Ministry of Culture and Sports (Greece)

The Ministry of Culture (Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού) is the government department of Greece entrusted with preserving the country's cultural heritage, promoting the arts, and overseeing sport through the subordinate General Secretariat for Sports. The incumbent minister is Lina Mendoni. The Deputy Minister is Christos Dimas.

History
This ministry was established in 1971 as the Ministry of Culture and Sciences (Ὑπουργεῖον Πολιτισμοῦ καὶ Ἐπιστημῶν) and it was renamed the Ministry of Culture (Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού) on 26 July 1985. On 7 October 2009, it was merged with the Ministry of Touristic Development to form the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού). It ceased to exist on 21 June 2012, when the Ministry of Tourism was re-established and the culture portfolio was absorbed by the Ministry of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs to form the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs, Culture and Sports. The Ministry of Culture and Sports was re-established on 25 June 2013. On 27 January 2015, it was again merged with the education ministry to form the Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs. On 23 September 2015, the culture and education portfolios were restored as separate ministries.