About Us

SAE at a glance

In 1995, the Greeks abroad joined forces for the first time forming “Greece of the World”. A presidential decree instituted World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) to consult and advise the Greek State on issues concerning the Greeks abroad. A firm demand and vision expressed by World Hellenism finally materialized enjoying broad political consent.

The Founding Assembly of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad convened on November 29 through December 8, 1995 in Thessaloniki and elected the dynamic Andrew A. Athens from Chicago, USA, to the presidency (1995-2006).

SAE initially comprised of four geographic Regions managed by an 11-member Presiding Board, while Thessaloniki became established as SAE’s permanent headquarters and “capital city” of World Hellenism

Maturity and solid experience acquired over the years consolidated the belief that SAE can evolve into an organization with a great future. The implementation of Law No. 3480/2006 gave SAE new impetus guaranteeing its consultative, advisory, assertive and supportive role to the Greek State.Pursuant to the new Law the number of Regions increased from four to seven.

The 6th World Convention in December 2006 elects Stefanos P. Tamvakis to the president’s office.

The biggest challenge and SAE’s main goal is to establish cooperation, offer support and unite World Hellenism making it even stronger.

SAE’s main goal is to bring together the Greeks of the Diaspora creating a global Network aimed at planning and materializing programmes for the benefit of the Omogeneia to be subsequently conveyed to the Greek State thus fulfilling its role as an advisory and consultative body.

SAE Headquarter

The headquarters of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) are located in Thessaloniki.

The Office is responsible for planning, developing and implementing programs and projects according to the goals set by the Board of SAE.

Pursues and establishes contacts in the private and public sector for the development and implementation of SAE projects and cooperates closely with the members of the Board as well as with other outside consultants. Pursues the ongoing improvement of communication acting as a liaison among SAE, government and local constituencies, city authorities, organizations and foundations in Thessaloniki, Greece and abroad.
Furthermore, the Office promotes the activities, events and projects of SAE. It offers organizational support of conferences, meetings, SAE events, etc.

The Office operates under the direction of the Executive Committee appointed by the SAE Board, consisting of the President, the Alternate President, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

The headquarters of SAE is hosted at a space that was granted to SAE from the City of Thessaloniki through a private donation of Mr. Thomas Makridis. The Office includes an event hall, administrative offices, conference and projection room.

Personnel – Staff:
Fotini Makri, Maria Tzika.

SAE Visions & Goals

World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), a constitutionally established body (article 108 paragraph 2 of the Constitution) with important accomplishments since its founding in 1995, systematically proceeds with the materialization of specific targets following the 6th World Convention in December 2006 and the Greek State’s expressed support (Law No. 3480/2006, defining its self-organization, operation and authority.

Official Government Gazette (PDF / only in greek)

VISION

Unite and promote Hellenism making it an influential power worldwide

Support the efforts of the Greeks to meet their needs and improve their economic, social and political status.

Inspire and attract Philhellenes from every part of the world.

Contribute to efforts for improved and stronger ties between Greece and the countries of residence of the Greek expatriates.

ROLE

SAE’s main role is to reinforce ties among Greek expatriates and create a global networking aimed at drawing up and materializing beneficial to the Greek community programmes to later present them to the Greek State under its authority as a consultative body. Its basic aim is to propose comprehensive, viable solutions that will yield “added value” and “offset benefits” for the Greek State and Hellenism in general.

The Coordinating Councils, being reinforced through the Enabling Law for SAE, become more active in conveying the people’s demands to the board to be processed before being forwarded to the Greek State.

SAE using its acquired experience is called to proceed with the establishment of a specific and viable framework able to represent Greek expatriates that are not members of organized bodies. The need to record all Greek expatriates both those who are members of organizations and those who are not is imperative.

World Hellenism will be better represented if SAE will not overshadow or replace Greek expatriate Federations, Communities, Associations and other organizations but instead present proposals and offer support both to its members and the Foreign Ministry, the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and other competent Greek State authorities.

The biggest challenge and SAE’s main goal is making World Hellenism even stronger through cooperation, support and unity. The establishment of cooperation can contribute to the promotion of programmes concerning national issues, business networking between Greek companies worldwide, teacher and student exchange, Greek language learning with the use of advanced technology etc.

OBJECTIVES

Την τετραετία 2007-2010, οι στόχοι που θέτονται ως προτεραιότητα είναι οι ακόλουθοι:

The priority goals set for the four-year term 2007-2010 are the following:

  1. Complete activation of the organization’s consultative, advisory, supportive and asserting role
    2. Substantive representation of World Hellenism within the framework of SAE
    3. Immediate activation and participation of the younger generation
    4. SAE’s financial independence
    5. Adoption of specific cooperation and actions to reinforce SAE’s supportive role in national issues
    6. Implementation of actions focusing on education, youth, entrepreneurship and culture

To meet these goals the SAE board, taking under consideration the real needs and demands expressed by the Greek communities, undertakes to systematically record problems, suggestions and proposals made by SAE members and the Greek expatriates in SAE Regions through the Regional Coordinators and the Coordinating Councils.

SAE Structure & Operation

Regions

SAE consists of seven (7) Regions

USA Region,Canada Region, Central- South American Region,

Africa-Near -Middle East Region, Oceania – Far East Region

Former Soviet Union Countries Region (1), Europe Region(2)

1(except from former Soviet Union countries)
2(except from countries already members of the EU)

SAE Members

World Council of Hellenes Abroad members can be:

  1. a) Confederations and federations of Greek community organizations. Associations become members in the case of an absence of federations taking under consideration the organizational structure forms met in individual SAE regions
  2. b) The clerical/laymen assemblies of community-parishes abroad operating under a Canonical Hierarch or Metropolitan
  3. c) Other expatriate organizations that promote Hellenism issues having a big influence and appeal on the Greeks living abroad, Greece and their host countries such as:

Ι. Federations of ethnic identity organizations operating at a local or national level in a country or countries, while having as a point of reference a wider geographic region, a geopolitical region of historical importance or one of the Greek prefectures.

  1. Hellenic Cultural Centers in metropolitan areas and scientific or professional associations
  2. d) The World Federation of Overseas Cypriots (POMAK) and the International Coordinating Committee “Justice for Cyprus” (PSEKA)

Organizations of Greek communities abroad can become members of SAE after filing an application to the Coordinating Council of the corresponding SAE Region.

SAE Regional Coordinating Councils

Coordinating Councils represent their corresponding Region

Prepare and forward substantiated recommendations or proposals to the SAE Presiding Board.

Meet once a year in the corresponding Region. Meetings can be held with the use of modern technology or any other suitable means.

SAE Regional Coordinating Council members are elected by the corresponding Regional Assembly.

Hellenism Networks

Hellenism Networks are established in all SAE Regions. The organizational structure and operation of the Networks are defined by a Regional Assembly decision.

SAE Regions

The World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) – based on Law No. 3480/2006 that provides for its self-organization, operation and responsibilities – now comprises of seven (7) regions instead of four (4) as it was the case since its founding in 1995:

USA Region,Canada Region, Central- South American Region,

Africa-Near -Middle East Region, Oceania – Far East Region

Former Soviet Union Countries Region (1), Europe Region(2)

1(except from former Soviet Union countries)
2(except from countries already members of the EU)

The new structure strengthens the Regions, which constitute a link between SAE, the Greek community organizations and the expatriates, who are not involved in them, providing opportunities for the establishment of internal networks.

Thus, the role of SAE, as the coordinator of the actions of Greek community organizations, is being strengthened contributing significantly to the unity and networking of Omogeneia while becoming a messenger of visions and proposals for the Greek State and World Hellenism.

The SAE Regions’ Coordinating Councils

The Regions of SAE comprise of the SAE members in the corresponding Region. Their Coordinating Councils serve a four-year-term (2007-2010) and are headed by the Regional Coordinator:

  1. I) Coordinating Council USARegion, eleven (11) members.
    Regional Coordinator: Theodoros Spyropoulos
  2. II) Coordinating Council Canada Region, five (5) members.
    Regional Coordinator: Konstantinos Menegakis

III) Coordinating Council Central – South America Region, five (5) members.
Regional Coordinator: Nikiforos Nikolaidis

  1. IV) Coordinating Council Europe Region, eleven (11) members.
    Regional Coordinator: George Amarantidis
  2. V) Coordinating Council Africa – Near/Middle East Region, seven (7) members.
    Regional Coordinator: Charis Gouvelis
  3. VI) Coordinating Council Oceania – Far East Region, nine (9) members.
    Regional Coordinator: George Angelopoulos

VII) Coordinating Council former Soviet Union countries Region, five (5) members.
Regional Coordinator: Ivan Savvides

The Coordinating Councils represent their corresponding Region and they draw up and forward documented recommendations or proposals to the SAE board.

In the SAE Regions operate Hellenism Networks defined by a Regional Assembly decision and included in its rules of operation. The Regions undertake to incorporate and support actions and programmes of their corresponding networks.

The Youth Networks, in particular, have to be established in the regions in no later than two years after the 6th World Assembly in December 2006 according to a special provision included in the rules of operation for Regional Assemblies.

 SAE Directorate

The composition of the 11 member presiding board elected during the 6th World Convention of SAE held in Thessaloniki in December 2006 is the following:

President: Stefanos Tamvakis 
Secretary: Olga Sarantopoulou 
Treasurer: Konstantinos Dimitriou 

Regional Coordinators:

Coordinator for US Region:
Theodore Spyropoulos 

Coordinator for Canada Region:
Konstantinos Menegakis 

Coordinator for Central & South America Region:
Nikiforos Nikolaidis

Coordinator for European Region:
George Amarantidis 

Coordinator for Africa and Near/Middle East Region:
Charis Gouvellis 

Coordinator for Oceania & Far East Region:
George Aggelopoulos 

Coordinator for former Soviet Union countries Region:
Ivan Savvides 

Representative of PSEKA/POMAK:

SAE History

World Council of Hellenes Abroad

In 1995, the Greeks abroad joined forces for the first time forming “Greece of the World”. A presidential decree instituted World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE) to consult and advise the Greek State on issues concerning the Greeks abroad. A firm demand and vision expressed by World Hellenism materialized enjoying broad political consent.

The Founding Assembly of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad was held on November 29 through December 8, 1995 in Thessaloniki, which became established as the permanent headquarters and “capital city” of World Hellenism. Roughly 300 elected representatives of the largest Greek community organizations worldwide got together for the first time joining their forces. The spirit and emotion dominating in the conference quickly spread. The Greeks of America met with the Greeks in Australia, Africa, Europe and Asia. The Black Sea Greeks, unknown to many even in Greece, were also there.

SAE comprised of geographic Regions managed by an 11-member Presiding Board. Andrew A. Athens from Chicago, USA was elected first Council President (1995-2006).

SAE’s primary goal was to unite the creative forces of the Greek Diaspora to protect Hellenism and Orthodoxy in every corner of the world, preserve and spread the use of the Greek language, preserve the history and Greek cultural heritage, promote economic, business and scientific cooperation and communication networks.

Maturity and solid experience acquired over the years consolidated the belief that SAE can evolve into an organization with a great future.

The implementation of Law No. 3480/2006 gave SAE new momentum guaranteeing its consultative, advisory, assertive and supportive role to the Greek State. It acquired the role of a clearly defined world organization in terms of authority scope, organizational structure and operation of its individual bodies. The SAE Regions were increased from four to seven consolidating the fundamental principle of representation while the term in office for all its members increased from two to four years. Networks will be established through a decision by the corresponding Regional Assembly. The establishment of Youth Networks is mandatory for each Region (within two years after the 6th World Convention in December 2006).

The 6th World Convention in December 2006 elects Stefanos P. Tamvakis to the president’s office.

Andrew Athens was proclaimed World Council of Hellenes Abroad president emeritus.

SAE Relations

HELLENIC PARLIAMENT SPECIAL PERMANENT COMMITTEE ON GREEKS ABROAD (Website)

The Greek Parliament Special Permanent Committee on Greeks Abroad was established to preserve and promote relations and ties between the Greek Parliament, the Greek people and World Hellenism, coordinate actions undertaken by the Greek Parliament and the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE), study the problems of the Greeks living abroad, promote their solution and bolster relations with other state parliament deputies of Greek descent.

Website: www.parliament.gr

WORLD INTER–PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION OF HELLENISM (PADEE) (Website)

PADEE was established in 1996 to bring together officials of Greek origin elected to Legislative Bodies of non Greek-speaking countries. The first meeting was attended by 27 MPs of Greek origin.

The goal of the association, which cooperates closely with SAE, is to establish relations and communication among the Greek origin MPs elected in non Greek-speaking countries and strengthen friendship and cooperation between Greece, the countries represented in the association and their parliaments.

Today, PADEE numbers roughly 170 members elected to legislative bodies and parliaments worldwide.

Website: www.whia.gr

NETWORK OF GREEKS ABROAD ELECTED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN EUROPE (Website)

The Network of Greeks Abroad Elected to Local Government Offices in Europe is an institution of Greeks living in Europe elected to or active in local and regional governments in their country of residence.

The network was established in the fall of 2001 at the initiative of the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities in Greece (KEDKE), the Interior Ministry, the General Secretariat for the Greeks Abroad and SAE Europe, enjoying the active