China is an ancient nation, with a deeply rooted culture.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Holds Town Hall with Chinese Youth

For while China is an ancient nation, you are also clearly looking ahead with confidence, ambition, and a commitment to see that tomorrow's generation can do better than today's.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Holds Town Hall with Chinese Youth

This ancient nation is full of youthful vitality.

BBC: Greece's young: Dreams on hold as fight for jobs looms

In a measure of the bitterness of the public debate, Serge Dassault, CEO of the Dassault industrial group and a conservative politician, predicted in November that gay marriage would lead to the decline of the French nation, like the peoples of ancient Greece.

BBC: France's parliament begins long debate on gay marriage

The mystic chords which proceeding from so many battle fields and so many patriot graves pass through all the hearts and all the hearths in this broad continent of ours will yet again harmonize in their ancient music when breathed upon by the guardian angel of the nation.

NEWYORKER: Union Man

But there was a Palestinian nation, with a culture and folklore that has roots in ancient times.

BBC: Middle East: Can a solution be found?

Where there is ancient hatred, you defend and display a tolerance that reaches beyond every boundary of race and nation and belief.

CNN: Transcript: President George W. Bush