MANOSKOUBARAKISYOUNGPROFESSIONALOFTHEMONTH
OCTOBER2014
ConsulKoubarakisatthecelebrationofthe100thAnniversaryoftheUnionofCretewithGreece,CretanHouse“Omonoia”
Astoria,NY,November16th,2013ThePhilo4ThoughtHellenicProfessionalMentoringInitiativeispleasedtopresentour2014YoungProfessionaloftheMonthHonoreeandtomarktheanniversaryofourannualFounder’sDaycelebration!Thegoalofourpublicationsistoprovidepositive,successfulrolemodelswhowillinspirethenextgenerationofyoungprofessionals.Apreliminarycriterionfor#YPMcandidatesistheiractiveengagementinanentrepreneurial initiativeorcareerpath.CandidatesaretypicallyofHellenicoriginandpartofaphilanthropic,humanitarianorenvironmentallyconsciousfield.Themostessentialqualification theyhave incommon,however, is thespiritandcompassion topersevere,andtheheart tosharetheirknowledgeandexperiencewithothers.Approximatelyayearago,wemetouresteemed2014HonoreeataneventsponsoredbytheAthenians’SocietyofNewYork. Today,wearehonoredandhumbled topresentour interviewwith theConsulofGreece inNewYork,ManosKoubarakis,anamazingmentorandadvisortosomany.ConsulKoubarakis’journeyisnotjustanarrativeofprofessionalsuccessinthecomplexfieldofdiplomacyandpublicpolicy,butofpersonalfulfillmentinthesupportofthegreaterHelleniccommunity.THEJOURNEY&“AHA”MOMENTOriginally from Herakleion, Crete, Consul Koubarakis was raised in Geneva, Switzerland, where he receivedinternational education and training that helped him prepare for his current responsibilities. “I completed myBachelorsDegree in Lawat the SorbonneUniversity inParis,where I also receivedaMastersDegree in EuropeanLaw.Subsequently,Icontributedtothe2003GreekEUPresidencyasamemberoftheGreekPermanentMissiontothe UNin Geneva. Before joining the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2006, I served in the Greek army asLieutenant for a year.At theMinistry of Foreign Affairs in Athens, I worked in the Department of Justice, HomeAffairsandSchengen. In2009, Imoved toVienna,Austria, for theChairmanshipofGreece to theOSCE.UponmyreturntoAthens,IjoinedtheofficeoftheSecretaryGeneralattheMinistryofForeignAffairsandthencontinuedattheHumanResourcesDepartment.IassumedmypositionastheConsulinNewYorkoneyearago.”
ConsulKoubarakissharestheinspirationbehindtheselectionofhiscareerpathandgoals,whichis,quitesimply,aneedtoserveandhonorhiscountry.“HavinglivedthelongestpartofmylifeoutsideGreece,Ihavealwayslongedforwaystogivebacktomycountry.Byrepresentingitabroad,IbelievethatIfoundthebestwaytohonormyroots.I have always wanted to work for the diplomatic service and travel the world, representing and promoting mycountry....Thisisthemostfulfillingpartofmycareer.Today,asaConsulIperformawiderangeofduties,rangingfromrepresentingGreeceatabilateralpolitical level inNewYorktoprovidingassistancetotheGreekcommunity.However, I considermy presence in various events that are aiming to preserve the Greek culture, language andidentityasmallyetsignificantcontributiontothelifeofourΟμογένεια.”PHILOSOPHYInworkandinlife,ConsulKoubarakisbelievesinhardworkandaconstantlearningprocess.“Ibelieveintheongoingefforttodevelopeverysingleday,notbyambition,butbyastrongfeelingofcommitmenttowardssociety….Lifeisanever‐ending learning process and I particularly enjoy learning frommy own experiences and the experience ofothers.HereintheUS,IhavebeenenrichedbythestoriesoftheGreek‐Americanswhofoughthardandmanagedtoprosperawayfromtheirhomeland.“Veryoften, it isthestoriesofordinaryelderlypeoplethatIfindparticularlytouching.Whileaccomplishedleadersappealnaturallytoalargeraudience,Ialwaysthinkthatit isthedistancethatsomeonecoveredthroughouthisorherlifethatdefinesitssuccess,nottheendingpoint.ThefirstGreekimmigrantscrossedtheoceanwithnopapers,no knowledge of the language and no money at all. They managed not only to survive, but to build a life forthemselvesandtheirfamilies,toestablishverysoundfoundations.These‘everydayheroes’aretheexamplesthatImostlylookupto!”MENTORS&INSPIRATION
AsaleaderinaglobalHelleniccommunity,weaskedhowgeographiclocation – and relocation –may have inspired or influenced ConsulKoubarakis. “Growing up as part of the Greek community inSwitzerland, I experienced first‐hand the struggle of keeping thetradition, religion, language and culture alive outsidemy country. Iwas in church every Sunday, spokeGreek, ateGreek food andowemy‘Greekness’tomyparents,whosparednoefforttoraisemysisterand me with strong Greek values. I couldn’t have had a betterexperienceformytenureasaConsulinNewYork.”Ofcourse,those in leadershipandadvisorypositionstendtohaveanumber of educational and professional mentors. Having said this,when asked pinpoint who his favorite mentor has been, ConsulKoubarakissays,“Mywife,whoismylifelongcompanionandfriend.Our whole life can and will always fit in a suitcase and she is mysteady point of reference in every different ‘harbor’. The life of adiplomat is exciting, extraordinary and full of surprises, but can beverylonelytoo,andhavingapersonwithwhomIcansharethislifeisa true blessing! As a former UN employee in Kosovo, she is anexample of a courageous woman who responded to a number ofchallenging situations and chose to live a post in a very difficultenvironment to promote human rights, not on paper, but in the
field….Ifindherexampletrulyinspiring!”Theirmutualadmirationandrespectforeachotherandthelifetheyleadtogether is veryevident and touching. Toour left is aphotographofConsul andMrs.Koubarakismarching in the2014GreekParadethispastMarch.
CHALLENGESWork‐LifeBalance:Whenaskedhowmuchtimehededicatestocareerandrelatednetworkinginitiatives,theConsulexplains that his work consists of two converging parts. “The work of a Consul consists of two parts, inside andoutsidetheConsulate,whichItrytobalanceandhonorequally.Myworkextendsbeyondmyofficehoursandalmostalways includes the entire weekend. While I believe that balance is essential to our lives, I do understand thatsacrificesarenecessaryinalong‐termcareerpath.Intheend,beingsurroundedbypeoplealmostdailyinavarietyofeventsmakesitallworthwhile.Timemanagementisachallenge,especiallywhenitcomestomylimitedfreetimeinametropolisthatoffersawidechoiceofcultural,artisticandsportevents.Let’sfaceit:therearenomagicrecipesorperfectsolutions.Sometimeswork ismore important inone’s lifeandsometimes it isnot. It iscrucialnever toforgetwhyyoumadethechoiceofprofessionyoudidandkeepenjoyingwhatyouloveaboutit!“Work‐Lifebalanceisanongoing,notalwayssuccessfuleffort. Ibelieveinproperplanning.Whenyourfreetimeislimited,there isnotimeto lose!Agoodrest isaprerequisiteforaproductivedayandprioritizinghasbecomemymostinvaluabledevelopingskill!”Problem‐Solving:Whenaskedabouttheprofessionalchallengeshefacesandhowheworksthroughthem,ConsulKoubarakisexplains that this isdefinitelysomethingthat requiresawiderangeofskillandeffort.“Throughoutmycareer,whichwill last approximately 35 years, Iwill be required towork in different embassies and departmentswithintheMinistry.Thismeansaconstantchange,notonlyoflocationsbutalsoofcolleagues.Everycoupleofyearsbecomeslikeanewbeginning.Thischallengerequiresadaptability,flexibility,patienceandwillingnesstolearnfromothers.Sometimesexperienceworksagainstflexibilityandtheartoflisteningisunderestimated.Ilisten,observeandmakeasincereeffort tocompromise inall things.Ofcourse,allchangesrequire time,andas theyearspass, timestressesmemuchless!”DOWN‐TIMEInhisfreetime,ConsulKoubarakisandhiswifeenjoyreadingandtraveling,avarietyofsportsandmovies,exploringNewYork,andmeetingwithfriends.OntheirlastroadtriptotheSouthernStates,theyexploredthewildernessandnatureofthefamousnationalparksandlearnedagreatdealabouttheU.S.–thefood,music,culture–byspendingtimewiththelocals.“Ibelievethatwasthemostexcitingpartofajourney.Wetrynottopassbyplaces,buttopass‘through’differentregionsandlifestylestoexperiencethem.”WORDSOFWISDOMConsulKoubarakisoffersgreatwordsofwisdomtotoday’syoungprofessionals:“Always appreciate what you already have and be grateful, even as you fight formore. Never take anything forgrantedandbegratefulforeverysingleday!”“Stayfocusedanddon’tgiveup!Aneffortlessaccomplishmentrarelyprovidesthehappinessofahardearnedandwell‐deservedsuccess!”UPCOMINGEVENTS:FRIDAY,NOVEMBER14THThroughout the year, theConsulateGeneral ofGreeceorganizes and supports a numberof events, aiming at thepromotionofHelleniccultureandhistory.Amongtheseareexhibitions,concerts,lecturesanddaysofremembrance(Pontioi,GreekJews,etc.).OnFridayNovember14th2014,the6thConferenceoftheWorldVlachAmphictyonywilltakeplaceundertheauspicesoftheConsulateGeneralofGreece.Allareinvitedtoattend.
WHEN: Friday,November14that6pmWHERE: GreekPressandCommunicationOffice
305East47thStreet,2ndfloor,NewYork,NY10017
CONTACT:Please email us [email protected] submit preliminary inquiries about our mentoringprograms and publications. For more insight on upcoming public events sponsored by the Consulate of Greece,please “Like” them on Twitter (@GreeceinNewYork) or visit their webpage,www.mfa.gr/newyork, [email protected]:WhilethetargetedreadershipistheyoungHellenicprofessionalofNewYork,weareverypleasedthatour 47,000+ readership has expanded beyond that scope to include Hellenes and Philhellenes worldwide! Youngprofessionalsofalloriginsarewelcometocontributecommentsandquestions.
Knossos,Crete,Greece
