Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yiannis Loverdos visited Uzbekistan, where he held a series of meetings with representatives of the Greek community in Tashkent (2–3 November 2025) and participated in the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand (4–5 November 2025).
During his visit to Tashkent, the Deputy Minister visited the Hellenic Cultural Centre, met with members of the vibrant Greek diaspora, and attended the celebration marking the anniversary of the 28th of October. He was also given a tour of the newly established Embassy of Greece, which has been operating since April 2025, and met with its staff.
In addition, Mr. Loverdos held a meeting with Professor Tokhtasinov Ilhomjon Madaminovich, Rector of the Tashkent State University of World Languages. Discussions focused on strengthening academic cooperation between institutions of the two countries and exploring opportunities for broader collaboration in areas of mutual interest.
The Deputy Minister’s visit to Tashkent concluded with his participation in the inauguration of an art exhibition by internationally renowned Greek engraver, Ioannis Kyriakidis.
Afterwards, the Deputy Minister travelled to Samarkand, where he participated, together with the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni and Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports Nikolaos Papaioannou, in the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference.
During the proceedings of the Conference on 4 November, UNESCO unanimously approved the decision to proclaim February 9, as World Greek Language Day.
At a special event dedicated to the Greek language, Deputy Minister Loverdos expressed Greece’s gratitude to the UNESCO Secretariat, the Member States and delegations that supported the Greek initiative, as well as to the staff of Greece’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO.
In his address, Mr. Loverdos underlined that the Greek language - the language of Homer, Plato, and Aristotle, the language of the Gospels - remains a living language with a history spanning thousands of years, continuing to illuminate world culture, inspiring and uniting Greeks and philhellenes worldwide, and serving as a living symbol of identity and thought.
The proposal submitted by Greece, in March 2025, received the support of 88 UNESCO Member States from all geographical regions, which underscores not only the global resonance of the Greek language, but also the strength of linguistic diversity, a fundamental value of UNESCO.
This initiative is part of Greece’s broader strategy to promote cultural diplomacy and to further enhance the country’s international presence as a cradle of humanistic values and culture.
On the sidelines of the General Conference, the Deputy Minister held bilateral meetings with Khondker M. Talha, President of the General Conference and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh, during which they discussed Greece’s priorities within the Organization. Mr. Loverdos also raised the issue of the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures.
Finally, the Deputy Minister gave an interview to Uzbek State Television, where he highlighted the historic decision designating February 9, as World Greek Language Day.
November 10, 2025