A Modern Vision for the Diaspora.
Following the government's initiatives to lift voting restrictions for Greeks abroad and establish postal voting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Strategic Plan for Greeks Abroad (2024- 2027) outlines our vision and key actions for a modern approach to the Greek Diaspora. The strategic plan, presented to the Cabinet in January 2024, aims primarily to strengthen ties with Greeks Abroad, facilitate meaningful and reciprocal communication with them, and enhance the global presence of the Greek element.
In particular, the Strategic Plan for Greeks Abroad includes initiatives aimed at attracting young Diaspora members to Greek universities. This is exemplified by the recent Cooperation Protocol we signed with the "Study in Greece" National Agency, aiming to connect Greece's academic community with the Greek Diaspora and support the internationalization of Greek higher education. Furthermore, in our approach to engage with Greeks abroad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is designing and implementing policies to inform and re-attract them, as well as to combat brain drain, in collaboration with competent agencies, including the Public Employment Service.
Additionally, in line with our focus on the new generation of Diaspora Greeks, the strategic plan includes educational exchange and hosting programs for students, researchers, educators, and interns. These programs aim to maintain their connection with the Greek language, history, and culture, and foster strong ties with Greece. Furthermore, initiatives are undertaken to enhance communication channels with young Diaspora members and intensify dialogue on developing long-term bonds with Greece.
In the critical field of entrepreneurship and research, the plan includes initiatives to leverage and strengthen the domestic ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation and to establish a reciprocal relationship and cooperation with similar ecosystems within the Greek Diaspora. Specifically, we aim to connect Greece's research, innovation, and higher education ecosystems with enterprises and Greek entrepreneurs, researchers, and academics abroad. Lastly, the plan includes initiatives to coordinate research efforts and offer scholarships to Diaspora Greeks. These efforts reflect the Ministry's vision for the Greek Diaspora—a contemporary vision focused on the new generation, research, innovation, and the connection of Greece's academic world with the Greek Diaspora.
August 21, 2024