Central Event of the ESC’s Initiatives
on the Environment

From the left: Mr. Christos Polyzogopoulos, President of the Economic and Social Council of Greece (E.S.C.), His All Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch, Mr. Dimitris Sioufas, Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament and Dr. Martha Theodorou, Head of International and Public Relations of the E.S.C.

Following a series of public hearings on environmental issues, the Economic and Social Council of Greece (ESC) held a central event on the subject of environmental protection on Friday, 16 May 2008, at the Athens Concert Hall.

His All Holiness, Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, was the keynote speaker.

At the event, the Prime Minister and Government were represented by Minister of State Mr. Theodoros Roussopoulos. Also present were the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament Mr. Dimitris Sioufas, His Beatitude Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Hieronymos II, on behalf of the President of PASOK Mr. Theodoros Pangalos, President of LAOS Mr. Georgios Karatzaferis, former Prime Minister Mr. Ioannis Grivas, former Speaker of Parliament Mr. Apostolos Kaklamanis, Minister of Employment and Social Protection Ms. Fanny Palli-Petralia, Members of Parliament, university rectors and professors, representatives of the country’s social partners and NGOs, etc.

The ESC has also issued three Own-initiative Opinions on the environment (“Physical Planning and Urban Design,” “Climate Change,” and “Environment – Protection of Nature”). These Opinions were presented at two events organised by the ESC on 16 and 23 February 2008, in Thessaloniki and Patras respectively.