Mellon 4

The mission of the AHEPA family is to promote Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Political Responsibility and the Supremacy of the Family and the Individual. AHEPA feels the duty to help raise awareness of the principles of Hellenism in society and to create a sense of Hellenism in people outside the Greek Community. Everyone, including future generations, should have the experience of Hellenism and its ideals. These principles include a commitment to humanity, freedom, and democracy. AHEPA is, and always will be, deeply committed to preserving and promoting these ideals.

Today, however, the world is at the dawn of a new industrial revolution, as technological trends are evolving that have the potential to fundamentally change the lives of millions of people, putting at risk precisely these principles and ideals that AHEPA defends. The evolution of technology is increasingly connecting the digital world with the physical world, yielding innovations such as Artificial Intelligence. The 4th Industrial Revolution is based on Nanotechnology, Biotechnology and, above all, on the new generation of Information Technologies: Cyber-Physical Systems, Internet of Things, Cloud Computing, Big Data, data analysis, Robotics - Machine Learning, 3D Printing, etc.

These new technologies create wealth, income, new highly specialized jobs with high earnings. At the same time, however, they threaten to drive millions of low-skilled and low-skilled workers out of the labor market.

The World Bank predicts that by 2030, the invasion of robots into the labor market is estimated to eliminate 800 million. jobs, corresponding to 20% of the current global workforce, while 300 million will struggle in vain to enter the job market. In the same vein, a study by the McKinsey Global Institute in 46 countries concludes that half of the world's work activity can be automated. Already, the onslaught of robots is eliminating most jobs in industry: 75% of workers in the steel industry, for example, have already been replaced by machines.

So how does a small, open economy, recently bankrupt and with a loss of 25% of national income in an unprecedented economic crisis, prepare for the 4th Industrial Revolution? Can Greece get on the high-speed train, or will it simply wait for the fatal impact?

In a survey of 100 countries by the World Economic Forum on “Readiness for the Future of Manufacturing”, Greece was ranked 95th, based on the criterion of the ability to attract talent, and in the last (!) place, 100th, based on the criterion of whether the country has a long-term vision.

Greek society is therefore faced with two choices, from which its future prosperity will be judged:

- to stand with creativity and an open mind in the face of the 4th Industrial Revolution, to follow the trends of digital transformation and to seize opportunities, or

- to remain attached to models of the past and face the future with a disposition to defend and defend “acquired” from other eras.

Profound technological and economic changes always bring social revolutions. These, of course, are expressed in each era in a different way, while their evolution depends on the leaderships of each time, but also on the strength of the ideas of the era. The 4th industrial revolution that we are experiencing today, combined with climate change, the transfer of wealth from Europe to Asia and the new period of population movement, creates new ideological challenges that require new social proposals, deep reforms and rapid adaptations.

AHEPA, conscious of its responsibility towards the Hellenism of the future, decided not to stand idly by in the face of this new social challenge, but to appeal to these concerns of Greek citizens and to defend once again the ideals of humanity, freedom and democracy, mobilizing its valuable human resources and its strong voice.

The AHEPA Region 25 HELLAS, therefore, decided to create a special committee-Forum, which will be called AHEPA “Mεllon 4.0 Forum – Get Ready for Tomorrow!”, whose main mission will be to play a leading role in the successful transition and adaptation of Greek society to the era of digital and technological revolution that lies ahead of us.

The AHEPA “Mellon 4.0 Forum – Get Ready for Tomorrow!” will educate society on these issues through seminars, symposiums, conferences, experiential workshops, conferences, articles, interviews and special features that it will organize.

Progress never stops. Greece, based on its comparative advantages, can and must to enter the forefront of the digital age.

The history of AHEPA shows us that it has always been by the side of the needs of Greek society! Today, there is a new challenge at the Gates! We will be there once again! Now that all the pioneering educational academic Institutions are striving to implant the principles and ideals of Hellenism in the entire spectrum of modern social-educational-economic-political events, AHEPA, which fights for the dissemination of these principles, cannot remain uninvolved!

We want you by our side!

Konstantinos Varsamis

President of AHEPA MεLLON 4.0 - Governor of AHEPA Hellas District 25