SYRIZA-PS Message on the 52nd Anniversary of the Polytechnic Uprising
The path of struggle remains the only guarantee for peace, democracy, and justice
The Polytechnic Uprising stands as the peak moment of the anti-dictatorial struggle, a flame that has burned bright in the collective consciousness of the Greek people for decades. By laying the foundations for the overthrow of the Colonels’ regime and the restoration of democracy, the uprising united the youth with the people of Athens in an unprecedented wave of resistance. It showed that the road of struggle is the only true guarantee for democracy and justice.
The three words of that November — Bread, Education, Freedom — form a timeless message expressing fundamental needs and the right of the Greek people to a dignified life, to education, and to the freedom to shape their present and their future.
52 years later, the Polytechnic lives on. We keep the flame alive by safeguarding historical memory and honoring the fighters of the uprising — including the students and democratic citizens who were killed by the dictatorship during those days. We honor all who resisted: the imprisoned, the tortured, and everyone who raised their voice against the junta throughout its dark seven-year rule.
We do not honor them with words alone, or only with commemorations and marches on November 17. We honor them through our own struggles, responding to today’s challenges.
Because the fight for peace is deeply connected to the message of the Polytechnic. The fight for more democracy is both necessary and a duty. The struggle for the rule of law remains intertwined with its legacy. The demand for social justice is still urgent. The battle against social and economic inequality is a just cause. And the struggle for prosperity, public education, and public health is an obligation. All democratic and progressive citizens must stand united in this effort.
We call on young people and all democratic citizens to participate en masse in the anniversary events of November 17 — in the gatherings and marches taking place across the country.
In Athens, the gathering will take place on Monday, November 17, at 16:00, at Chafteia.
