One last greeting for our friend Yiannis Boutaris.

Yiannis Boutaris was the embodiment of civil society and open society – what we need now more than ever.

As Mayor of Thessaloniki, he stood by our initiative to establish SolidarityNow’s first Solidarity Centre in Thessaloniki 11 years ago. He supported us from the very first moment, unstintingly, to overcome adversity and opposition, defying personal and political costs. He honored us with his presence and action as a member of the Board of Directors of the organization.

He was a politician in the essence of the word, seeing politics as the art of institutionalizing a public space open to all. Open-minded to the currents of the times, pioneering in conceiving and implementing what was necessary and feasible, Boutaris always aimed at open horizons. He had the courage to open new paths with action that went beyond the narrow party walls.

As mayor of Thessaloniki – a city he dreamed of as a beacon of great culture – he avoided easy solutions and narrow-minded introspection, giving his work an ecumenical character. With his determination and his example, he leaves us all a valuable and multi-dimensional legacy.

I will always be grateful to him for honouring me with his friendship. For us at SolidarityNow, his vision of an inclusive society is a legacy and a duty. We pledge to continue his work, keeping the bar he set so high.

My best wishes go out to his family whom he so honoured with his achievements.

Stelios Zavvos,
Chairman of the SolidarityNow BoD