Greece became the 35th country to sign the Artemis Accords. Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis signed the agreements during the fifth round of the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, held on Friday in Washington.

Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken, the director of NASA Bill Nelson and the president of the Hellenic Space Center Dr. Ioannis Daglis spoke at the signing ceremony, hailing Greece’s commitment to peaceful, safe and transparent space exploration.

The State Department statement noted that the United States considers Greece an essential partner and key ally in NATO defending the alliance’s southeastern flank. “United by democratic values, we promote common goals for peace and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Western Balkans, the Black Sea region and beyond. Our countries’ shared values ​​extend to efforts beyond defense cooperation and include a partnership to address climate change, increase bilateral investment and trade opportunities, and strengthen educational and cultural ties. These efforts ensure that Greek-American relations are stronger than ever,” it says.

The US-Greece Strategic Dialogue is an important feature of the bilateral relationship and focuses on advancing shared priorities in the areas of regional cooperation, defense and security, trade and investment, energy and environment, law enforcement and counter-terrorism, humanitarian challenges, disaster preparedness, and civil society links.

The Artemis Accords were enacted in 2020 by the United States and seven other countries. They established a practical set of principles to guide space exploration. Greece joins 34 other states – Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States – affirming the principles of the Agreements for sustainable space activity. The State Department and NASA lead the United States’ approach to and implementation of the Agreements.

NASA Director Bill Nelson

“We are in a golden age of space exploration. And who will be involved in this space exploration is very important. Half a century ago, with the Apollo program, NASA took a giant leap for mankind when we set foot on the Moon. This was the Apollo program. And if you remember, in Greek mythology, Apollo had a twin sister. This is Artemis. And their father was Zeus. He was the king of the gods and Artemis was the goddess of the Moon. And also the goddess of the hunt.

And now we’re going back to the moon after half a century, and we’re doing it, not with the Apollo program, but with the Artemis program. And then we will be led on a hunt that goes further than the Moon. This is a manned trip to Mars by about 2040. And the signing of these agreements today symbolizes the fact that we will go together with Greece, the birthplace of democracy and a long-time friend of the United States.”

President of the Hellenic Space Center Ioannis Daglis

“Here, in the famous Treaty Hall, we gather to celebrate a new chapter in international space cooperation. Personally, let me add that I was delighted to discover the existence of Benjamin Franklin here, named after the respected American scientist, whose legend has inspired me since childhood. The Artemis Accords are a beacon of cooperation, offering a road map for the future where humanity is united in space exploration, promoting peace and progress. Named after Artemis, as you mentioned, the ancient Greek goddess who symbolizes the Moon, the Artemis program embodies our collective ambition to expand the horizons of human exploration and knowledge.

As we embark on this bold endeavor to return astronauts to the lunar surface and establish a sustainable human presence, Greece stands ready to contribute its expertise in space science and engineering. Our vibrant community, with its deep knowledge of space physics, remote sensing, robotics and space software, eagerly awaits the opportunity to enrich the Artemis program.

By participating in the Artemis Accords, we reaffirm our commitment to advance scientific discovery and technological innovation, inspiring future generations of scientists and engineers. Greece is honored to be part of this international effort and we look forward to the journey ahead.”