The vice president of the Board of Directors of the Thermopylae Forum, Nikos Koutsianas, explains to us what the Thermopylae of today symbolizes and calls for collective action.
Nikos Koutsianas’ speech entitled “Thermopyla: Truth, Freedom and the Future of Greece”, at the event held at the Vasilis & Eliza Goulandris Foundation, is a reflection on the concept of responsibility, truth and the common good as foundations for the future of Greece.
Nikos Koutsianas begins his speech from his personal roots in Gavrakia, Phthiotis, where he learned the values of service, dignity and consistency. He refers to Cavafy’s poem “Thermopylae”, which he interprets as a hymn to the man who insists and stands his ground, defending his duty and truth, even without recognition.
He connects the rural people’s attitude to life with the Cavafy ideal and the contemporary need to “guard Thermopylae” in our days, in the face of a crisis of confidence, a lack of vision and the decline of institutions. He argues that Thermopylae is not a place or a historical event, but an attitude to life, an expression of responsibility, freedom and respect for the common good.
Through this reasoning, he presents the Thermopylae Forum as a proposal for strategic transformation for Phthiotis and Greece as a whole — a laboratory of institutions, cooperation and national strategy. He analyzes its eight strategic pillars:
- Education and Democratic Consciousness
- Culture and Arts
- Human Rights
- Nature and Sustainability
- Innovation Ecosystem
- Networks of Cities and Institutions
- Research and Documentation
- Thermopylae Center – Democracy Laboratory
The vice president of the Board of Directors of Thermopylae Forum emphasizes that progress requires truth and collective responsibility, because only the combination of institutional transparency, participation and vision can build a resilient society.
He closes with a call for public participation, emphasizing that the Thermopylae Forum is everyone’s work and that the phrase “I defend Thermopylae” means defending the truth, institutions, nature and man. His message is clear: we do not watch the future of Greece — we build it.
Watch the video of his speech:
