Rhodes: 82-year-old Ms. Sofia, a student at the Evening Vocational High School, marched and moved the crowd

Ms. Sofia, from Rhodes, a first-year high school student at the Evening EPAL of Rhodes, marched today, on the National Anniversary of March 25, together with hundreds of students from all the schools of Rhodes and received warm applause.

“I feel great honor to participate as a student in this parade,” she stated while speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA). “I thank the school principal for suggesting that I march at this age. I won’t hide that I am very emotional because of the day, and I wish health and calm to everyone. Peace and nothing else. Especially these days when we are experiencing wars.”

In turn, the school principal, Mr. Nikos Oikonomou, also expressed his pride and emotion, noting that his school, which consists of adult students, was able—perhaps for the first time after many years—to participate in an organized manner in the parade celebrating our National Anniversary.

“Personally, this is the last time I accompany my school, as I will retire in a few months. I thank my younger and older students who take part in this parade to represent our school. I also want to personally thank all the students I have met over all these years, who exceed approximately 8,000 across all the schools, and to express my admiration for Ms. Sofia, who today, at 82 years old, is taking part in this important parade of our National Anniversary of March 25,” Mr. Oikonomou noted.

At the celebratory events held in Rhodes, the government was represented by the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, and the Hellenic Parliament by Dodecanese MP Giannis Pappas.