Mission of the Bicentennial Initiative 1821-2021

History as inspiration for the future

The Bicentennial Initiative 1821-2021 was launched in 2018 in view of the upcoming 200-year anniversary since the inception of the Greek Revolution and is the fruit of collaboration between the following organizations and foundations: National Bank of Greece, the Eugenides Foundation, the Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Foundation, the B. & M. Theocharakis Foundation for the Fine Arts & Music, the Captain Vassilis & Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, the J. F. Costopoulos Foundation, the Social and Cultural Affairs Welfare Foundation (KIKPE), the Lambrakis Foundation, the Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation, the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the A.G. Leventis Foundation, the Bodossaki Foundation, the Foundation for Education and European Culture, the Michail N. Stassinopoulos-Viohalco Public Benefit Foundation, and the Onassis Foundation.

The Bicentennial Initiative aims at highlighting the ways in which the anniversary should serve as an occasion for national reflection, based on the premise that history can be a source of inspiration for the future. Over the past two years the said public benefit, cultural and academic foundations, including National Bank of Greece and more than 75 organizations in Greece and abroad, have jointly developed a programme that includes 130 events focusing on science, the cultural heritage, music and the arts, as well as the country’s future prospects.

Starting October 2020 through to March 2022, a host of related activities – conferences, publishing ventures, exhibitions on historical and artistic themes, concerts – are being organized in collaboration with academic, research and cultural organizations, while a range of educational and research programmes and grants will be supported. Abroad, in various countries whose people contributed in one way or another to the Greek Revolution (e.g., France, Switzerland, the UK, Italy and Germany) respective bodies and foundations are planning similar activities in collaboration with the Bicentennial Initiative.

Each Foundation and the Bank maintain their profile, autonomy and goals, and support actions that are associated with them. However, all participants agree that this is an ideal occasion to foster, both in Greece and abroad, a model example of cooperation, dialogue and unity of purpose.