By George D. Behrakis
After more than a decade of crisis, Greece has finally turned a corner. The country has become one of Europe’s fastest-growing economies, with record tourism, rising foreign investment, and a return to investment-grade status.
But speak to young Greeks or visit rural areas, and a different reality emerges. Wages remain low. Productivity lags. Public services are strained. Tragedies like the Tempe train disaster and the recent agricultural subsidy scandal have deepened mistrust in institutions.
Their disengagement reveals Greece’s central paradox: macroeconomic momentum paired with micro-level disillusionment. It also points to something deeper – the absence of a unifying purpose in the country’s political dialogue. What Greece needs at this moment is a national mission: a long-term strategy to harness the country’s economic, cultural and human capital and channel them into a revitalization that delivers broad-based prosperity at home and renewed influence abroad.
One such mission could be to make Greece a global hub where ideas, people and technology collide – drawing on its ancient heritage, strategic location, and human talent to help tackle the defining challenges of this century.
Greece may be small, but it is far from ordinary. Few countries possess such a rich mix of competitive advantages, many of which remain underutilized. The real opportunity lies in alignment: bringing them together into a shared national strategy that delivers broad-based prosperity and purpose.
Consider what Greece has to work with. First, the historical gravity of the place itself – the birthplace of democracy, philosophy and ethics – still resonates across the West and East, the global North and South. That rich history and legacy gives Greece credibility as a hub for global conversations on technology, artificial intelligence, health, democracy and governance.
Second, its unique geography and climate. With abundant sun and wind, Greece is poised to punch above its weight in the energy transition and become a regional exporter of clean power. Its varied economy – spanning the blue economy, agriculture and tourism – as well as its vulnerability to climate risks – also make it a natural proving ground for the technological innovations of tomorrow.
Third, its people. Greece’s youth – highly educated, multilingual, and globally minded – are one of its greatest untapped resources. So too is the global Greek diaspora: 5 million strong, deeply connected to their heritage, and with the means to contribute capital, expertise, and networks, and expertise if meaningfully engaged.
Finally, Greece offers something increasingly rare in the modern world: a livable, human-scale society with strong community ties, family cohesion, a healthy diet, and a way of life rooted in balance and connection. At a time of digital burnout and public health challenges, Greece has a model the world needs more than ever.
These assets, and others, already exist. What’s missing is the strategy to weave them together at scale – not just for foreign investors or elite tourism, but to lift the everyday lives of people struggling with low wages, high costs, and fraying services.
A national mission could bridge the gap between Greece’s headline success and the lived experience of its people, while also strengthening its place on the global stage:
First, it creates strategic and narrative coherence. Greece’s gains in tourism, energy and tech are real, but siloed. A mission could unite them under a single vision: Greece as a hub for sustainable, values-driven innovation and living. That coherence, and the narrative that flows from it, would help policy makers, investors and citizens see how the parts fit together.
Second, it directs investment toward inclusive development. With a clear mission and supportive policy, capital can flow into high-impact sectors – climate tech, the blue economy, rural infrastructure, digital services – that generate good jobs and public value, not just luxury tourism. Growth would then be tied to tangible improvements in people’s lives: higher wages, lower living costs, and stronger services for young people, working families, and rural communities.
Third, it attracts and retains talent. Young Greeks – scientists, coders, designers, entrepreneurs – want to believe in a future here. So do global professionals seeking a meaningful place to work. Greece can be that magnet, but only if it offers financial viability – wages that match skills, costs that are sustainable – and signals seriousness of purpose and long-term opportunity.
Finally, it restores trust and agency. Too many Greeks have internalized the belief that “this is just how things are” – that wages won’t rise, public services will underperform, nothing will change. A mission can help the country escape that resignation. By involving citizens directly, it gives them a stake in the outcome, turning growth into something they can see, touch, and build on.
To be clear, Greece has made meaningful progress in recent years – from digital modernization to energy development to a more stable, pro-growth climate for investment. But these reforms, while important, are just the foundation. For Greece’s economic rebirth to last, and to ensure it reaches all its citizens, a broader strategy and agenda are needed.
Other small nations show what’s possible when they commit to a unifying mission. Estonia became a global leader in digital governance by aligning its identity with innovation. Denmark made green energy a national calling. Ireland transformed from a struggling rural economy to a transatlantic innovation hub by leveraging its diaspora, culture, and strategic location. Finland, through world-class education and investment in research and design, built one of the most innovative and resilient societies in Europe. Each succeeded by aligning policy, brand and identity around a purpose that was both global in focus and local in impact – and made their citizens proud and involved.
Greece can do the same. And in doing so, it can escape the fatalism that has long haunted its politics. A national mission would create a feedback loop: inviting people back in, making citizens feel like protagonists in the national story rather than spectators of someone else’s success. It would say: This future is not just for investors, tourists, or digital nomads – it’s for you. And, if embraced, it could spark a deeper cultural renewal, giving young people the confidence to stay, take risks, and build as entrepreneurs in their own country rather than abroad. That shift – from resignation to initiative, from watching to building – would be the truest sign of Greece’s rebirth: not just as a beautiful place to visit, but as a serious place to build ideas, technologies, careers and lives.
We are already seeing glimpses of that potential. This spring, a group of young entrepreneurs organized Panathenea, a gathering in Athens that brought together leaders in tech, business and culture for a modern take on the ancient civic festival – a reminder of the city’s enduring power to convene. Across government and civil society, initiatives are emerging on AI ethics, sustainable diets, and climate resilience. At the same time, recent reforms are beginning to draw members of the diaspora back, hinting at the outlines of a virtuous cycle.
As for how a broader national mission could become a reality, it would need to include development of frameworks that outlast any single government, flagship initiatives that make it tangible, and mechanisms for the diaspora and civil society to participate. Other countries that succeeded in this way paired reforms with new institutions and visible projects that signaled continuity and seriousness. Greece will need the same: a structure that gives direction, durability, and shared ownership to its ambitions.
Greece has come a long way since the difficult days of its sovereign debt crisis. While significant challenges remain to ensure growth is both sustainable and broadly shared, the country has real momentum. If it can seize this moment, Greece could become something rare in the 21st century: a nation that offers not just prosperity, but purpose – not just growth, but direction – not just headlines, but a future its people can believe in, and one the world will look to with respect.
George D. Behrakis is a Greek-American businessman, pharmaceutical entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
Source: eKathimerini.com