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Greece – former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia sign historic agreement to resolve name dispute
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Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia signed a historic agreement to resolve the decades-long name dispute. “This is a brave, historic and necessary step for our peoples,” said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, when signing the accord in the lakeside fishing village of Psarades on the border between the nations on Lake Prespa. “We are here to heal the wounds of time, to open a path for peace, brotherhood and growth for our countries, the Balkans and Europe,” he added. “We have a historic responsibility to not let this step remain unfinished” said PM Tsipras.
“Our two countries should step out of the past and look to the future,” said Prime Minister Zoran Zaev at signing. “Our peoples want peace … we will be partners and allies”. “You cannot achieve anything without courage,” Zaev added, citing the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotelis, and underlined the strategic significance of the agreement, which “puts an end to the long-term problems that damaged our bilateral relations”. Watch PM Tsipras’ address here and watch highlights from the signing ceremony here.
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7th Greek Investment Forum
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Alternate Minister of Economy & Development, Alexis Charitsis visited the US accompanying the Greek Delegation for the 7th Greek Investment Forum and roadshow, “Greece: Back on the Path to Growth”.
The Forum, which took place in New York on June 19-20, and the investment roadshow are part of a larger initiative aimed to inform the U.S. business community about the significant new investment opportunities that have emerged in Greece and the types of enacted legislative, economic and structural reforms employed to foster growth and create a positive investment climate.
As part of the initiative, members of the Greek Delegation also presented Greece’s economic outlook and investment case to various decision makers and high-level government and business leaders in Washington (June 20-21) and Chicago (June 21-22). Alternate Minister Charitsis met with Secretary for Commerce Wilbur Ross and discussed Greek-USA economic and trade relations, the crucial eurogroup meeting of June 21st and the historic agreement with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the name issue. Read more here.
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SecGen Kretsos in L.A.
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Τhe Secretary General of Information and Communication, Lefteris Kretsos, visited Los Angeles June 3-7, ιn order to promote the new institutional framework for the support of film and television productions in Greece and attend the inauguration of the 12th Annual Greek Film Festival.
During his stay he visited the offices of major production companies in the field of cinema and television. In addition, the Secretary-General had the opportunity to present the new framework of incentives to selected high-ranking executives of the American audiovisual industry, at an event held at the residence of the General Consul of Greece in Los Angeles, in cooperation with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
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Newsmaker of the Month:
Professor Thanos Papanicolaou
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Citizen Engagement and Open Data make Thessaloniki a Resilient City
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Thessaloniki – Greece’s second largest city with more than 1M residents and many visitors throughout the year – dates back nearly 2,300 years and has overcome several major catastrophes, including in the last century. The city has recovered from these disasters to become one of Greece’s key cultural, educational and economic centers, home to highly-recognized universities and research centers, and with one of the largest ports in the Aegean Sea.
In light of the city’s ongoing challenges, the Municipality of Thessaloniki – a member of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative – developed its own Resilience Strategy, which then led to key partnerships with the Rockefeller Foundation, the World Bank and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery. First, the Municipality ensured that it could continue to provide critical public services in the event of a disaster. Second, the Municipality committed to maximizing the use of available data.
Participatory efforts such as ‘home-to-school’ mapping exercises and other collaborative activities were spearheaded by the Municipality to rapidly crowdsource information in high-risk zones. By encouraging its citizens and local organizations to play a more proactive role, and by providing relevant information and data on climate and disaster risk, the Municipality of Thessaloniki is steadily moving towards a safer and more resilient future. Read more here.
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Nikos Gatsos archive at Harvard Library sheds light on Greek cultural history
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The archive of famous Greek poet Nikos Gatsos (1911-1992) has found a permanent home at Harvard Library. The acquisition is a key addition to the Library’s collections in Greek literature and civilization and will be made available to students and scholars around the world. Nikos Gatsos had a profound influence on the post-war generation of Greek poets alongside his friends, Nobel laureates Odysseas Elytis and George Seferis. His lifelong friendship and fruitful collaboration with composer Manos Hadjidakis produced some of the most beautiful songs of Greece’s 20th century. Read more here. |
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“Hidden in Plain Sight”
by Karen Batshaw
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In 1941, Nazi troops invade Greece. Anna, a young Jewess from Salonika, has gone to live in Athens. Trained as a doctor, Anna knows if the German army invades, she will no longer be allowed to practice medicine at the hospitals. With great anguish, Anna masks her faith and her vocation to live as a Christian and avoid arousing any suspicion. She falls in love with Alexander, an Orthodox Christian. Documenting the terrible brutal occupation of Greece by the Nazis, Karen Batshaw’s book “Hidden in Plain Sight” shines a light on the plight of Greece’s Jews and the brave attempts of the Archbishop of Athens to protect them. Carefully researched and expertly plotted, this novel’s attention to detail and compelling characters will appeal to fans of historical fiction and those of Jewish faith or Greek heritage.
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Greece in the Headlines
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