The U.S. Ambassador to Greece, George Tsunis, delivered a message emphasising the need for an inclusive society with equal opportunities for all, speaking at the 7th Inclusivity Lounge organised by Women On Top as part of the 9th Delphi Economic Forum. The event was held under the auspices of the U.S. Embassy in Greece and the General Secretariat for Gender Equality and Human Rights of the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family.
“We operate better as a society when decision-making involves individuals from every aspect of society,” Mr. Tsunis stated, underscoring the need to build bridges, overcome obstacles, and pave the way for a society in which all members are equally represented.
The U.S. Ambassador spoke about the need to defend democracy and justice, emphasising that when we fight for principles and ideals, we make our world a better place to live. “We cannot continue to accept the fact that my daughters, for example, will not have the same opportunities as my son… We must ensure that every individual has equal opportunities as they climb the ladder of success,” Mr. Tsunis stated, explaining that this applies to society as a whole, from women to the LGBTQI community and individual persons, refugees, among others. “As a child of immigrants who managed to rebuild their lives from the ashes of war and poverty, this is of fundamental importance to me,” he emphasised.
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“Acceptance of diversity and inclusion is not just the right thing to do,” the U.S. Ambassador emphasised, explaining that this entire process also makes sense for the economy because a society can only move forward by harnessing the best pieces of its entire human capital. “We will not be able to solve significant problems that the world is facing today if we only utilise 50% of the human potential and not its entirety,” he stressed.
He also mentioned the demographic problem Greece is facing with its ageing population, highlighting how an inclusive society could help in this direction as well.
Finally, after emphasising that the U.S. Embassy in Greece has supported the Inclusivity Lounge since its inception several years ago, the American ambassador highlighted that this program has become a “champion of quality” for all sectors of society.
The Inclusivity Lounge, titled “Inclusion: the lost piece in the demographic puzzle,” which was held with the support of the British Council in Greece, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Greece and Cyprus, and Hellenic Gold, focused on inclusion as a possible solution to the challenges of the demographic issue, specifically addressing ways in which female employment, the integration of migrants, persons with disabilities, intergenerational inclusion in caregiving and the labour market, and the development of inclusive family policies can offer sustainable solutions to the demographic issue in Greece and across Europe.
