English author Victoria Hislop was this week officially sworn-in as a Greek citizen during a special ceremony held at the interior ministry. Hislop was awarded an honorary Greek citizenship in July 2020 for her work promoting modern Greece’s history and culture.
The ceremony was attended by the ministry’s secretary general for citizenship, Athanasios Balerbas, as Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos was absent for health reasons.
The author of the best-selling 2005 novel “The Island”, which was later made into a hugely successful television series in Greece, Hislop emphasised her abiding love for Greece, including its problems, for many years and thanked the ministry for the great honour, saying that this was a very important day for her.
Ms Hislop also met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who thanked her for her support of Greece through her writing and her statements and by mobilising the people of the arts, sciences and culture to support Greece’s rights during a difficult time.
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“Above all, for your pure love of Greece, which I think is reflected in everything you do and everything you write,” Mr Mitsotakis said.
According to government sources, the author – who was informed that she will be given Greek citizenship by the prime minister on the phone – gave Mitsotakis a copy of her latest book “Those Who Are Loved” and said that she has felt Greek for a long time.