The significant role that the mass media managed by Greeks abroad will be called to play, that is to support the new national institution, the Council of Expatriated Hellenism was the subject for most speakers during the proceedings of the two-day symposium of expatriated Greek journalists. The proceedings of this symposium started this morning, in the frame of the parallel activities to the founding congress of the CEH.
"From now on you are not only the vehicles of local information as well as of Greece's news, but you are also the people who will promote dynamically the course and the perspectives of all the Hellenism which is called to take its own path in today�s society of information. You represent the level that will mobilise expatriated Hellenism, of this great national capital which fights for the rights of the Greek nation", pointed out emphatically in his speech, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Press and Mass Media, Mr Dimitris Pantazis, giving also the greetings of the Minister of Press, Mr Tilemahos Hitiris.
Mr Pantazis added: "In the process of materialising a national strategy on the subjects concerning Hellenism, we, as a Ministry of Press, believe that, one of the fundamental factors of such a strategy will be the development of a frame of institutions for the cooperation and coordination of all the dispersed mass media managed by Greek living all over the world.
We have already, he continued, set certain short-term aims, as, for example, the transmission of television programmes via satellite television, the support of the operation of the expatriated hellenism mass media as well as the financial support of newspapers and publication of the greek diaspora.
It is our wish to contribute catalytically, so that, in cooperation with the competent officials the first international Congress of Expatriated Hellenism will be realised.
Today, in this FORUM, we are participating and founding a new-born institution. An institution which, we have well founded hopes, will offer counselling to the Greek State, in order to scale rationally the priorities and problems of Expatriated Hellenism according to the real needs and its own oppositions and proposals".
The minister of Macedonia and Thrace, Mr Konstantinos Triaridis welcomed Greek journalists living abroad, and pointed out that " the heart and the soul of all Greeks is at the Onasio Heart Medical Centre, with the Prime Minister, but our minds and logic is right here".
"The order we have, he continues, is to be here. And let me give some news as well: on Monday, just before he left for the Onasio Centre the main concern of the Prime Minister was for all of us to work together, to make this institution work. "And this is exactly what we do, no matter how emotionally difficult this may be". As far as the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace is concerned, Mr Triaridis emphasised on four points.
First of all, the creation of a data bank in cooperation with EPT- 3 (Greek Broadcasting for Northern Greece) and the Macedonian Press Agency, with material which will be available to journalists. Secondly, there will access to and supply of information on the Balkans, the Black Sea and Eastern Europe.
Thirdly, the Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace supports the effort of gathering all Greeks, living in Greece and abroad.