The John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation participates, as a strategic partner, in the crowdfunding programme Act4Greece, a pioneering initiative of the National Bank of Greece. Act4Greece, a programme aiming at funding and promoting social and developmental actions, was launched on Monday 1 February in the presence of Prime Minister Mr Alexis Tsipras at the NBG Mela Mansion. 

An excerpt from the relevant press release is available below:

Act4Greece (a Crowdfunding platform) is being implemented in strategic collaboration with organisations and foundations of recognised competence and social input, such as the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, the Bodossaki Foundation, the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO and the Hellenic Network for Corporate Social Responsibility.

As a first step, the programme will support four actions, namely:

1. The provision of school meals to primary school pupils in West Attica
2. The provision of healthcare and humanitarian aid in frontier islands of the Eastern Aegean
3. The launching of an educational and research app on the Greek Revolution of 1821
4. The modernisation of the Karolos Koun Art Theatre infrastructure.

The NBG is one of the few banks in Europe to manage a crowdfunding platform – a multi-stakeholder tool used to raise funds from foundations, organisations, companies and individuals in Greece and abroad for the promotion and implementation of a specific project, action or idea.

During the presentation of the act4Greece crowdfunding platform, NBG’s Chair Mrs. Louka T. Katseli, stated inter alia:

“This year marks 175 since the establishment of the National Bank of Greece, which has undertaken the initiative to launch the Act4Greece Programme, thus confirming its dynamic presence and special awareness of the needs of Greek society. This initiative serves a vision, comprising:

• a viable future for Greece;
• a society with open horizons and equal opportunities;
• an economy where development will be socially and environmentally sustainable and compatible with the protection of civil and social rights;
• a younger generation with prospects and the opportunity to see its ideas come true;
• a new state-of-the-art and viable development model based on productive and active citizens; and
• a banking system which stands by the productive forces of Greece as well as by society in general, especially in times when society is going through the hardship caused by an economic crisis.

Crowdfunding is the key element at the core of this initiative. Crowdfunding is a new and popular way of raising funds from a large number of stakeholders, mainly through the internet, but also – such as in our case – through bank branches. Any contribution is welcome regardless of its amount, be it 1 euro or several, up until the relevant target is reached and the action concerned is implemented. Our motto is: ‘The power of many in action’. This is the main message we wish to convey today. Act4Greece allows for individual actions to be funded in seven key social and development areas:

• Welfare, Health & Solidarity;
• Social Economy & Entrepreneurship;
• Culture & Cultural Entrepreneurship;
• Environment & Sustainability;
• Research, Education & Training;
• Young & Innovative Entrepreneurship; and
• Sports.

The digital platform of Act4Greece enables the emergence of synergies; it directs multiple resources towards the same direction, allowing for greater leverage and efficiency. This is the second message we wish to convey today: cooperation, synergy, coordination and forging relationships of trust – these are the prerequisites for great success. The greater the number of forces uniting, the better and greater the results we will achieve. This is why the invitation is open to all. Everyone can become part of this effort: an effort aspiring to achieve tangible, measurable and concrete results; to support our fellow humans and children in need; to give opportunities to young people; to boost pioneering and innovative ideas; to create a new narrative, a new image of Greece in the eyes of the world.”

The Secretary of the Executive Board of the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, Mr Dimitris Afentoulis highlighted that:

“The participation of the John S. Latsis Foundation in the Act4Greece initiative reflects the Foundation’s ongoing and systematic strategy to reinforce collective actions and to contribute in any way possible to our country’s new development model. This new way forward for Greece cannot and should not be based only on traditional models of public benefit practices; on the contrary, it should be guided by a new concept, new traditions and new practices that have been tested and can be applied successfully in Greece. Crowdfunding constitutes an example of such alternative practices; its open structure allows for swift, efficient and transparent networking between projects and funders of any type.”

The Act4Greece digital platform is available  here.