Thousands attended an anti-war concert in Athens. Credit: AMNAThousands of people attended an anti-war concert in the center of Athens on Tuesday evening.
More than a dozen Greek singers and artists participated in the event organized by “Solidarity for All”, an umbrella group of peace organizations.
“We condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We demand an end to the war now. We know that when a war is won, life is lost,” the organizers said.
“Weapons must be silenced now. Bombings, nuclear threats, arms races have never been the solution. We must stand by the refugees and those in need!” it added.
Massive anti-war, pro-peace concert tonight in Athens. Against the russian invasion, in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and with refugees. #συναυλια_ειρηνης pic.twitter.com/mA6UyerSRe
— Rania Svigkou (@rania_sv) March 29, 2022
Ο Αλέξης ανάμεσα στον κόσμο που τον υποδέχθηκε με ενθουσιασμό στη #συναυλια_ειρήνης pic.twitter.com/Q8FH7QES7a
— Marka2 (@Marka2_) March 29, 2022
Anti-war protest in Athens criticized
The anti-war concert has been criticized by politicians and social media users for not explicitly condemning the Russian attack on Ukraine.
A rally held several weeks ago at Syntagma Square had explicitly condemned Russia. Thousands of protestors called for the end of the war in Ukraine, and spoke out against the Russian invasion and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Organizers of the protest had described it as “an initiative of independent citizens who call on friends of freedom and democracy in our country, of all nationalities, to protest against the barbaric Russian invasion of Ukraine, and in favor of its heroic resistance by the Ukrainian people.”
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the Greek parliament via teleconference on Thursday.
Zelensky, who has become a household name across the world as a brave wartime president in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has directly spoken to legislatures around the world via teleconference.