SAE U.S.A. Region Coordinator Says Greece Should Take Greek Diaspora Into Account

The current economic crisis in Greece certainly does not exclusively concern our compatriots within the borders. It concerns all Greeks, dispersed throughout the six continents. The diaspora presents huge potential, almost a second Greece, since according to official figures there are nearly 9 million Diaspora Greeks in over 140 countries.  SAE U.S.A. Region Coordinator, Theodore G. Spyropoulos, emphasizes the fact that Greeks abroad comprise a vast resource which unfortunately remains unexploited.

This oversight on behalf of the Greek State seems strange and raises questions for us Diaspora Greeks. It is surprising that both government officials, and the opposition, did not raise the question “Where is the Diaspora?” to the Hellenic Parliament, during this critical juncture for our country.

It is known that among Greeks abroad, who constitute a powerful “reserve” for Greece, there are countless distinguished and leading figures in all areas; politics, entrepreneurship, science, economics, art and culture, and more. Over the past two years, their representatives – through collective bodies, or individually as private parties – have expressed their intention and willingness to contribute to Greece’s development, given their influence in the international community, by transferring their precious know-how and experience. They were nonetheless ignored by the competent political leadership, which restricted itself to selective contacts of certain “resonant” names, mainly from the Diaspora in America, Spyropoulos adds.

The volatile national and international situation, but also the immediate danger of cultural assimilation for the younger generations of Greeks abroad, make the development of a long-term National Strategy, mutual respect, mutual utilization and coordination of Greeks, in and out of the national borders, a historical necessity.

Under this National Strategy, SAE could have developed into a functional, coordinating body of Hellenism, adapted to meet current conditions.  Only then will Hellenism outside the borders become the best “diplomat” to our Homeland abroad, as SAE U.S.A. Region Coordinator concluded.