John Papadimitropoulos for OurSpace, Political Scientist, Patras, Greece

A few years ago, when the Matrix trilogy was released, a collection of essays was also published on the philosophical ideas that Matrix touches upon; "Taking the Red Pill"(ed. G. Yeffeth, Summerdale Publishers, 2003). One of the conclusions of the book was that the younger generation has built its "understanding of reality" on perceptions like stylized violence, martial arts, visual effects, and the amorous element and the only way to come into contact with some philosophical concepts and a new culture challenge was to use an instrument that is built precisely on the basis of these parameters. Thus, they created the concept of the Matrix franchise.

I would dare to say that OurSpace is an example of this approach. In an even newer generation than the one that received the Matrix franchise, which apprehends "like", "comment" and "upload", but is characterized by an apathy about politics and what defines its life, OurSpace offers the same means and tools that make up the Internet and maybe a youngster's real life today and asks him to use them to speak about what he sees around him, what makes him angry and what influences his life. Simultaneously the platform asks from the youngster, to express his ideas on how he might be experiencing or soliciting change and assures that it can "transfer" his voice to the decision makers.

The very existence of OurSpace can be considered a victory of the generation to which it is addressed, as it is an acknowledgment of the European Commission itself that the classical form of communication "a transmitter- and many receivers" has been overcome and that we must now hear the voice of millions of people living daily under the Commission’s decisions. This victory can be accompanied with an even more important one: policy creation / formulation through the proposals of the European citizens. We can be pioneers in something that, if communicated and "highlighted" correctly, has the potential to be perhaps a key element of European decision-making in the years to come or better say decades to come". It may be the next stage in political engagement, even a step towards direct e-democracy.

OurSpace is an online platform where Europeans can discuss about politics and contact directly their national and European politicians.

In Our Space, European citizens, have the opportunity to "move up" and discuss topics about politics and society, to make recommendations and propose solutions.

Basically, European youth organizations and universities from the UK (the British National Youth Council), Austria, (University of Krems), the Czech Republic, (DUHA) and Greece (Cafebabel Greece and National Technical University) join force to combat political apathy in Europe.

We often say that Europe has a deficit of democracy and that the voice of ordinary citizen is not strong enough etc. In OurSpace, we have an opportunity to prove the opposite!

A conference that Student Reporter has covered since its inception, the World Resources Forum (WRF) in Davos is held bi-annually to exchange knowledge about the economic, political and environmental implications of global resource use.

This year, WRF2013 convenes under the theme “Shaping the Future of Natural Resources” and will address topics of resource efficiency, sustainable cities, urban mining, and lifestyles. It will be held 6-9 October, 2013 in Davos, Switzerland.

Student Reporter is seeking students to form an international team of 10 student reporters, led by a project manager and an editor. Producing both written and multimedia work, you will participate in our training program in online journalism & conference blogging, and report on-site in Davos 4-11 October, 2013. After the program, successful candidates are then invited to join our permanent team as Staff Writers, with access to our network of partners and syndication outlets.

Greek Youth Media join their forces for the first time and they invite you to discuss for the youth, our relation with politics and democracy in times of crisis.

Vagelis Davitidis from Ypovrixio.gr

Giorgos Gritzalas from neolaia.gr

Giorgos Kokkolis from Cafebabel Greece

Stelios Tsevas from foititikospalmos.blogspot.gr

Antonis-Marios Papagiotis from press-gr.blogspot

Comments and interventions from the journalists from tokaleidoskopio.gr and O.P.A. TV, the first student channel of the Department of Management Science & Technology (Athens University of Economics and Business)

Elina Makri will prepare the cookies!

Thursday, 29 November, 19:00

Skoufa 64 str & Grivaion, 10680 Athens Greece

If you believe that what you live in is not a democracy then you should do something about it!

Join the debate! www.joinourspace.eu

Renata Pylarinoy from the Athens University of Economics and Business writes about the Global Community Development Program aiesec.gr

Last March I had the opportunity to be a volunteer in a foreign country with AIESEC’S Global Community Development Program. My decision to participate in this, proved the best decision I've ever made. As soon as I was informed about these programs nothing could keep me from applying! It was something new and exciting that I definitely wanted to try!

That’s how I got to my dear and beloved Serbia. A country that under other conditions I wouldn’t have the chance to know, a country that I loved very much and now I feel like a second home. A country with such a common history with our own, with warm and hospitable people, with beautiful and unique landscapes.

By Christos Yannaras (Newspaper “Kathimerini”: 2 September 2012. Translation: Sotiris Mitralexis & Christos Chatzimichail)

Historical experience has taught the German people how dangerous it is for a nation to be debilitatingly humiliated. They have experienced the horror of Nazism, which stemmed from their extreme abasement due to the Treaty of Versailles after World War I. They have also experienced the exact opposite: the fact that they owe their status today, a status of economic domination over Europe and a significant international presence, to the wisdom and magnanimity (although not a disinterested one) of the victors of World War I. Despite what they have suffered during the War from the then defeated Germans, the victors insisted on distinguishing the treatment of the German people from that of its Nazi leadership - even if the German people has at some point not merely tolerated, but nearly deified the paranoid butchers. The victors adjudicated and punished at Nuremberg the leadership of the defeated, while offering tremendous financial assistance to the German people, so that they could recover from the havoc of the War.

However, today’s devastated Greece is being degradingly humiliated from the then beneficiated Germans, without distinguishing the treatment of the Greek people from the treatment of the governments that led the country to frantic debt and bankruptcy. They do claim and demand, “Greece should fulfill its obligations”. And in fact, by "Greece" they mean the Greek people to repay the outrageous, vertiginous debt that was accumulated from corrupt and foul governments and unrestrained party politics for the sake of the patronage system. And to repay it with crippling cuts of salaries and pensions, along with a minimisation of the welfare state.

In no version of the “Memorandum” have the Germans demanded that a kind of purgative “Nuremberg Trials” should take place in Greece, a country plagued by the absolute power of its political parties. It was never demanded or proposed to confiscate the wealth and property of Greek prime ministers and ministers who signed, in cold blood, criminally irresponsible public loans, the repayment of which was certainly impossible to be made in the future. To confiscate the fortunes of those people who have openly and defiantly benefited from the money that was profusely granted by the governing political parties: the fortunes and wealth of the parties’ “executives”, of innumerable ministerial “consultants” with surprisingly high salaries, of public companies’ presidents and public suppliers appointed by the parties, of notorious tax evaders known to everyone, as the majority of the private TV channels and the commercialised “sports” business.

Today’s Greece is facing the mockery and irony of the German press, even of the most vulgar and discredited yellow press, while the protagonists of Germany’s political scene accompany the vilification, appearing thus to “protect” their citizen’s interests. And the German “public opinion” pretends to ignore the question: Why have they accepted, for so many years, to continue loaning a country that was obviously unable to repay such a high public debt? Why have they tolerated to sign loan agreements with specific Greek politicians (ministers and prime ministers) of minimum or zero credibility, even with specific persons of patently disadvantageous, very limited intelligence?

It would be unrealistic, inconceivable to say that they didn’t have correct information. The Press Office of the German Embassy in Athens could not have been unaware of the ascertainment-“refrain” that circulated by word of mouth throughout Greece: “the Greek professional politicians could not even be trusted to run and manage a news stand”. By what logic did the German governments continue to assent to the generous public lending to Greek politicians of such a deafening disrepute?

There is only one logical interpretation, until otherwise proven, for this public lending with absolutely no hope of repayment: The loans which are currently projected by Germany as “Greece’s commitments”, while requiring them to be repaid at the expense of the starvation of the Greek majority, were an intricate collusion of interests: “We will grant you a loan, but with the money from this loan you will pay us to build airports, to construct the Metro, to build submarines and frigates - with the implicit guarantee of a rich ‘commision’ for your party”.

It would also be logical to assume that as soon as the lenders realised the morbid greed of the borrowers, they started to lend them with ‘borrowed sums’, just like the professional usurers: We read in the newspapers that Germany borrowed with an interest rate of 1.5% to lend Greece with an interest rate of 6.5%. So, how could the lenders ever demand a kind of “Nuremberg Trials” that would purge Greek political life, without being revealed as accomplices of crimes?

A proportion of current Greek citizens with considerable social influence, domestically as well as internationally, had the opportunity to study at German universities with scholarships by German research institutions. We preserve respect and honour to that part of the German society thanks to which the name of Germany is internationally linked in people’s conscience with high achievements in the fields of Philosophy, Music, Archaeology, Byzantine studies, Law. The fact that there is such a social group in Greece is a challenge (hopefully an annoying one) specifically for the Press Office of the German Embassy in Athens. This Office should -it is its mission- inform the German voters of our existence, of our voice, of our call for Greek “Nuremberg Trials”.

Just like Germany is not equated for us with Mr. Schäuble (with the inhumanity of a mechanistic, enstranged from society version of “economics” that echoes army perceptions of “efficiency”), so for the German voters Greece cannot be identified with its corrupt and foul party leaderships which are guilty of terrible social crimes. The role of a diplomatic Press Office is crucial to combat the racism of generalised prejudices.

A German journalist asserted her friendly companions a few days ago, that her colleagues who come to Greece for reportage and to "cover" events have already written, more often than not, a complete story that will be published as soon as they return to Germany, before even visiting Greece. The events of today’s Greece are reported to the German public with prefabricated, standardized clichés. And judging from the samples of Greek political journalism that is (rarely) translated and published in the German press, a specific question is imperatively formed: who and with what criteria determines what will and what will not be published.

Not unjustifiably, we perceive an atmosphere of “final solution” (Endlösung) in today’s Greece.

• Christos Yannaras is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences in Athens and an Alumnus of the "Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung".

Cafebabel is going to be there!

Before the 3rd Balkans Beyond Borders Short Film Festival BBB brings back together all its friends in Athens in order to live the Balkan experience in a night under the stars watching short films by Balkan creators and listening to contemporary music.

The event will be held tonight, Tuesday, 10th July, 2012, from 20:30 – 00:30, at Our Park, 15 Filimonos Street, Athens, Ameplokipoi. Balkans Beyond Borders aspires to join together for one more time young people living in Athens through a multiethnic, inspirational and cultural event full of passion and energy with title: “Before you Talk to me”- multilingualism and communication.

MELD is back!

And is launching another Inside Out Project Action, but this time, MELD is uniting with over 20 countries around the world under the umbrella of BE THE CHANGE.

Yvonne and Corinne, once again are partnering with TEDxAcademy and with the support of the Athens Municipality.

Girls are planning to gather the photographers and citizens over the course of two weekends in late June in Syntagma to take the 500 portraits accompanied by 500 messages from Athens to the rest of the world.

Athina, 3.3.2012

Mentors and young start-uppers at e-nnovation meeting inside the National Library of Athens, among ancient books and ancient columns;BEAUTY!

Ω529

by Georgios Kokkolis

It's really awkward what strange games Fate can play. Of all the days of the year, no one could be more appropriate than the Sunday of the Prodigal Son in order for the Greek parliament to vote on the new measures for the salvation of the country.

According to the parable, a father had two sons. Once, his younger son decided to leave his family and asked for his share of the property to live elsewhere. After spending even the last penny, the son returned remorseful in the arms of the father, who he not only accepted him back but he also ordered to slaughter the 'fattened calf' for a celebration meal.

From Meld blog

As I was sailing the waves of www a couple of months ago, I came across the imposing image of a ”hungry baby” pasted somewhere on an Athenian wall. I was compelled to send a friend request to the street artist on FB and happily enough he responded immediately. From our initial conversations, I realized that STMTS, the young man of 18 years of age who is attending the School of Fine Arts in Athens is a very passionately creative and socially active human being. Needles to say, I asked him to invite me to his next action.

A couple of weeks later, the phone rings and what do you know, we were on! In utter excitement I called my friend “Ryme” to join me and film-shoot the action.

I arrived at 22pm at the metro station of Panepestimio, a winter Athenian night. As I exited, on my right I could hear the not very computing sound of drums and in astonishment I witnessed a group of nude African dancers from the waist up, probably part of some ethnic festival taking place in the city for the people to see. This city is always surprising… Across the street I finally meet STMTS and one of his collaborators, John. They came fully equipped: ladder, self-made glue, brushes in hand and Avanti popolo!

Image Courtesy of Ryme63/StateofMInd & Innoir

STMTS looked around and finally picked a dark, quiet spot to avoid messing around with the authorities. He explained to me that he was very much concerned with vandalism, and one of the reasons he did not use stencils, nor spray paint was to avoid hurting his already wounded city. Instead, his art is applied on cut out paper and, as any other poster, is easy to remove and leaves no traces behind. I was very moved and happily surprised to find out that –contrary to common belief- there is a part of the youth who really care and are still engaged in the well being of their city! I was about to witness the birth of an artwork made by an 18 year old socially conscious and responsible, sensitive person…a real artist.

The boys began their process by making their own glue and pasting their blown up image on the wall. As the first part of a baby face was coming to life, a security guard approached suspiciously and asked us what we were up to. “Just an urban art intervention,” we said. “Ok do you know you are right by the door of the Ministry of Labor?” he insisted…a fact that had escaped us, but nevertheless, intensified the ad hoc action and the conceptual aspect of it. Regardless of the warnings of the guard, the boys continued the posting. As they had proceeded to the center-piece of the face, a car came out of the ministry’s garage and 30 seconds later, a police team appeared.

Tension rose as one of the officers asked again aggressively what on earth we were doing. The young artist showed him his School ID and tried explaining calmly what a street intervention was as the law enforcement representative was now angrily protecting the establishment, screaming the familiar ”The law is the law!” “But we are not spraying, we are pasting! In the same way than these posters for strikes and manifestations that are posted right here, next to the Ministry door! Look, right here there is an “apergia” poster announcing the next strike!”, I showed him in protest and to our defense.

Image Courtesy of Ryme63/StateofMind & Innoir

The relentless policemen were getting impatient as they were chanting their mantra: “the law is the law” and they threatened to call in their superiors. By that point we were circling the police and begging to be understood. The younger officer seemed to have some compassion, but almost apologetically told us that the decision was not in his hands. Suddenly, an older gentleman who looked authoritative, came out of the Ministry watching the scene with a perplexed look. I, keeping my calm, explained to him our purpose, the situation and how important it was that the young Athenian artist was not vandalizing the city, but beautifying it with a meaningful, thought-provoking image that was carrying a very important social message and a dream for the future.

The gentleman from the Ministry took the police aside, talked to them gave him his own personal information and suddenly out of the blue, with the authorities okay, we were back in business! That was one of the magical and most hopeful moments of that evening, where two completely different generations joined together under the same cause. Thank you Athens!

Image Courtesy of Ryme63/StateofMind & Innoir

Half an hour later, “le baby” was born! A powerful, big and beautiful image of a baby with a pacifier carrying the universal nuclear symbol on it! A conceptual expression of deep, unsettling concern for the endangered future, not only of the city of Athens, but of the entire planet!

I will always carry this nocturnal experience in my mind and in my heart. I will always remember the hope it gave me, as I realized the fact that the new generations to come are and will always be finding their own ways to express themselves, with no support from the State and the public sector in its whole. I will remember that it all came to life from a deep desire of self-expression, far stronger in effect than the rebellious trio “sex, drugs and rock and roll” that has been the vehicle of many generations.

I will always respect and expect more from the young artist who told me that drugs, sex and rock roll are not enough to make his heart beat fast, and that in order to face nihilism, stagnation and lack of purpose in our times you have got to be creative. And that once you commit to creativity, then magic and change starts happening…

Image Courtesy of Ryme63/StateofMind & Innoir

Thank you STMTS. Thank you Ryme, Innoir, Dawkinson, DJ Booker, Ioanna, and John for making this possible.

And thank you Athens for your Magic!

Text by Maria Dawkinson & Karenina