The interview with Mary Salachouri, Project Manager at ESN Greece, explores the importance of youth participation, civic engagement, and democratic involvement in addressing social challenges in Greece. She discusses the barriers young people face, including limited political engagement, unemployment, and housing costs, while emphasising the need to empower youth through education, volunteering, and active citizenship. Reflecting on the impact of the SPEAK OUT project, Salachouri highlights how it encouraged young people to speak up, question societal issues, and recognise that even small actions can contribute to meaningful change and a more inclusive, democratic Europe.
In an era where misinformation spreads faster than facts and young people increasingly feel disconnected from politics and decision-making, the SPEAK OUT project emerged as an initiative determined to change that reality. Coordinated by Erasmus Student Network (ESN) and cofounded by the European Union, this project engages several ESN Member Organisations as project partners and affiliated entities of ESN International. By promoting intercultural societies, encouraging democratic participation, intercultural dialogue, and active citizenship, SPEAK OUT empowers young Europeans to challenge stereotypes, question social narratives, and make their voices heard within their communities.
One of the organisations actively involved in the initiative was ESN Greece, where Project Manager and Economics graduate with Bachelor’s degree Mary Salachouri worked closely on activities connected to youth engagement and civic participation. In this interview, Salachouri reflects on the challenges young people in Greece face today, she proposes solutions to the problem and shares the biggest success of the project but she also doesn’t forget to highlight why speaking out may be more important now than ever before.
How aware do you think young people are of EU institutions and how they work?
I think that young people have a general idea of what EU institutions are, but they do not know much about what these institutions are supposed to do or how much influence they have on their country. It is simply not something that is on young people’s minds. Therefore, I think that young people in Greece still do not care enough to learn more about how to get involved in EU projects and initiatives.
What are the greatest issues in Greece that are important to address?
It would probably be the country’s political system and the way it affects citizens. For example, if we talk about young people, the employment rate is very low. Many young people cannot find jobs, not to mention jobs that are well-paid. The second problem is accommodation and housing costs. Rents and housing are too expensive and young people cannot afford them. There are also many deeper layers to this issue.
However, Greece’s youth does not do much to change things for the better. Many are simply complaining or focusing on issues that are easier to address, such as environmental pollution and other related problems.
In your opinion, what would be the solution to these problems?
I think that one solution could be encouraging people from a very young age to become responsible and proactive citizens, while also helping them to understand how they can participate in projects that benefit society.
This is not only about educating young people; it is also about teaching the people around them, such as working citizens and older generations who interact with them on a daily basis. Before teaching young people, you need to educate those who teach and guide them, because youngsters often learn from role models and examples.
Maybe in this way everyone could start appreciating their right to choose and become more involved in society. The core problem is that citizens do not understand how even small actions, such as volunteering or asking questions within their municipality, can improve the whole society.
If things stay the same in Greece, with little or no engagement in improving the system, what condition do you think your country and its citizens will be in?
If it stays like this, youth’s needs and wishes will be ignored and they will eventually become even more devastated and discouraged. Only people in powerful positions at the national or community level will be able to make decisions, and those decisions will probably not reflect the needs of young people or society in general.
I imagine it as something similar to the systems we see in dystopian or science-fiction movies, without inclusivity or diversity, where citizens are forced to follow imposed rules.
What would you suggest to young people in Greece?
Firstly, I would suggest that they research before voting and then vote according to their beliefs. I would encourage them to support people who are genuinely trying to improve society, even if they are not members of the political party they usually support. Simply put: choose ideas, not parties.
I also think young people should search for opportunities because there are many available to them. I believe they should engage in their local communities and NGOs that contribute to society, simply to give something back to the communities they live in.
Even when you think you are not doing enough, small actions can still create change. In this way, step by step, you can begin participating in larger projects on a national level as well.
What motivated you personally to become a member of the Speak Out project and ESN?
Due to the fact that the Speak Out project is a two-year-long project, it was already run by the previous management team and I did not enter the project alone; rather, I just became part of something that was already going on.
At first, I was trying to understand the whole project, how it worked, and what its benefits were. Once I truly understood how important it was, I started having many ideas. I would even say that now I am as passionate about the project as our stakeholders are.
Our management team achieved a lot through this project, guided by the support of our stakeholders, and because of that we want to continue doing similar work. Although the project will soon close, we will continue running similar initiatives because we can clearly see the positive impact and how much we can help each other by exchanging experiences and ideas.
What is the greatest thing that Greece has achieved thanks to the Speak Out project?
We encouraged people to finally start questioning the current situation in the country. We also showed them that it is not so difficult to speak openly about important issues, and that this kind of interactive engagement with stakeholders can truly contribute to change.
In addition, we created a space for everyone — especially young people — to speak, express their opinions, and feel heard when they felt that nobody listened to them.
Seeing reactions such as: “Oh, I have a voice,” “Someone actually heard me,” “There are real solutions to the problems,” or “The EU is also trying to help with our problems, even though we do not always see it,” was something truly special for me.
I believe we built a bridge toward Europe and helped break generational trauma, which is truly a significant achievement.
