The former President of the Republic Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos participated in the 6th International Summer University, which was organized online by the University of Ioannina and had as its theme:"Greek Language, Greek Culture and Media". Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos spoke at the Conference on the topic:"Greek Language and Greek Culture". In his speech, he emphasized, among other things, the following:
"I. The historical development of the Greek Language proves that its relationship with Greek Culture was and remains dialectical. In the sense that as much as a language is able to express and articulate, and therefore to capture, great meanings and to contribute to the search for Scientific Truth and the consolidation of "Wisdom" - of course primarily as Philosophy - the more important is the Culture based on it. And, e contrario but consequentially, the more important, in the above direction, a Culture becomes, the more and language is recognized as a means of shaping and expressing it.
II. Next, this Language allows the Dialogue of Civilizations. This conclusion is also based on the fact that the real Civilization, which by its nature has Man at its center, respects, without discounts and compromises, the diversity of Man. And this because as the highest example of basic Humanism, respect for diversity is equivalent to respect for Democracy and Culture. Under these circumstances, at an institutional and value level in general, respect for the diversity of Man becomes a fundamental principle of Democracy and Civilization.
III. Such a consideration of Language and Culture, starting with the Greek Language and Greek Culture, proves that it is precisely this Dialogue of Civilizations that gives a resounding answer to those ahistorical, who claim that there is today an alleged "clash" between Civilizations . Claim, which even led to disastrous foreign policy choices on the part of Western and European politicians. Let this be understood:In the troubled times we live in there is no clash of Civilizations, since no real Civilization can, by its nature, clash with other, equally real, Civilizations.
IV. The truth is, therefore, that many times, unfortunately - as it happens in our time - there is a lack of communication and mutual understanding between Cultures, which makes the peaceful coexistence of Peoples dangerously difficult. Therefore, the appropriate solution is to move in the opposite direction, i.e. the choice of the Dialogue between Civilizations, in which the Greek Civilization, based on the Greek Language and its achievements in the field of the Spirit, owes and can, under conditions of parity to the other Cultures and under conditions of mutual respect, to play a multiply important role in the modern World".