Ladies and gentlemen,
Allow me to preface on a personal note.
At the end of our 4-hour conference I am deeply moved.
• Your inspirational proposals,
• Your direct way in defending human rights and diversity,
• Your open-mindedness that implies spirits without prejudice,
...makes me confident and optimistic about the future of our society.
For me, the message of today’s conference is clear.
An open, democratic society is not a utopia. It can be achieved.
Societies casting out all kinds of discrimination, embracing all citizens… can be a reality.
I feel it is my duty, as one of the co-organizers, to convey this message to all decision-makers and all citizens, across the world.
To those who are unjustly experiencing prejudice in the workplace and their daily lives.
To those who turn a blind eye to discrimination, believing – wrongly - that it does not concern them.
Fighting discrimination is not easy.
We have to fight deeply rooted, long-lasting prejudice, and stereotypes that are nurtured by unscientific views, irrationality, anti-humanist spirit and anachronistic conservatism.
Fighting discrimination requires actions and initiatives at national and international level, but especially in the social field. As Robert Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, mentioned: regulations and legislation “only have a limited impact on social attitudes”.
That’s why it is essential not to waste today’s efforts.
We need to establish an international working group to pave the way forward. We hope that its interventions will be constructive and impactful. Our aim is to produce a meaningful roadmap that will ignite change.
The Greek Prime Minister, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, presented two key proposals, today:
1. To establish a new role for monitoring and observing Human Rights in Business at the European level,
and
2. To set up a specific agenda emphasizing on the rights of the LGBTQI+ community.
Erna Solberg, Norway’s Prime Minister, pointed out that inclusiveness is not just doing the right thing. It has economic value for businesses creating a competitive advantage to attract the best employees.
Conveying a message from Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Oliphant, highlighted that "we move forward as a society when we respect each other’s rights and understand that differences are a source of strength, never a source of weakness", saluting the Greek Prime Minister for this “historic event” with strong symbolic value.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, underlined that the pandemic has further exacerbated inequality and that, to recover, companies should focus on the most vulnerable, as they can build bridges through economic opportunities.
Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director, UN Global Compact, stressed that there is a huge gap between aspirations and actions. “There is a long way from policy commitment to concrete actions” and I think she is right… that’s why we are here today!
Alex Patelis, Chief Economic Adviser, PM’s office Greece, mentioned that including decision makers from diverse backgrounds leads a company to better decisions.
Irene Nikolopoulou, CEO of Wunderman Thompson, stressed that it is needed to set targets for the LGBTQI+ community. She said we need to create sustainable change, more than just posting on Instagram.
Vasilios Psaltis, CEO, Alpha Bank, stressed that diversity should become an integral part of the whole value chain of the banking process.
Kristine Garina, President of European Pride Organizers Association, highlighted the fact that sometimes it is difficult for LGTBQI+ people to even recognize discrimination at work as such, as they are so used to be marginalized.
Evangelos Chouliaras, Communications Officer, Thessaloniki Pride, agreed with Alex Patelis that there is a lack of public figures openly gay both in Greece and the Balkans.
It was a fruitful day.
And I think I am not exaggerating when I say, it can be described as historic.
Its success would not be the same without you here. You added value, not only through your personal gravitas, but mainly through your “de profundis” statements, remembering Oscar Wilde, a famous victim of discrimination.
As one Greek diplomat told me, Greece “comes out of the closet” and proudly defends human rights in the workplace bringing prosperity to our businesses and society. Through this initiative we aspire to form a wider coalition for human rights in the region.
Thank you very much, everyone, for the honor to have you with us today.
The Conference was coordinated and supported by Enterprise Greece and the link to watch it link
June 25, 2020