BRIDGES OF KNOWLEDGE

Providing educational crossroads for the nurturing of peace and the promotion of culture is the foundation’s prime objective

Achieving a progressive and prosperous Southeastern and East-Central Europe by building bridges and networks of peace is the prime objective of the Kokkalis Foundation. Set up by leading Greek business figure Socrates P. Kokkalis, the foundation aims to boost the exchange of knowledge in the fields of governance and economic development between Greece and the rest of the world. As the Chairman and founder of telecommunications company Intracom and game-related software development company Intralot, Mr. Kokkalis is renowned for his involvement in the comprehensive development of Greece and its regional context – a Mediterranean hub bordering Turkey and the Balkans.

The Kokkalis Foundation organizes international forums, conferences, and workshops within the frame of joint research projects led by both state and private institutions such as the RAND Corporation, the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London, the Institute of Foreign Politics Analysis (IFPA) in Washington, and both Greek and foreign universities. The original idea was that the nurturing of good governance in the region within a context of ethnic and cultural diversity would serve to bolster regional cooperation and strengthen democracy.

The Kokkalis Program on Southeastern and East-Central Europe run by the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is one of the foundation’s prime projects. The program has established an integrated network for research and educational activities that acts as a catalyst for the exchange of knowledge between senior policy makers, scholars, and students. To this end, the Kokkalis Fellowship Program grants scholarships to government officials or institutional leaders to study a master’s degree in the fields of public policy, public administration, and international relations, with the aim of offering innovative and effective tools of governance that can be applied in their homeland.

Among the projects on the foundation’s ambitious and wide-ranging activity list is the Harvard Leadership Network in Southeastern Europe, which organizes intensive seminars for leading figures from around the region. In addition, the Athenian Forum paves the way for prominent academics and politicians to discuss the most relevant issues in the current public sphere.

On the other hand, the Athens Technology Center is a regional project based in Athens that offers advanced studies in cutting-edge technology and attracts students from all the neighboring countries. In a joint effort with Carnegie Mellon University, the center offers a highly competitive graduate degree that provides a unique opportunity for advanced training.