Oxi Day Celebration

Description

Oxi Day Celebration is celebrated throughout Greek communities around the world on October 28 each year, to commemorate the rejection by Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas (in power from Aug. 4, 1936 until Jan. 29, 1941). An ultimatum made by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on Oct. 28, 1940, after a party in the German embassy in Athens, demanded that Greece allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy certain unspecified “strategic locations” or otherwise face war. It was allegedly answered with a single laconic word: όχι (No!). However, his actual reply was, Alors, c’est la guerre (Then it is war).