Γράμμα από τη θεία της Αμερικής: ΓΑΠ και Χάβαρντ
From the Website of the Institute, I was informed that the Fellows and Study group Program has organized a series of
seminars /discussions, titled “Redesigning Europe ”, to be presented and led by
George Papandreou ( http://www.iop.harvard.edu/redesigning-europe-led-george-papandreou
).
experience the hardships, as well as for Greek Americans who, in desperation
and indignation are watching Greece drowning and do not know how to help,
PAPANDREOU IS A WANTED MAN.
A man who should be investigated for
treason, a man who, intentionally or unintentionally (unfortunately there is a
lot of evidence for the former) bears the greatest responsibility for Greece’s
downfall and for the consequences on the Greek people, which range from closing
their businesses and losing their jobs to ending up homeless or committing
suicide.
It is inappropriate for your prestigious institute, at these crucial
times, to invite George Papandreou to offer his insights regarding “sovereign
debt crisis”, “solutions to global problems”, “Will austerity make our
economies competitive?” etc.
Is he, seriously, the authority to talk about
austerity and the impact on a country’s competitiveness?
Presenting himself as
a “socialist”, I doubt that he will advocate austerity measures as a means to
increase a country’s competitiveness. Yet, this is exactly what he dragged
Greece into.
Do you see the hypocrisy here?
Considering his recent
“achievements”, is George Papandreou a suitable person “to inspire students to
consider careers in politics and public service”, which is the mission of your
Institute? Do you understand that inviting this individual to
lead a study group in your institution (an invitation that honors G. Papandreou
and indicates that you hold high respect for him and his views) is a slap in
the face for the Greek people? Please do not allow these seminars to continue.
Cancel these seminars on the basis that you received many complaints from
Greeks, and your prestigious Institute cannot afford to organize and sponsor
questionable programs.
Thank you,
Research Associate Professor
Dept. of Anatomy, Physiology, and Genetics
and Dept. of Psychiatry,
F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine
USUHS / HJF
4301 Jones Bridge Road ,
Bethesda , MD 20814 ,
Re)designing Europe led by George Papandreou
Mondays, 4:00-5:30pm, L166
WEEK ONE: Date: Sep. 24, 2012
The Eurozone Experiment
Europe is an historical
experiment designed to ensure peace and prevent the continued conflicts
on this continent, which led to two World Wars and the Holocaust during
the last century. The boundaries of this experiment have been tested as
the financial crisis morphed into a sovereign debt crisis. Greece took
center stage in these developments.
But was this a Greek crisis, or
are there flaws in the design of Europe, or is this a much wider crisis
of the industrialized economies?
Bringing you my personal experience
around the Greek debt crisis and the decisions we made in the European
Union, we will explore what this crisis is all about.
I hope to link what is happening in Europe to wider issues that also pertain to the ongoing debate in the US.
Possible questions to explore:
Is this really a sovereign debt crisis, or is there something we are missing?
Is the European experience relevant to the US?
Is the US experience relevant to the EU?
WEEK TWO: Date, Oct. 15, 2012
Europe – A Solution to Global Challenges
Europe
began as a peace project, linking different cultures, languages and
sovereign states to a common future. Yet today this experiment of
cooperation and interdependency is challenged to show whether or not it
can become a model for dealing with global problems at the regional
level.
Possible questions to explore:
How far can nations go alone in dealing effectively with global issues?
Why
we need to cooperate on issues such as the financial crisis, global
warming, the new role of the emerging economies, migration and poverty?
How are these issues and their solutions possibly linked?
Do we have the global institutions to cooperate effectively?
Looking at Europe could it become a model for other regions in dealing with these issues?
WEEK THREE: Date, Oct. __, 2012
How has Europe fared as a peace project?
Europe continues to play an important role as a peace project today.
It
seems to have been effective in integrating disparate nations and
cultures into a common union. Today the EU is 28 countries after
Croatia’s accession. I like to label it a family of common values.
At the same time the recent crisis in Europe has questioned both
these values of understanding -beyond borders- and Europe’s capability
to further enlarge in membership or to positively influence events in
its neighborhood.
From my experience in working in the Balkans, on
Greek and EU/Turkey relations, the Arab neighborhood, we will try to
explore the following questions:
How does the financial crisis and the internal debate in Europe affect the Arab Spring?
Is Europe capable of and should Europe continue to enlarge to the Western Balkans and Turkey?
What is the role Europe can and is playing in the Mid-East, Russia, and with Iran? Is European soft power effective?
WEEK FOUR: Date, Oct. __, 2012
Europe as a social project – how relevant?
Recent statements by officials have proclaimed that the European social model is dead!
The financial and the sovereign debt crisis have exacerbated this debate.
In Greece, Spain and other EU countries we are witnessing unprecedented unemployment. Youth unemployment has reached 50%.
We will therefore explore some of the following questions:
Is the European social model to blame for the sovereign debt?
Will austerity make our economies competitive?
Is high unemployment our destiny in major parts of the industrialized world?
What are the alternatives? We will examine the Nordic model in looking at viable alternatives.
WEEK FIVE: Date, Nov.__, 2012
And what about Democracy?
As we face global
challenges we also face a politics beyond our borders. We face a
globalized economy of many opportunities but few rules and regulations.
Certainly little democratic accountability. Whether it is tax havens or
labor laws, environmental issues or poverty, wealth production but also
concentration of wealth, our human race seems to have the capacity today
to solve these issues. Yet our democracies have been based on national
institutions. And this seems to have disempowered us creating deep
inequalities.
From personal experience in dealing with the financial crisis I
believe that the European experiment begs the questions of how we can
have democracy beyond national borders.
We will explore some of the following questions:
- Who decides in a globalized economy? From lobbies to corruption.
Is Democracy beyond borders possible?
How do our citizens participate? From the internet to referenda: experience from Greece
Can
our national institutions stand up to the pressures and concentration
of power and wealth in the hands of a few in the globalized world? Do
institutions matter?
Can a youth frustrated with traditional politics
bring creative answers through new technology? Beyond borders? Or will
we revert to introversion, nationalisms and fundamentalisms?
WEEK SIX: Date to be determined
Let’s Redesign Europe – An exercise (radio/podcast program at IOC)
Is
politics creative? Innovative? If so I ask you to come forth to
(re)design a Europe worthy of its citizen’s expectations and effective
in dealing with global issues. In doing so we may want to open up this
discussion for innovative ideas through a study group’s podcast (if
students are interested)
We would therefore explore:
- What would be the basic values this union should rest upon
How do
we create structures that ensure democratic, accountable rule beyond
borders? What is (on the other hand) the role of local democracy, action
and civic participation?
How big should this club become?
Who should pay for this project?
What
kind of European identity? In a multicultural world how do we
strengthen a sense of commonality while reveling in our diversity? (What
does this mean for education, culture, religion, ethnicity, history
& migration)
Can we learn anything from the Ancient Athenian Democratic Polis?
George Papandreou
A. Papandreou graduated from Amherst College and holds an M.Sc. in
Sociology and Development from London School of Economics. He was a
fellow at Harvard University’s Center for International Affairs
(1992-1993). An MP since 1981, he served in several government posts, as
undersecretary of Culture and Minister of Education, before becoming
Foreign Minister from 1999-2004.
Papandreou has received several honors for his commitment to promote
peace and democracy, as well as for fighting racism, and notably for his
successful campaign, as Foreign Minister, to engineer a rapprochement
between Greece and Turkey.
Papandreou is Vice Chairperson of the International Olympic Truce
Foundation, an institution he actively promoted when the city of Athens
was awarded the 2004 Olympic Games. An active supporter of the
information society and e-democracy, in 2003 Papandreou was selected as
one of the “25 People Who are Changing the World of Internet Politics”.
As President of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) from
January 2004 – March 2012, Papandreou launched radical reforms of the
Greek party political system. He served as Prime Minister of Greece from
October 2009 – November 2011.
Papandreou was unanimously elected as President of the Socialist
International in January 2006, a position which he currently holds, as
well as being a Member of the Greek Parliament.
George Papandreou is married to Ada, and has two children, Andreas and Margarita-Elena.
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