Grand Cross of the Order of Honour

About Grand Cross of the Order of Honour:

• It is the second-highest civilian honour in Greece.
• It is conferred to "eminent personalities who, by reason of their distinguished position, have contributed to enhancing the stature of Greece".
• The Order of Honour was established in 1975. 
• The head of the goddess Athena is depicted on the front side of the Star with the inscription “ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS SHOULD BE HONOURED”.

Key Facts about Greece:

• Location: It is located in southeastern Europe, on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula.
• Official Name: Hellenic Republic
• Bordering Countries:
  • The country is bordered by Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and North Macedonia.
  • Greece shares maritime borders with Cyprus, Egypt, Italy, and Libya.
• Geography:
  • The mainland has rugged mountains, forests, and lakes.
  • The country is well known for the thousands of islands dotting the blue Aegean Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Ionian Sea to the west.
  • The largest Greek island is Crete.
• Capital: Athens
• History:
  • Greece is often referred to as the "cradle of Western civilisation" because of its contributions to philosophy, democracy, and literature.
  • It was the home of famous ancient philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
  • During ancient times, the country was divided into city-states, which were ruled by noblemen. The largest were Athens, Sparta, Thebes, and Corinth.
  • Independence: Greece gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th century, following a war of independence that began in 1821.
• Political System:  
  • It is a parliamentary republic with a head of government - the prime minister - who has the most political power, and the head of state - the president - whose duties are largely ceremonial.
  • The executive power is exercised by the government.
• Languages: Spoken languages are Greek (official) and Turkish (predominantly spoken by a minority of Turks in Western Thrace).
• Olympics:
  • The Olympic Games have their origins in ancient Greece, where the first Olympic Games were held in Olympia in 776 BC.
  • Greece also hosted the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.