In the context of Greek-French cooperation and in view of the 2024 Olympic Games, a significant event on Olympism and the Olympic Truce was held at UNESCO headquarters, in which I had the honor to participate. In front of a large audience, including ambassadors from numerous countries, Greece and France conveyed a message in favor of the cessation of hostilities around the world during the Olympic Games. It was a moving evening that summed up a number of elements that make up the international image of our country: its rich cultural heritage, its timeless contribution to the universal values of democracy, freedom and human dignity, its commitment to international cooperation, peace and diplomacy.
The event, organized by our Permanent Mission to UNESCO, is part of a wider, concerted effort by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to upgrade public diplomacy, in other words to enhance Greece’s image abroad and increase its influence on international public opinion. Our starting point is a Strategic Plan for Public Diplomacy, which we have drawn up with a four-year horizon, encompassing specific goals and priorities. Its key pillars include promoting our country’s traditional soft power aspects, such as history, Greek culture, and the Greek language, as well as modern Greece’s competitive advantages in sectors such as economy, tourism, new technology, and the environment.
In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ five foreign-language information websites have been upgraded and a “Positive Stories” section has been added, to provide systematic information on our country’s initiatives, innovations and achievements.
Furthermore, events organized by our diplomatic authorities abroad are coordinated and supported. Simultaneously, we place particular emphasis on the use of new technological tools. We are upgrading the digital presence and networking of our Embassies and Public Diplomacy Offices. In addition, with resources from the Recovery Fund, we are developing a new and innovative platform for the Foreign Ministry to provide information on matters of Greek interest from the world’s most important print and online information sources in more than 40 languages.
Lastly, we are developing synergies with other ministries and agencies, public benefit organizations, think tanks, university chairs and diaspora organizations.
Over the last five years, under the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greece has significantly improved its international image. It is a country that speaks with arguments, takes initiatives, and moves with stability and confidence ever closer to Europe. By promoting this Greece, we inaugurate a new era in the exercise of public diplomacy.
