The AHEPAN - Winter 2016 - 16

the country to benefit from this highly-skilled
and educated group of individuals. Acting in
accordance with Greece's national interests, and
seeking the ultimate defeat of the multi-level crisis
Greece has lived through the past years, the initiative aims at:
*
strengthening the relationship between Greeks abroad
and Greece by making use of modern technologies;
*
modernizing and re-organizing the Greek State via the
adoption of citizen-friendly and bureaucracy-free government structures;
*
promoting meritocracy in the public and the private
sectors;
*
recommending internationally recognized practices
for the resolution of the different financial, social and
administrative challenges the country has been facing
in recent years;
*
highlighting the importance of a "national consensus"
between all the segments of the society, the Greeks
abroad and the State to prioritize the country's prog-

group intends to publicize the personal
stories of some of its members to demonstrate the hardships that some of the young
Greeks had to undergo in seeking a better future
outside Greece and highlight the human aspect that all
such stories have.
The Ahepan contacted two of the co-founders of the initiative, Dr. Nikolaos Theodorakis and Mr. Orestis Omran, to
discuss Brain Gain and the challenges it faces.
Asked about what Brain Gain means to him, Dr. Theodorakis,
an associate professor at the University of Oxford and attorney
for a U.S.-based law firm in Brussels, smiles widely.
"Brain Gain is the hub, the bridge, between ourselves and
the motherland," he said. "Hundreds of thousands of bright
Greek minds have fled the country, in search of a better future.
All these young professionals who live and work in every corner of the earth, have not forgotten about their country. They
wish to contribute to the Hellenic society, and ideally, create
the conditions necessary for their repatriation someday. Brain

"THERE IS A MASSIVE GROUP OF INTELLIGENT, HIGHLYSKILLED GREEKS ABROAD THAT LOVE THEIR COUNTRY
AND ARE PREPARED TO HELP IT GROW AND OVERCOME
THE CRISIS."
ress and development and set aside the social unrest
of the past;
*
acknowledging the value of the principles of freedom,
equality and social justice in fighting the dozens of
problems faced by the people of Greece.
In this regard, the founders of the "Brain Gain" initiative
have been organizing several events in Greece, Europe and
the United States to enhance public awareness about the phenomenon of more and more highly skilled and trained Greeks
leaving the country while mobilizing Greeks abroad to participate in a national effort to overcome the crisis. Brain Gain
"hubs" are being established in different cities around
the world. Representatives of the initiative intend to
submit to the Greek government specific proposals pertaining to "best practices" they have witnessed in their respective home countries that
may be applicable to Greece. In addition, the

THE AHEPAN · Winter 2016

Gain is the vehicle that we created to give voice to all these
young Greeks abroad to unite in their worries and to suggest
fruitful solutions ahead."
Orestis Omran, a New York attorney working with a global
law firm in Brussels, feels equally enthusiastic about the initiative.
"Brain Gain is our generation's response to the 'brain drain'
Greek society has faced during the past years," he said. "The
initiative is proof that we should always take action to reverse
situations that seem irreversible. The Greek crisis and its economic and societal impact in our homeland is such
a situation."
They both seem happy with the Brain
Gain experience so far. They argue that
criticism without actions has no value
whatsoever. They claim by teaming up
with Greek professionals and academics

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