Occupation forces as a powerful reminder of the suffering, sacrifice, and the incredible spirit of the Greek people even against terrible odds, concluding that its impact reaches beyond Greece to the rest of the world.
Mr. Pavlos Kontomichalos and Mrs. Sophia Kontomichalou welcome the guests before the opening speeches.
Mr. Koniakos in his speech personally thanked Mr. and Mrs. Kontomichalou for organizing this commemorative event at Hellas House and continued by highlighting many important battles of the Greek Resistance during the Axis occupation, and the Hellenic counterattack against the invading Italian forces at the mountains of Pindus during the Greco-Italian War. The Greek Consul General also added that few realize that the very first Allied victory of WWII was achieved by the Greek Army as it successfully repelled the 28th of October 1940 invasion attempted by the Italian troops. Concluding his speech he mentioned many important historical figures’ quotes on the heroism of the Greeks during WWII including Winston Churchill: “Until now we used to say that Greeks fight like heroes. Now we shall say heroes fight like Greeks.”
The Consul General of Greece in Shanghai, Mr. Vasileios Koniakos, during his speech.
After the speeches the whole of the large assemblage of guests stood up to hear the Greek National Anthem, “Hymn to Liberty” (Greek: Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν).
“This event was held in honor of the Greek heroes and their contribution to freedom.
A memorable event to cherish Peace, Friendship and the ecumenical importance of the Greek sacrifices as an everlasting inspiration for all nations.”
Hellas Group
An integral part of Hellas House’s mission in China is to share knowledge about Greek History and Values with the rest of the world.
Mr. Drossos, CEO & Co-founder of My Odyssey Travel warmly welcomed the attendees and highlighted the importance of My Odyssey’s collaboration with Greece’s top hotels as part of promoting the best travel experiences for the Chinese high-end travellers.
The Lucky Draw winner posing for a photo with Mr. Drossos, Ms. Katsaneva and Ms. Aggeliki Shi (施洋). The winner will enjoy a two-night’s stay at the Grande Bretagne Hotel in Athens and a two night’s stay at EROSANTORINI in Santorini.
Despite the heavy rain, all top-end travel agents of Shanghai attended and enjoyed the event, which was followed by a cocktail reception with Greek treats in the warm ambiance of Eros lounge.
