This initiative, curated by Vicky Evangeliou, Founder of VSN HUB Ancient Greek Culture in Business & Tourism, highlights the connection between ancient Greek philosophy and modern leadership. It explores how timeless values such as virtue, responsibility, and innovation can inspire leaders in an era of global uncertainty. Through interviews with distinguished leaders and interactive dialogues, the series showcases Greece’s potential as a source of guidance for the global business landscape, demonstrating that its culture and values remain both relevant and impactful.
Open Dialogue with
ALEXANDROS COSTOPOULOS
Founder & CEO
FORESIGHT Strategies & Communications
Secretary – General
American‐ Hellenic Chamber of Commerce
Socrates and the Search for Truth: Socrates believed that the pursuit of truth required relentless questioning and self-examination (the Socratic method). In today’s world, where misinformation and manipulation shape public perception, how can individuals and leaders cultivate a Socratic approach to critical thinking to safeguard truth and trust?
Today, we witness a full – front assault on truth and on everything we consider as basic values. It is a phenomenon rooted in the rise of ultra-toxic populism, the post – pandemic psychological fatigue of people especially in Western societies, the monumental socio-economic challenges of our times that have literally crippled the middle class in Europe and the United States and the exponential growth of information technologies and social media. This war against truth goes way deeper than the frequency of lies and conspiracy theories in the public domain, applying to scientific and historical facts, profound values and institutions, even the virtues that defined our lives for centuries.
In such a dire situation, our only weapon lies in our ability and discipline to critically listen, read and think, to judge before surrendering our support to someone or something, to seek for those everyday leaders who have the ability, skills, talents and character to work and fight for broadly shared solutions, growth and prosperity. From schools and civic society to businesses and institutions, we should invest in highlighting and revealing the truth as reflected in stories, achievements, initiatives and the character of people. We must realize that we are all in this together and the best answer to misinformation and mistrust is to communicate the truth within our own networks of friends and family, colleagues and clients, to listen and boldly discuss more with each other. Restoring trust in institutions, values, facts and common sense plays a critical role in facing the monumental challenges of our post-truth era. The task is far from simple but the role each and every one will choose to play will determine our future.
Alexandros Costopoulos is a communications strategist, renowned speaker and seasoned contributor to leading international and Greek media on communications, politico-economic relations and Transatlantic affairs. Founder and CEO of FORESIGHT, Mr. Costopoulos has collaborated with distinguished individuals and prominent organizations from the political, academic and business spheres in the United States, Greece and the broader southeast European and eastern Mediterranean regions, providing critical insight and developing bespoke results – driven strategies and tactics related to public affairs, reputation management, public diplomacy, civil society engagement and American affairs.
He is the Secretary General of the American ‐ Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, Director for Greece of American Citizens Abroad and co‐founder of the Institute for Regional Dialogue and Strategy. He has written various social and political opinion editorials for top newspapers and magazines in Greece and has spoken extensively on the importance of cooperation and smart power, while he published two books, “Bridges of Cooperation‐Marshall Plan and Greece” in 2008 and “Bridges of Liberty‐ American Philhellenism in the 18th and 19th Centuries” in 2009.
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