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Moreover, ancient literary themes and motifs used by modern Greek<br />
poets and prose-writers, such as Solomos, Calvos, Cavafy, Palamas,<br />
Seferis, Elytis, Kazantzakis, and many others, point to a continuous<br />
inspiration from substantial values and concepts.<br />
Ideas and concepts<br />
To be a conscious participant in today's society one must<br />
deeply understand the concepts and values that shaped our modern<br />
world. It is a special privilege, not only for the Greeks, but also for<br />
all those sharing Greek culture — “toŸj téj ¢metçraj paideåaj<br />
metçxontaj" — to know that Greek antiquity brought forth the<br />
amazing development of culture that signified the creation of Western<br />
Civilization. The ancient Greeks enriched modern thought with<br />
meaning, ideas, and inspiration.<br />
Hellenic language and literature constitute the most substantial<br />
contribution of Hellenic culture to modern world. Hellenic language<br />
is characterized by its logical coherence and aesthetics. It provides a<br />
multifarious way of communication, which established fundamental<br />
literary genres and perpetual values touching every period of human<br />
civilization. Hellenic language and thought created poetry, historiography,<br />
rhetoric, politics, philosophy and developed with rational<br />
thinking (oruÃn lÃgon) and dialogue the moral and political ideas<br />
of justice, the Delphic concepts of self-knowledge (gn3ui s' aytÃn)<br />
and temperance (mhdÇn Ëgan), dignity, freedom of speech, human<br />
and civic rights, federation and democracy together with the prime<br />
aesthetic and intellectual concepts of beauty, harmony and discipline.<br />
Thucydides spoke against the injustice and violence of war<br />
and stressed the values of democracy. Plato and Aristotle formed<br />
the concept of justice, clemency, rational thinking, human dignity<br />
and respect. These everlasting ideas, originated from the critical<br />
thinking of Greeks and their ability to give logical answers to the<br />
most important issues of human life, constitute the mental and cultural<br />
foundations of Western Civilization.<br />
Education leading to a global formation of human personality,<br />
intellectually and morally, provides an important contribution, which<br />
comes out from this constant dialogue of contemporary human societies<br />
with the everlasting texts of Greek antiquity. Contemporary<br />
people all over the world, living in social confusion and in various<br />
cultural and intellectual changes, in the concepts of ancient Greek<br />
texts find convincing answers to their various moral, social and political<br />
questions.<br />
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