Those of us who lived through the events of that period have no doubt that this was one of the most critical moments of the anti-dictatorship struggle, essentially marking a change in the course of the dictatorial regime in the sense that for the first time the junta lost the initiative of movements. The “legal events” electrified public opinion, which showed its undivided support for the struggling students and served as the beginning of mass mobilizations. What followed, the movement in the navy, the mass arrests by the military police, the Marchesini experiment, the Polytechnic, the junta of Ioannidis, had as its central point the seizure of the Faculty of Law.

There are many analyzes and descriptions of historical facts about Nomica’s occupations. I’ll just mention three of my thoughts:

First, the importance of certain anniversary events, which in any case are reference points in our lives and, accordingly, may be relevant to our current problems.

Today, with the speed of events, it is especially important to turn to memories that promote timeless values, love for people, freedom and require courage. In this context, the memory of the events of law contributes in this direction, and I congratulate our university on the initiative to mark this anniversary.

The second thing I want to mention is the feeling that the developments in jurisprudence were the leading manifestation of the participation of Greek student youth in a global movement that was permeated in May 1968 in France, events in American and European universities and a movement that radically changed the worldview and especially relationships between men and women, parents and children. Eventually it changed the relationship from one of power to one that needed to be communicated.

The third point is to recall that organized tendencies have begun to emerge in the events of Prava, which will play an important role in the course of future events. However, the level of collaboration between the various groups was at a very high level, the position of the independent students was decisive, and ultimately the motto “ALL TOGETHER” dominated and steered things in the right direction.

Those of us who lived through these events have an indelible memory and sense of an important destiny for a unique experience that marked us and still guides our steps.

On February 21, 2023, the University of Athens-EKPA, preserving this memory, celebrates the heroic struggle of the students of our university with an event that will take place in the Ceremonial Hall of the Propylaea building.

*Giorgos Vernikos, leader of the anti-dictatorial student movement. Today he is a businessman