Mission's activities

Speech of the Permanent Representative of Greece in the “Monday Meetings” (6/10/2008)

An evening on Greece was organized on Monday October 6^th, 2008 by the “Cercle des Amitiés Internationales” in the framework of the events “Monday meetings” in the Villa Pastorale in Geneva.

 The Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN, Ambassador Franciscos Verros, in a speech entitled “Today’s Greece” focused on the European and international character of Greece, the important sectors of tourism and mercantile marine as well as on the investments and exports towards third countries and especially the Balkans. He also explained the main lines of the foreign policy and he underlined the immigration problem which does not constitute, he said, simply a problem of Greece but a European one.

During the event, the Press and Communication Office of the Greek Mission provided for a special DVD projection about the New Museum of Acropolis which will be inaugurated next spring.

Second Informal exchange of views between the Permanent Representative of Greece and Geneva based journalists (18/6/2008).

The Permanent Representative of Greece held the Second informal exchange of views with journalists accredited to the UN and members of the Foreign Press in Switzerland, at his residence,  on the 18th June 2008.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Fr. Verros pointed out the role of Greece in the international scene as well as her position regarding current issues. He stressed the importance attached by Greece to the issue of climate change during her presidency in the Human Security Network, one of the biggest challenges of our time.

Mr. Verros underlined that Greece will assume, next year, the  Presidency of the Global Forum on Migration and Development and will organize the 3rd Global Summit in Athens in the fall of 2009. The Permanent Representative responded also to various questions raised by the journalists concerning, among others, human rights,  disarmament, migration and WTO’s activities.

The event was organized by the Press and Communication Office of the Permanent Mission of Greece in cooperation with the President of the Foreign Press Association in Switzerland (APES), Ms Yolanda Rojal and the President of the Association of Correspondents to the UN, Mr Daniel Pruzin.

Reception for the Greek national day (3/4/2008)

More than 600 persons, among them many Permanent Representatives, UN and other International Organisations officials, journalists accredited to the UN, Swiss philhellenes, Greek origin’s deputies and members of the Hellenic community, attended the reception given Thursday, April 3rd 2008, by the Permanent Representative of Greece, Ambassador M. Franciscos Verros, on the occasion of the national day of Greece.

Conference on Climate Change and Migration (19/2/2008)

 On Tuesday February 19th, the Greek Chairmanship of the Human Security Network (HSN) in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on the human security implications of climate change for the most vulnerable groups including women, children and people fleeing their homes due to climate change.

The conference sought to stimulate and sustain discussion on the most promising practices and pertinent lessons learned in forging multi-stakeholder cooperation at national, bilateral, regional and global levels to address in a sustainable way the human security implications of environmental degradation, climate change and migration.

This half-day event, held in Geneva at the WMO (World Meteorological Organisation) premises, was co-chaired by the Greek Foreign Ministry's International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation Secretary General, Theodoros Skylakakis and the Director General of the International Organisation on Migration, Brunson McKinley.

Among the speakers were the Director General of the WMO Secretary General Michel Jarraud and the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kyung-wha Kang.

 The meeting was concluded with a reception offered by the Permanent Mission of Greece at the WMO's Attique restaurant.

United Nations Office in Geneva/Bazaar (20/11/2007)

On Tuesday November 20th in the United Nations was held the annual United Nations Women‘s Guild bazaar with the aim to help children in need such as those in regions of conflict, famine, poverty, and disease.

 Greece was represented by a restaurant stall with Greek food and a national stand with products from Greece, such as olive oil, olives, wine, honey as well as handicrafts and decorative items from various Greek cultural centers.

 Olympic Airlines, the Benaki Museum, the Museum of Cycladic Art, the Hellenic Culture Organization as well as many Greek companies contributed to the success of the Bazaar by offering a number of gifts to the tombola.

Kazantzakis in the United Nations (5/11/2007)

A cultural event on Nikos Kazantzakis and his poem “Odyssey” was held in the United Nations premises on Monday November 5th in commemoration of the 50th year after his passing away.

The event was organized by the Permanent Mission of Greece to the UN, its Press and Communication Office and the International Society of Kazantzakis' friends under the auspices of the Director General of the Office of the United Nations at Geneva Mr. Sergey Ordzhonkidze.

The President of the UN Cultural Affairs Committee, Mr. Pierre Le Loarer referring to the Greek Mission’s initiative stressed the pluralism which is being promoted by such events.

The Permanent Representative of Greece to the International Organizations, Ambassador Mr. Franciscos Verros in his opening speech focused on the spiritual side of Kazantzakis who was capable of absorbing all positive elements of various ideologies and philosophies while staying a firm supporter of the values of humanism, freedom and cooperation of the peoples.

The President of the International Society of Nikos Kazantzakis’ friends, Mr. Stassinakis, stressed the importance that Kazantzakis placed on his “Odyssey” saying that “the poem deals with freedom, justice, nature, the dreams of every human being, an entity with a free spirit and endless horizons, that is the expression of the adventure of today’s individual.

Actors Anne-Lise Fritsch and Christian Luciani recited excerpts of “Odyssey” while pianist Mr. Antoine Fachard interpreted compositions of Theodorakis and Hatzidakis` music.

At the same area in the UN, an exhibition with photographs of the life and the work of Nikos Kazantzakis was inaugurated the same day to stay on for a fortnight duration.

Conference on Philhellenism (28/09/2007)

A conference entitled "Considerations on Philhellenism" was held on September 28, 2007, at the Palais de l’Athénée in Geneva.

The event was organized by the Permanent Mission of Greece and the Greek Consulate General in Geneva, in cooperation with the Swiss Philhellenic Association 'Jean-Gabriel Eynard' and the support of the Press and Communication Office of the Greek Mission.

The conference focused on the continuously expanding spirit of philhellenism in Europe, and its decisive role in promoting and supporting Hellenism throughout history, particularly during the revolution for independence in the beginning of the 19th century.

The main speakers at the event were Mr. Paul Schubert, a Greek language and literature professor at the Geneva University, Ms Michelle Bouvier-Bron, historian, Ms. Stella Ghervas, historian, as well as Mr. George Prevelakis, professor of geopolitics at the Sorbonne University (Paris).

Ambassador Franciscos Verros, summing up the conclusions of the conference, focused on the importance of the movement that amazed Europe in the early 19th century and constituted an element of unity for people of extremely different political ideologies and social origins. He also pointed out that the movement of philhellenism then, that supported the revival of Greece in many ways, despite the unfavourable political climate prevailing at the time, is an example of governments being persuaded by the public opinion and, ultimately, of state interests bowing to the mandates of ethics and ideology.

Greece's Consul General in Geneva, Ms. Teresa Angelatou said that philhellenism is a European movement and has been characterized by political, cultural and humanitarian ideas. It was a cultural movement that flourished in the framework of the Greek Revolution and developed into a political one, a struggle for liberation from the Ottoman Empire.

Graduation Ceremony of the "Geneva School of Diplomacy" (30/6/2007)

Greece's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva and to the Specialized Institutions in Switzerland, Ambassador Franciscos Verros, presented the diplomas to the graduates of the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, during a commencement ceremony on 30th June 2007.

The Geneva School of Diplomacy is a University Institution, based in Geneva, open to students from all countries around the globe, specializing in the study of Diplomacy and International Relations.

The Permanent Representative of Greece, who is the Dean of the School for the academic year 2007, has given courses on Greek Foreign Policy to undergraduate students. The Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, in recognition of its cooperation with the Greek Permanent Mission, has instituted an annual scholarship for Greek post-graduate students.

 The graduation ceremony was attended by representatives of the diplomatic and academic communities in Geneva. Most of the speakers focused on the issue of climate change, with particular emphasis on the respect of the environment at the global level.

At the ceremony, honorary PhDs were awarded to British economist and academic Nicholas Stern, a world-renowned authority on climate change, to Zhou Dadi, Director of the Energy Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission of China and founding member and  director of the Beijing Energy Efficiency Centre, to Ambassador Pablo Macedo, Mexico's alternate Permanent Representative to the UNO in Geneva and Specialized Institutions in Switzerland, and to the Greek politician Stavros Dimas, the European Commissioner for the environment.

 In his closing remarks, Ambassador Verros stressed that the problem of the environment is today’s major challenge both for the academic community and the wider public, especially for the younger generation, adding that the protection of the environment should be considered as a human right.

Informal exchange of views between the Permanent Representative of Greece and Geneva based journalists (5/06/2007)

A casual and friendly exchange of information and views with journalists accredited to the UN and members of the Foreign Press in Switzerland took place at the residence of the Permanent Representative of Greece to the International Organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Franciscos Verros, on the 5th of June 2007.

Ambassador Verros, in his opening remarks, focused on Greece’s active participation to the UN as a founding member and the important role of the Permanent Mission of Greece in Geneva since 1951.

The Ambassador underlined Greece’s role in the international scene and the importance that she attaches on issues of universal appeal such as the respect for human rights, disarmament, immigration and the protection of the environment. He also referred to Greece’s involvement in a number of activities concerning the Human Security Network, CERN, WIPO, ILO, WHO and the WTO.

Among other issues, the discussion touched upon the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, and the post-Olympic period in various sectors such as tourism, economy, security, and culture. Greece’s participation in the Francophony, the group of French speaking countries, has been also discussed.

The Press and Communication Office in Geneva coordinated the meeting in cooperation with the President of the Foreign Press Association in Switzerland (APES), Ms. Yolanda Rojal, and the President of the Association of Correspondents to the UN, Mr. Daniel Pruzin.