The best of Hellenism

We can point to an abundance of efforts and initiatives by individual people, groups or bodies seeking to better organize and more efficiently coordinate the Greek diaspora.

The most recent of these – provisionally named “Node: Global Hellenic Networks” – has all the hallmarks of a useful initiative that could develop that enormous resource called universal Hellenism to the benefit of all Greeks, in Greece and abroad, as well as the country itself.

The 100-plus distinguished Greeks participating in the initiative’s steering committee include active members of the Academy of Athens, university professors, diplomats, businesspeople and high-level members of organizations and influential think-tanks.

There are promising signs for the start of the Node, starting with the formal support of two former Greek presidents – Karolos Papoulias and Prokopis Pavlopoulos – and a former prime minister – Lucas Papademos – who have been named honorary presidents of the steering committee.

It is not only the presence of so many distinguished personalities that is encouraging, but also the stated intentions of the initiative’s protagonists to stay away from partisan politics and the influence of political parties. The last thing such efforts need is negative and divisive politicking.

Connecting and coordinating all of these important and influential people in a broad range of activities across many countries evidently cannot be in any way influenced by or connected to the ideological identity of whichever government is in power in Greece at any given time.

The purpose here is to serve – in the proper sense of the term – Hellenism and, within this context, Greece, not parties.

More than 100 distinguished Greeks from Greece and the diaspora are involved in the first phase of the new initiative – figures with international resonance and distinctions in the fields of academia, science and business. These are people who can play an important role with suggestions and innovative ideas, not to mention their experience in a wide range of activities, stretching from shipping and culture, to health, biotechnology and the environment.

It is also hoped that this initiative will work in a complementary fashion to other existing efforts so as to strengthen the impact and maximize the benefits for Hellenism, and in doing so avoid the ills that have beset such efforts in the past.