President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou announced tonight the opening of its 10th annual international conference “Athens Forum for Democracy 2022”, which is under its auspices and organized in collaboration with the New York Times.

In her speech, Ms. Sakellaropoulou emphasized that “democracy remains our unsurpassed political and social horizon, the starting point and shaping of our consciousness and our relationships with others.”

He also pointed out that “this constitutes our deep and enduring common experience in Europe and the developed world, on which our coexistence, our very culture, is logically based.”

However, he observed that “democracy is not only correct speech and procedural or formal legality. It is not just a matter of conventions and formulas. It also suggests a democratic passion and emotion that motivates us and strengthens our faith in it.” In the same context, he noted that “this democracy of emotions, which is directly related to a broader view of society as a place of freedom and equality, the time has come to protect it materially and spiritually from regressive and reactionary voices.” . In his words, “democracy, as our self-evident and universal way of being, which unites the private with the public and the social with the political, is called upon to reinvent itself. To reconnect with his founding aspiration while preserving his rich and precious legacy for all of us.”

He also specifically mentioned a Cold War division that is returning amid hot conflict and stated that “the Russian invasion of Ukraine is not only a flagrant violation of international law and an insult to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of an independent country.” This points to a direct and direct doubt about liberal democracy and European values.”

Describing the difficulties of the modern era, he emphasized that “we live in a period of crises and changes. A new normal is emerging and taking hold, subverting the optimism of the turn of the century,” adding that “the global economic crisis has exacerbated inequalities and highlighted the need to effectively protect the most vulnerable social groups. The pandemic has become a test of our physical and mental capabilities, an unprecedented restriction of our freedoms. The issue of refugees and immigration confronts us with our humanitarian duty and the need to develop a common European policy of solidarity and responsibility. Extreme natural disasters and disasters show that our procrastination in the face of climate change will be fatal to the entire planet. The energy crisis today threatens the most elementary material conditions of our existence.”

Here is the full speech:

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Athens Democracy Forum, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and organized in partnership with the New York Times. The conference is marked by the participation of outstanding speakers, and its theme is a great intellectual exercise and challenge in our time. Its central issue, namely the assessment of the last decade and the critical questions that arise for the future, is of decisive importance for modern democracy.

We live in a time of crisis and change. A new normality emerges and consolidates, overturning the optimism that prevailed at the beginning of the century. Hope for universal progress and prosperity in the face of globalization has receded due to structural contradictions and unforeseen events. In a diverse and multi-speed world, the ideal of an open society is tested by the intensity and harshness of reality. The global economic crisis has exacerbated inequalities and highlighted the need to effectively protect the most vulnerable social groups. The pandemic has become a test of our physical and mental capabilities, an unprecedented restriction of our freedoms. The issue of refugees and immigration confronts us with our humanitarian duty and the need to develop a common European policy of solidarity and responsibility. Extreme natural disasters and disasters show that our procrastination in the face of climate change will be fatal to the entire planet. The energy crisis today threatens the most elementary material conditions of our existence.

Our societies are rebuilding at a speed that often exceeds our ability to comprehend the radical changes that are taking place. The right-wing political conquests of the second half of the 20th century are under increasing pressure from modern revisionism. The division of the Cold War returns in a hot conflict. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not only a flagrant violation of international law and an insult to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of an independent country. This points to a direct and direct doubt about liberal democracy and European values.

In illiberal democracies, the omnipotence of the majority weakens the institutional checks on the rule of law and legitimizes the oppressive exercise of power, especially against minorities. Populism is fueled by crises in order to cultivate a one-dimensional perception of people, with no respect for otherness and pluralism. The separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and the freedom of the press are used in the name of a supposedly charismatic representation of the popular will. They strike at the heart of the inclusive and open nature of democracy by distinguishing between enemies and friends. At the same time, even in the most advanced democracies there are significant divisions. Precision and reduced purchasing power in an inflationary environment, job insecurity in highly competitive areas, and exposure to a range of risks from public health to the environment, in short, the precarious position of many people in a globalized risk society destabilizes their trust in the state. and the political system.

Crises, on the other hand, are also challenges for the reflection and renewal of liberal democracy. The needs of the time open up new opportunities for mankind. For example, the pandemic has accelerated our massive digital transition and made remote work and distance learning additional and valuable public policy tools. The welfare state can be rebuilt through the development of new technologies that require horizontal application and unleash our dynamics in health, education and work. Climate change and the energy issue challenge our ecological consciousness, since on the one hand an immediate threat to the ecosystem as a whole is perceived, and on the other hand, resource limitations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Democracy remains our unrivaled political and social horizon, the frame of reference and shaping our consciousness and our relationships with others. It represents our deep and enduring common experience in Europe and in the developed world, on which our coexistence, our very culture, is logically based. Democracy, however, is not only about correct speech and procedural or formal legitimacy. It is not just a matter of conventions and formulas. It also suggests a democratic passion and emotion that motivates us and strengthens our faith in it. This democracy of feeling, which is directly linked to a broader view of society as a place of freedom and equality, it is time to defend it, materially and spiritually, from regressive and reactionary voices. Democracy, as our self-evident and universal way of being, uniting the private with the public and the social with the political, is called upon to reinvent itself. To reconnect with its founding aspiration, preserving its rich and valuable legacy for all of us.

Thanks”.

Source: APE/MEB