World Federation of Trade Unions
The World Federation of Trade Unions on behalf of its 105 million members in 133 countries of the world sends its heartfelt condolences for the death of the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis who “passed away” today at the age of 96. The peoples of the world put into practice his words that “The great poets belong to the workers, to the people. Only they can understand them.” Through his songs, they embraced and got to know the poems of Pablo Neruda, Lorca, Bernard Behan, but also of the most important Greek poets such as Angelos Sikelianos, Andreas Kalvos, Giorgos Seferis, Odysseas Elytis, Giannis Ritsos. That is why in 1983 he was honored with the Lenin Prize. The songs of Mikis Theodorakis praised the struggles, not only of the Greek people, but of the peoples of the whole world who are struggling against imperialism, for a world without exploitation of man by man. That is why his songs inspire the peoples of the world. They are sung by workers from the Balkans, Europe, the Middle East and America. In his many years of imprisonment, torture, exile, he always stood up as a worthy child of our people. We bid fare well to the great composer with the lyrics of Pablo Neruda from Canto General that he composed: Homeland, you were born of the lumberjacks,/ of unbaptized children, of carpenters,/ of those who gave like a strange bird/ a flying drop of blood,/ and today you will be born again hard / from where the traitor and the jailer/ believe you forever submerged./ Today you will be born of the people as then. The WFTU Secretariat
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We bid farewell to the great composer Mikis Theodorakis with deep sorrow