November 17, 1973, is a very important day for Greece. It is the day when the Athens Polytechnic students up-rose against the military Junta (1967-1974).
The seven-year fight against the military dictatorship culminated in the events of November 17, 1973. In the early hours of that day, a tank sent by the government crashed through the gates of the Athens Polytechnic. The students had barricaded themselves in, protesting against the Junta. While they were in the Polytechnic, they were broadcasting on a clandestine radio station that the time was right to overthrow the junta. Their broadcasting always started with the words “Here is Polytecheion”.
November 17, is not a public holiday in Greece. However, it is an observance day. Schools celebrate this day with poems, short plays and songs whereas universities stay closed. A lot of people in Athens take part in a demonstration that begins from the campus of the Polytechnic and ends at the United States Embassy.
This uprising, which is said to have been influenced by the youth movements of the 1960s such as the May 1968 events in France, symbolises resistance to tyranny. Celebrations that take place on November 17 make Greek people always remember that ideals such as freedom and democracy are worth fighting for.
