On October 28th, we proudly commemorate Oxi Day, a defining moment in Greek history that symbolizes courage, unity, and resistance against tyranny. On this day in 1940, the Italian ambassador to Greece, representing the Axis powers, demanded the country’s surrender to which Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas famously replied with a single word: “όχι” (“no”). This bold refusal marked Greece’s entry into World War II and inspired people around the world with its message of freedom and determination. The courage and resilience of the Greek people during that time even moved Winston Churchill to remark, “Hence, we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks.” Today, Greeks everywhere honour this legacy with ceremonies and celebrations of national pride.