At ELIAMEP, we strive to safeguard the freedom of expression of our collaborators as if it were the apple of our eye, and thus preserve pluralism within the Institute.
We recently organized an event at the Gennadius Library to honor a beloved friend, a figure in Greek intellectual and public life, but above all, the person who conceived the idea and founded ELIAMEP in 1988.
At that time, it was an effort to open a window to the outside world in our country, as Veremis himself says. To communicate and listen to what others outside our borders were saying, in a country with considerable inward-looking tendencies.
It is not coincidental that around the same period, the teaching of international relations in its modern form began at Greek universities, with Theodoros Kouloumbis as the first lecturer—himself one of the pioneers of the initiative.
When ELIAMEP was created, the term “think tank,” a foreign concept, was literally unknown in our country. We translated it as “tank of thought,” though to many it seemed more like a swimming pool or baptismal font.
The political world, for the most part, was also cautious. Academics and intellectuals dealing with sensitive foreign policy and defense issues? Who had heard of that? And wanting to have their own opinion, no less. Even today, authorities and organizations not controlled by politicians or parties, that claim independence and wish to have their own voice, are usually seen as foreign bodies in the Greek political ecosystem. Pluralism also has its limits in Greece.
ELIAMEP has grown a lot since then and evolved over time. Changement dans la continuité—change within continuity—was the motto of a great French president, François Mitterrand. With this principle, we have always moved forward.
Today, ELIAMEP is the largest think tank in our country, and international rankings place it among the most influential think tanks in Europe—a distinction we certainly take pride in.
We have brought into the ELIAMEP family personalities from public life and esteemed scholars, maintaining our independence and the pluralistic character of the Institute. Everything we have achieved so far has been through collective effort and love for what we do. In doing so, we have honored the legacy left to us by Thanos Veremis.
I referred to independence and pluralism as our core principles and main objectives. They sound good in words but are very difficult to implement. And I fear they will become increasingly difficult in the times we live in—times of geopolitical upheaval and intense confrontations—when the pressure to conform to specific positions and policies grows; in other words, to follow the “correct” line as defined by the powerful.
Also, in times of high toxicity and organized distortion of the truth—fake news has flooded the online world.
A think tank like ELIAMEP, dealing mainly with foreign policy issues, with audiences both domestically and abroad, how far can it deviate from the official positions of the country and the government of the day? Consider that—it is not simple. The difference between a think tank and a university is mainly that a think tank deals with applied policy issues, mostly public, and engages directly with decision-makers as well as opinion-shapers.
In other words, they do not have the luxury of the protected “ivory tower” in which academics can isolate themselves when they wish, although this is also much less true today. Most ELIAMEP researchers are academics, but the roles are not the same. And it is true that some find it difficult to adapt.
Speak truth to power—we mean speaking the truth to authority. With evidence, of course—but how much truth? I will give a more concrete example. You are invited to speak on a panel in Washington or elsewhere, attended by politicians, intellectuals, and journalists from various countries.
If the invitation is personal, because they know you, that helps. But if they primarily want someone from Greece to represent the Greek perspective, things get complicated. How much self-censorship will you impose on yourself, considering the hard realities of realpolitik and the well-meaning or less well-meaning national interest? If you think about it enough, you may ultimately choose to stay home.
Since there is no stable funding from the state or private entities—in the case of ELIAMEP, there is neither—the challenge of independence becomes even greater. Money buys influence; unfortunately, it also buys minds and ideas.
And this is becoming increasingly evident in an era where wealth and economic power are concentrated in the hands of a few. One of the advantages of the public university is precisely the protection of the independence of those working in it, at least in democratic countries.
At ELIAMEP, we strive to safeguard the freedom of expression of our collaborators as if it were the apple of our eye, and thus pluralism within the Institute. I do not infrequently disagree with opinions expressed by our own researchers and collaborators. But I try to keep my disagreement to myself, or discuss it without trying to impose my view. ELIAMEP does not have a position—the collaborators each have their own.
However, there are values that unite us, such as a commitment to dialogue and respect for differing, but well-supported, opinions. “Knowledge before action” is ELIAMEP’s motto. I would also add the famous saying of Dionysios Solomos: “The truth is national.” But apparently, some do not like any of this at all.
Thanos Veremis created a small gem and gave it to us. We are grateful. We have tried to protect it and did our best to make it shine even more. We placed it in a beautiful display in plain view. With little money and much love. And we continue.
Loukas Tsoukalis is Chair of the Board of Directors of ELIAMEP, professor at the School of International Affairs at Sciences Po, Paris, and Emeritus Professor at the University of Athens (EKPA).
