One of the greatest Greek national holidays is Ohi-mera, or “No day,” which is celebrated on October 28.

The celebration of this holiday stems from October 28, 1940. On that day, Greek general and statesman Ioannis Metaxas, with the support of almost the entire Greek nation, rejected Mussolini’s ultimatum. According to that ultimatum, Greece was supposed to allow the free entry of the Italian army into its territory, as well as the occupation of certain strategic points. This refusal marked the beginning of the war between Italy and Greece. The first conflict occurred in northern Greece, where the Greek army pushed back nearly half a million Italian soldiers into Albania. This marked the first military victory against fascism in Europe.

After the war, October 28 became a national holiday and is celebrated with numerous ceremonies and a military parade, in which the best Greek students carry flags, representing a special honor for them. This is a day off in Greece and represents a major celebration. It was first celebrated in 1944.