Concordia Backs “Black Lives Matter” Movement

One of the most important socio-political conferences in the US founded to promote public/private partnerships has now thrown its support behind the “Black Lives Matter” and social justice movement.

Concordia, the eminent organization co-founded by a Greek who produces the annual Concordia Summit, in parallel with the United Nations, has just thrown its support and commitment to the movement in America.

“The killing of George Floyd — as well as Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, and countless other black lives — tells us that there is much more to do to address systemic racism,” Concordia says in a statement. “The world has also witnessed peaceful protests to keep the need for change at the forefront of our consciousness,” it adds.

The organization vows to carry on and amplify the movement toward justice, change, and equity, by committing to taking five steps over the next three months.

• Launching an alliance, or initiative, focused on addressing the issue of racial injustice and inequality from both a domestic and international lens.
• Gifting one Programming Sponsorship, one Programming Partnership, and three Patron Memberships (each lasting for 12 months) to organizations working to promote racial equity.
• Dedicating at least two main stage sessions at our 2020 Annual Summit to racial inequality in the United States. We will commit to elevating more black voices on our stage than at the 2019 Annual Summit.
• Inviting guests to educate Concordia staff on systematic inequality, unconscious bias, and how we can be allies for righteous causes.
• Seeking to form long-term collaborations with historically-black colleges and universities in the United States to offer paid internship and employment opportunities.

Concordia says that above all, “we will leverage our platform, our voice, and our community to combat the racial injustice that pervades not only our country, but our entire world, too. Concordia must, and will, be a leader during this time and in the future. Black lives matter.”

The organization was created in 2011, by friends and business partners Nick Logothetis and Matthew Swift. They had an idea for convening thought leaders in the midst of the 10th anniversary of 9/11 to discuss the importance of partnerships in combating extremism.

Since then, Concordia has grown towards a belief that public/private partnerships are a fundamental tool to addressing many societal challenges. Concordia recognizes that cross-sector collaboration offers effective solutions.