SAE U.S.A - World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE)

By Michael Golder

The Hellenic American Foundation, Plant Your Roots in Greece, is becoming increasingly popular within the Greek-American community and also in Greece. “Greek-Americans recognize the value of protecting the environment and not forgetting their roots. There are a number of cases which are indeed moving,” says the Foundation's President Mr. Th. Spyropoulos. “Many of our tree plantings are carried out to keep alive the remembrance of Greek-Americans and/or in their honor. Response by philhellene Americans has also been great.”

“Is there a better way to celebrate an occasion (wedding, christening, anniversary, and birthday) or to honour oneʼs memory than by making a contribution to the tree-planting of an area?” asks foundation board member, Mrs. Rose Marie Meier. “Many companies here in the USA think that tree-planting is a perfect gift because it lasts a whole life. Indeed, what gift can be more important than that which contributes to the survival of our planet?”

Over the last four years, the foundation has carried out five tree-planting activities in Sounio as it has accepted the responsibility for the maintenance of the entire burned area across the Temple of Poseidon. “Cooperation with the Municipality of Lavreotikis is excellent and trees are always planted by volunteer and resident groups,” explains Mr. Spyropoulos. “With the Councilʼs permission, we have placed on an islet, across from the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio, a sculpture created by the internationally renowned sculptress, Mrs. Angelica Korovessis, bearing the names of Greek-American and philhellene donors to honour them.”

Trees have been planted in other regions burned by fire, such as in Pythagorion of Samos, Ancient Olympia and Kalavryta. In Macedonia, tree-planting activities include Samothraki, Achinos and Strymoniko of Serres. Also plantings have been done in Arta, Maniaki of Messinia, and Ano Viano in Crete. In collaboration with the Municipality of Delphi, on two occasions, the foundation has planted trees in the area.

“It is very important that we care about our roots, and this applies especially to us Greeks as the roots of our people are traced back in the depths of time,” stresses the President of the Hellenic American National Council and President of the “Plant Your Roots in Greece” Foundation, Mr. Th. Spyropoulos.

“Our ancestors were the first to acquire an ecological awareness. They respected nature and the environment and for that reason they sanctified it. The concept of volunteerism was also born in Greece. We ought therefore to respect the environment and contribute as volunteers to the planting of trees in our birthplace”.

Plant Your Roots in Greece Foundation is a non-profit organization, established in 1991 in Washington. It was presented to the Greek-American community in 1994 at the annual conference of the Hellenic American National Council held in Chicago. The foundation was placed under the auspices of the National Council during the devastating fires in Greece. In recent years, it has been very actively promoting its program within the wider Greek-American community and also in Greece, where the first Greek branch was established in 2004.

The aim of the American foundation is to sensitize visitors to Greece and tourists of Greek-American descent in three areas:

1. To become aware of and contribute to the protection of the Greek environment through tree planting.

2. To strengthen the bonds with the birthplace, especially for the younger generations of Greek-Americans.

3. To understand and adopt the concept of volunteerism as tree planting is always carried out in collaboration with Local Government Authorities, Archaeological Services and volunteer groups (high school and university students, athletes, scouts, hunters, fire fighters).

“Our goal now is to sensitize our compatriots in Greece to join our efforts. For that reason we have established a branch in Greece. Last year, the Greek State, recognizing the work of the foundation, granted us a permit to install a slot machine in Eleftherios Venizelos airport,” says Mr. Spyropoulos. “Our vision, being also our proposal to the Greek State, is for the Ministry of Education to send circulars to schools so that our activity can be included in the current Environmental Education program at Primary and Secondary Education levels”.