Greek philanthropy, a unique global phenomenon, originated before the Greek Revolution, when the idea of ​​national independence began to emerge, and continued dynamically during the formative years of the Greek state. This is an important page in the social and economic history of Greece from the middle of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century.

The people’s benefactor Evgeny Evgenides from Agapiou and Chariklia, born Afentakis, was born in Didymotikhon in Eastern Thrace on December 22, 1882. education. After completing his basic education, he moved to Istanbul and studied at the American Robertio School. After completing his studies, he worked for three years at the Doro Brothers trading house, and then at the Reppen Naval Agency, of which he became director two years later.

Thanks to the insight and foresight that distinguished him, he became a partner of the Reppen agency and began to deal intensively with the import of wood to Istanbul. Realizing the need for vehicles, he builds 24 barges in his own shipyard on the Greek Horn to meet the needs of the market. This professional choice of his brings him into contact with one of the largest shipbuilding and shipbuilding companies, the Brostrom concern, an acquaintance that will expand his professional activities in the field of shipping, taking over the organization of the line Northern Europe – the Middle East, with the creation of the 1907 “Scandinavian Middle East agencies.”

A series of successful professional investments made Eugenios Evgenidis one of the most important economic factors in Constantinople until the tragic events of 1922, when he was forced to leave his “home” and settle in Greece along with thousands of his compatriots. There, at the age of 40, with his former success and a wide circle of acquaintances, he starts his second cycle of business activity, based in the port of Piraeus, and expands his turnover beyond the timber trade, with an agent of the Swedish Eastern Line (SOL).

The agency grows significantly and becomes the model agency for the entire Mediterranean as the company soon expands to the east coast of South America and South Africa. The success of the Middle East Agency gives such an impetus to the development of trade and transport that it becomes necessary to increase the car fleet of SOL.

At the same time, Eugenios Eugenides became an assistant in the development of bilateral relations between Greece and the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, which was the springboard for the dynamic development of trade between the Middle East and Scandinavia, which he led. The result of this ability and managerial activity was the creation of two lines connecting Greece with Poland and Finland.

In parallel with his other commercial activities, in 1937 he bought the ship A / P “Argo” under the Greek flag, starting his activity in the field of shipbuilding. This ship was sunk in Cape Town by a German submarine during World War II.

With the German invasion of our country, he transferred his activities outside of Greece, first to Egypt and South Africa. From Cape Town, where he is based, he operates regular flights to South America. He then moved to Buenos Aires, where he continued to manage the ships of the Swedish shipyard Brostrom throughout the war. The creation of the South Africa-America line and the transportation of grain between America and Argentina are the highest achievements of this period.

A global citizen and a shrewd businessman, he sees the shipping and economic development that follows the end of the war and adjusts his business operations to maintain his leadership position and personal growth vision. With the end of the war, he returns to Europe and, based in Genoa, founds the Home Lines company, which services the sharp migration flow from devastated Europe to other continents.

In 1953, due to the government’s desire to repatriate Greek ships, he became the first Greek shipowner to register his ship in the Greek registry.

The four ocean liners owned by the company first go to South Africa and Australia, and then to the US and Canada, ranking third in terms of passenger traffic in the North Atlantic. In 1947 he moved his headquarters to Vevey, Switzerland, and in 1949, with the end of the Civil War and the restoration of political stability in the country, he believed that the conditions for his return to his country were met. This decision was made in 1953 and was due to the desire of the government at the time to repatriate the Greek ships. Eugenios Evgenidis was the first Greek shipowner to set an example of repatriation by registering his ship in the Greek registry.

The first route of the line connecting Piraeus with South America took place on November 13, 1953 with the ship “Athenay”, which was bought by the state in a tender. In this tender, Evgenios Evgenidis deliberately paid a much higher price than the next potential buyer, declaring in this symbolic move his intention to support the development of the Greek state. He then raises the Greek flag over the overseas “Atlantic” and signs a treaty on December 4 that helps Greece keep in touch with its estranged children in the New World.

His return to his homeland was associated not only with the development of entrepreneurial activity, but was also accompanied by charitable initiatives aimed at supporting vulnerable social groups. His personal and professional ethics puts him among the great patriots and national benefactors of the country. In August 1953, after the devastating earthquakes in the Ionian Sea, he offered generous funds, a prefabricated hospital, houses to meet national needs, while rallying the Scandinavian countries through his mediation to respond to the Greek crisis.

His humanitarian work, although deliberately unknown to the general public, continued until his death in 1954. He died in the prime of his life, highly respected throughout Greece and in keeping with his oft-expressed desire to “die unexpectedly in the prime of life”. .

Eugenios Eugenides, foreseeing the rapid development of the industrialization of Greece and the resulting urgent need for the existence of many and sufficiently skilled craftsmen, decided that the most appropriate way to help his homeland would be to create an institution that would contribute to the education of young people. Greeks in the technical and scientific field. The realization of his vision was taken over by his sister Marianti Simou, who worked diligently to turn the Eugenides Foundation into a pillar for the advancement of technical education in Greece.

Next to her was Nikolaos Vernikos-Eugenides, who, according to the will of Eugenios Eugenides, had already taken over the management of all his enterprises since 1954, while helping Marianti Sim in the early stages of the organization and activities of the Eugenides Foundation and succeeding after her death in 1981 in the post Foundation President.

Eugenios Eugenides was a visionary businessman, with an amazing ability to turn his ideas into projects, with a vision that still holds true today, but also with a great love for Greece. Through his entrepreneurial activities, he contributed to the economic recovery of his country and left the Eugenides Foundation, the timeless pillar of technical education in Greece.

Above all, he was a man who still inspires with his personality and work. As he himself said: “My joy is in the struggle, and I leave the fruits of victory for my country.”

* Ms. Cristina Sarra is the Public Relations Manager of the Eugenides Foundation.