Mark Lowen from the BBC News visited Athens to make a tribute video to the Greek Presidential Guard. As he states in the video, Greece’s tradition wouldn’t be the same without its Presidential Guard. Sunday morning and the soldiers or Evzones, parade to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tourists just love them.
The Presidential Guard, stands in position every day and is the elite unit of the Greek Army. Their traditional uniforms and demeanor make them a tourist attraction – but they perform an important and highly respected function, too.
As we hear in the video, a girl tourist simply says that, “I don’t think they’ve noticed any of us,” while another woman when asked whether she could do what they do, answered, “No, no… You have to keep a straight face. No way!”
According to Petros Miliopoulos, Commander of the Presidential Guard, “a soldier must believe that it’s an honor to serve the Evzones.” The hardest part is that no flinching is allowed, no matter the disruption. The video tribute closes with Mark Lowen highlighting the fact that, “This ancient nation, keeps its traditions alive!”