What we stand for

Mission

Inter Alia is active in the fields of education, advocacy, youth work and culture with the aim to:

  • Promote and enhance civic action and civil society’s interconnectedness and effectiveness in influencing decision-making at any level;
  • Empower youth and increase employment opportunities through training, skills development, and civic and social participation;
  • Confront interpersonal and intergroup stereotypes and enhance intercultural understanding inside and outside the perceived limits of Europe as a means to peace and well-being.

Vision

Inter Alia is a civic action, non-profit organisation aiming at the creation of an inclusive and active European civil society. It supports the venture of the European economic and political Union and, at the same time, stands critical against EU bureaucratisation, detachment of European institutions from its citizens, centralised decision-making, EU self-referentiality, and washing-hands politics. Inter Alia seeks openness, inclusiveness, respect, tolerance, equality, extroversion, diversity and interconnectedness. We believe that the sustainable construction of such a Europe can only be achieved with the active participation of the people. European civil societies need to pressure and claim for their greater and more substantial involvement in social and political processes.

Inter Alia envisions a future of participation where citizens will be in the driver’s seat, leading developments. In a world of frantic pace, constant information flow and increased professional requirements, people need not only to develop and synthesise diverse skills and tools, but also to head the initiatives in the social, political and professional sphere. Inter Alia, believing in the creative power of active citizens, engages with them in a relationship of mutual learning and joint benefit.

Inter Alia considers the expansion, vitalisation and enhancement of civic action and the involvement of stereotyped and stigmatised areas of the world, essential for the development of European civil society. Europe cannot evolve in a sustainable manner when being phobic and defensive to the worldwide society. Inclusiveness and constant exchange of ideas can constructively influence and enrich European societies. Citizens can grow stronger by turning their attention to the world. Besides, what can one know of Europe, who only Europe knows?

History

Inter Alia began as a recognition of shared ideas and concerns of three young people with expertise in political and financial studies. It was created in 2013 in Athens, in the shadow of a deepening crisis as a new, autonomous and self-funded initiative. Its aim was to create space for citizens and communities at a national and European level to share knowledge and expertise, and develop impactful civic action in a range of fields. The initiative responded to gaps identified in the civic space — the basis of an open and democratic society — by the three founding members after working as volunteers, interns and pro bono researchers for various organisations and think tanks. In its first steps, Inter Alia was supported by friends, colleagues and many others who were excited about the prospect of this fresh initiative and therefore lent a hand by supporting the founders with legal and financial advice, and making suggestions about the initiative’s structure and positioning.

The name of the organisation, “Inter Alia”, means “among others” in Latin. Based on a philosophy of cooperation and reciprocity “Inter Alia” works to advance political education, social transformation and collective action. It expresses the intention to stand willingly and joyfully among others, co-create, make concessions, and enable common progress and collective intelligence.

The symbol and logo of Inter Alia is the artichoke, a Mediterranean vegetable symbolising fertility, which in case of IA represents fertility of ideas. It has strong layers of leaves and a tender heart. Placed in the context of political education, social transformation and collective action, this symbol can be interpreted in many different ways. We invite you to find and choose your preferred one.

At its first steps, IA was a self-funded initiative that grew in the shadow of a deepening, multi-faceted crisis. The aim was to create spaces for citizens and communities at local and European level to share knowledge and expertise, and to develop transformative civic action.

IA’s work is based on three fields: a. the Roots School of Critical and Explorative Learning, b. the Heart Civic Intervention Point and c. the Bloom Space for Culture and Arts. Under these pillars fall the organisation’s activities, which are designed and implemented according to strategies developed on the axes of Culture & Arts, Education, Youth and Political Engagement

The organisation is supported and guided by two advisory bodies: the Advisory Board consisted by intellectuals, artists and academics from around the globe and the Council of Members composed by people who wished to strengthen relations with the organisation through mutual commitment.

The guiding values of Inter Alia

We pursue these values through activities that are:

Content not available.
Please allow cookies by clicking Accept on the banner

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close