In a poignant statement, Mayor Giorgos Machimaris of North Corfu reflected on the significance of the Polytechnic anniversary, underscoring the enduring power of its core message: ‘Bread – Education – Freedom.’ His address, delivered amidst a backdrop of global turmoil, serves as a powerful commentary on contemporary societal challenges and the unwavering need for democratic vigilance.
The Enduring Echo of ‘Bread – Education – Freedom’
The Mayor’s statement dissects the iconic slogan, revealing its profound relevance in 2025. He interprets ‘Bread’ not merely as sustenance, but as a demand for social justice, a dignified life, and a stand against the rising cost of living that burdens families. This resonates deeply in an era marked by economic instability and widening disparities.
‘Education’ is presented as more than just academic achievement; it’s a fundamental right to access knowledge, to foster creativity, and to pave the way for a brighter future, moving beyond the sole pursuit of success. This perspective challenges the utilitarian view of education, advocating for a holistic approach that nurtures individual potential.
Finally, ‘Freedom’ is framed as a multifaceted struggle – individual, collective, and global – against all forms of oppression, imperialism, and uncritical globalization. This broad interpretation acknowledges the complex threats to liberty in an interconnected world, from authoritarian regimes to subtle forms of societal control.
A Look Back: The Seeds of Resistance
Mayor Machimaris meticulously traces the lineage of the Polytechnic Uprising, highlighting the student revolts at the Law School in 1972 and 1973 as pivotal moments that prefigured the larger resistance movement against the dictatorial regime. He pays special tribute to Kostas Georgakis, a Corfiot student who, on September 19, 1970, self-immolated in Genoa, demanding freedom for an entire nation. Georgakis’s sacrifice is portrayed as the ‘first light’ that illuminated the path to the Law School and the Polytechnic, a powerful symbol of individual courage igniting collective action.
The Mayor’s narrative emphasizes that on November 17, 1973, a generation of young people rose against the dictatorship, transforming fear into dignity. He cites the poet Patrikios, who observed that the greatest fear was not the tanks, but ‘the fear of fear itself.’ It was this pervasive fear that the Polytechnic students conquered, shattering the silence, the darkness, and the inertia that had gripped the nation.
Contemporary Threats to Democracy: Beyond the Tank Tracks
Fifty-two years later, Mayor Machimaris warns that the world is once again ablaze with wars, displacement, social inequalities, and threats to democracy. He astutely observes that democracy is not only imperiled by overt force, symbolized by tank tracks, but also by indifference, weariness, and tolerance of the mediocre. This insight serves as a critical reminder that the erosion of democratic values can be a gradual and insidious process, demanding constant vigilance from citizens and leaders alike.
Therefore, the Polytechnic’s message belongs to the present, demanding alertness, and to the future, claiming justice. As local government, Mayor Machimaris asserts, it is their duty to always stand at the forefront of democracy, defending public spaces, education, social cohesion, and the dignity of citizens. He stresses that democracy is built daily – in schools, through dialogue, in equality, and in solidarity.
The Unfinished Struggle: A Call to Action
The Mayor concludes by honoring the young people who sacrificed themselves and acknowledging the legacy they left behind. He reflects on the collective responsibility towards future generations, invoking the words of Ritsos: ‘They went high. Very high. Difficult now for them to lower.’ This powerful imagery serves as a call to action, urging the current generation not to ‘lower’ themselves, but to continue the struggle for democratic ideals.
The Mayor’s statement is a profound reminder that the fight for justice and freedom is an ongoing process. The Polytechnic’s struggle was vindicated, but the struggle continues. The values of democracy are irreplaceable, and their echoes – the verses, the cry of ‘Here, Polytechnic,’ the popular support, the first martyrs – will forever remain etched in minds, memories, consciences, and hearts.
Source: https://www.startmediacorfu.gr/o-dimarchos-voreias-kerkyras-giorgos-machemaris-gia-tin-epeteio-tou-polytechneiou/
