The stones will judge us
In the midst of the post-election fallout and looking at the great challenges that Greece faces, it is comforting to think that, despite all the difficulties, this country has a unique advantage. Greece is sitting on unparalleled wealth – breathtakingly beautiful nature combined with a history that constitutes the nucleus of Western civilization, which is the foundation of the thought, esthetics and the very psychology of humans today. The impact of the Greeks continues to the present day and «foreigners» are fully aware of the magnitude of Greek civilization. We see this from the increasing number of productions of ancient tragedy to books such as a recent one by Cambridge professor Simon Goldhill, which, despite all the years of revisionism and spitting on the graves of «dead white males» can still be titled «Love, sex and tragedy: How the ancient world shapes our lives» (John Murray, London, 2004). This should make us think seriously rather than puff up with pride. For if we were to judge on the basis of the importance attached to culture by our governments, we would say that Greece is a country like any other, with a history, traditions and monuments of equal value with the average EU member. We witness this in the mediocrities who are usually appointed to head the Culture Ministry, in the shortage of funds earmarked for culture, the woeful lack of staff and the general indifference of those in positions of responsibility. But most telling are a number of very interesting statistics. On the basis of the number of people employed in the culture sector in 2004, our country, with 97,400, ranks between Belgium (93,500) and Sweden (135,000) and way behind Germany (the leader with 957,000), the United Kingdom (883,300), France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland. One might argue that these are different countries, with different population sizes, but if we take the number of people employed in the culture sector as a percentage of the active population, then Greece, with 3.2 percent in 2004, is on a par with the average for EU-25 (3.1 percent). Moreover, the 0.75 percent of the ordinary state budget that goes to the Culture Ministry again appears to be about average, though it is difficult to know precisely how much money goes toward culture in each country. In Greece, for example, the 331 million euros envisaged in the budget for 2007 will be supplemented by 250 million euros from the public investments program. The EU also helps, with Greece having absorbed 45 percent of the structural funds earmarked for its culture sector up to 2006. The money that is being spent is not an insignificant amount. But, from what we see, it helps us merely stay in the same place. It is not being used to set in motion the dynamo that can change the country’s course. As noted in a particularly interesting study carried out on behalf of the European Commission («The economy of culture in Europe,» November 2006), turnover in the culture sector in Europe in 2003 totaled 654 billion euros and represented 2.6 percent of the EU’s GDP. If we consider that the turnover of Europe’s mighty automobile industry was 271 billion euros, we can begin to fathom the magnitude of the mother lode on which Greece is sitting. At this point, it is worth noting that according to the study, culture accounts for a mere 1 percent of Greece’s GDP. Without getting into details now of what has to be done, we need only think of the rewards if Greece were to work out a serious policy on cultural issues. Imagine, for a start, if the ministry were simply to clean up, to promote and protect all the archaeological sites, if it were to create a new relationship between visitors and the country’s museums and sites (making them more hospitable in every sense). The Greeks need to show that they are worthy of walking down the path opened by those who created this civilization. Greece has the unique advantage of needing no introduction. All educated citizens of the world know of its contribution to civilization and have heard of its beauty. The flawless, almost fortuitous Athens 2004 Olympics helped revive this image. Millions of serious-minded citizens of the world want to visit Greece. It is now up to us to show whether we are worthy of the task of being guardians of a global heritage, guardians of a land that we must protect from our own many weaknesses. The past gives us this great opportunity to achieve a bright future. The ancient, sculpted stones that are scattered around us will bear witness to our success or to our indifference. Because they will be here long after we are gone, just as they were here before us.
