A joint session was held between the Special Permanent Committee on Greeks Abroad in the Hellenic Parliament and the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association (WHIA), led by Committee President Philippos Fortomas.
The meeting focused on finding better ways to promote Greek national issues and preserve Greek culture in communities abroad.
The session took place as part of PADEE’s 15th General Assembly, which brought together more than 40 parliamentarians and senators of Greek origin from legislative bodies and state parliaments around the world, including Greek Australian politicians such as Tom Koutsantonis MP and Connie Bonaros MLC.
“The 15th General Assembly constitutes a milestone, because it is taking place at a critical juncture, where geopolitical stability, cultural cohesion, and democratic cooperation are challenges that concern all of Hellenism,” Mr Fortomas said.
He stressed that preserving Greek language and culture, as well as strengthening parliamentary diplomacy on national issues, are top priorities for both the Greek government and Parliament.
“That is why our goal is to facilitate the participation of all Greeks of the diaspora in the political life of the country, to strengthen educational and cultural networks, to safeguard the Greek language in younger generations, and to build bridges of academic, technological, and business cooperation,” Mr Fortomas said.
“Because Greek identity is not merely ancestry. It is values, historical consciousness, collective memory, and creative action. And this Greek identity, you keep alive in the Parliaments, in the schools, in the organisations and in the communities where you serve.”
PADEE President and Rhode Island State Senator in the US, Leonidas Raptakis, thanked the Committee for the chance to meet and exchange views with Greek MPs.
He also presented recent initiatives, actions and resolutions by PADEE aimed at defending Greek issues abroad, and pointed to specific areas where stronger cooperation between Greece and the diaspora is possible.
