Conference “Europe at a Crossroads: Proposals and Initiatives for the Future of the European Union”

The biggest event of the Research Unit “European Policies and Democracy” (the predecessor of CEDLAW) for 2017 was the conference “Europe at a Crossroads: Proposals and Initiatives for the Future of the European Union” with speakers distinguished academic Rector Helene Ahrweiler and Professor of Rhodes College (USA) Nikolaos Zachariadis.

The event, which took place in the Lecture Hall of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI)  on Wednesday, 20 of December 2017 (18.30 – 22.00), was co-organized with the Community Enterprise of Thessaloniki Municipality (KEDITH) and the TCCI, under the auspices of the Prefecture of Central Macedonia, sponsored by the Thessaloniki Municipal Telecommunications Company (TV100, FM100, FM100.6), and with the kind support of the University of Macedonia Press (UOM Press) , while the initiative and the coordination of the organization of this event belonged to the Unit.

Poster
Invitation
The Administrator of the Research Unit and PhD Candidate, Alexandros Kyriakidis, coordinated the event, The mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr. Ioannis Boutaris, the Deputy Rector of the University of Macedonia, Professor Eftichios Sargetakis, the President of the TCCI, Mr. Ioannis Masoutis, and the Head of the Unit and Associate Professor, Ioannis Papadopoulos, all provided welcome addresses.

Rector Helene Ahrweiler, in her speech titled “Europe Under Construction,” highlighted the most important issues that contemporary Europe is facing: immigration, security and economic disparities between Member States, proposing the promotion a spirit of change so as to solve the aforementioned issues. Professor Nikolaos Zachariadis, in his speech titled “Mega disasters and the EU’s Response: Decline or Renewal?”, described the prospects of European integration, focusing on the role of Greece, and concluded his speech by presenting statistical data.

The event was attended by a number of high-profile officials such as Members of Parliament, the Consuls-General of Cyprus and the USA, the Presidents of the Court of Appeals and the Administrative Court of Appeals of Thessaloniki, representatives of the Church of Greece, etc. In addition, more than 350 people attended, overfilling the Lecture Hall (requiring screens be placed outside for those who could not enter, to watch).
Program
The conference provided the opportunity for nationwide television coverage of the Research Unit in the public TV station ERT3 by the Administrator Alexandros Kyriakidis in an exclusive interview with President Mrs. Helene Ahrweiler on the show “APENANTI” on December 19, 2017. This event undoubtedly expanded the scope of the Research Unit to multiple institutions and audiences in Northern Greece as well as nationwide.

Photographs