Greeting at the Online Discussion of “Komvos” by Prokopios Pavlopoulos, Former President of the Hellenic Republic, Honorary Professor of the Faculty of Law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Athens, November 20, 2021
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends and Colleagues,
It is with a sense of honor that I address you today at this Online Discussion of “Komvos,” just before its formal establishment. This marks the successful conclusion of a long “gestation” process, the initial idea of which was conceived by Mr. Giannis Papadopoulos and which had the support from the very beginning of both former President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Karolos Papoulias, and myself during my term in office. I am confident that the current critical juncture for our country fully justifies the establishment of “Komvos,” with its initial members being personalities like you, who – each in their own scientific and other fields – possess a multi-dimensional stature that is recognized beyond the borders of our country. Especially since I am certain that this initial “core” of internationally renowned figures will serve as a “magnet” for many others in the future, both in the near and distant future. This is because the “pool” of such personalities in Greece – and within the great intellectual institutions both domestically and abroad – is vast, and your judgment and choice for the further expansion of “Komvos” is a true guarantee of unquestionable meritocracy.
The mission of “Komvos,” which far exceeds – and thus becomes entirely independent of any political purposes or ambitions – the personal or political positions of any of us, is destined to serve our Homeland with consistency and selflessness. Especially during a time when Greece, in addition to international challenges, faces multiple threats from the East – and primarily from Turkey – and, consequently, multiple dangers. And to be clearer:
Regarding the internal matters of our country, personalities like yourselves can contribute greatly so that we can all demonstrate that we, the Greeks, must support our Homeland under the condition of unbreakable unity, especially regarding our National Issues and National Rights but also, beyond that, in charting a stable course for substantial and sustainable social and economic development.
However, “Komvos” can also contribute to the “radiance” of our country beyond its borders, proving that Greece’s stature makes it far greater and much more significant than some, both inside and outside its borders, may perceive.
Indeed, in terms of the broader international context, “Komvos” can help Greece demonstrate what it can offer to the international community in terms of promoting the fundamental principles and values of Humanity as a whole, including Humanism, Peace, Democracy, Human Rights, Justice, and most importantly, Social Justice. Among these goals, we must also include the crucial issue of addressing Climate Change, which is literally “existential” for the future of the Planet. And on the basis of all the above, Greece can claim a leading role in the Dialogue of Civilizations, in accordance with its History and Culture. Let us not forget that Greece, which has been continuously positioned on the “border” between the West and the East since the Persian Wars, is, by its nature, destined to show that there is no clash of Civilizations. There is a lack of communication between Civilizations, which we can and must overcome through the Dialogue of Civilizations, so that, on a global level, we can defend Humanity, Peace, Democracy, and Human Rights.
Within the European Union, Greece can and must play a leading role in European Integration and European Unification, so that the European structure advances on the foundations of a federal-type Representative Democracy. In this way, the European Union will “raise” all its institutional and political pillars according to the Treaties, especially the pillars of Foreign Policy and Security Policy. This will allow our European family to make the “vision” of its Founders a reality, according to which the European Union can and must play its full role, one that goes beyond its Peoples. A role which has global dimensions, considering that it corresponds to the overall mission of the European Union in its History and Culture.
Once again, I sincerely thank you for your “companionship” and cooperation within the framework of the “Hub,” confident that all of us will become its founding members. And I am certain that, as I have already stressed, your unquestionable international stature is the great guarantee for achieving its foundational goals, as I have briefly outlined in this short – and inevitably, incomplete – intervention of mine.
