Kellogg alumnus receives British Council Social Action Award
Congratulations to Dimitrios Chaidas (MSt Modern Languages, 2016) who has received a Social Action Award for his commitment to reducing inequality and advancing educational opportunities across communities.
The award was conferred by the British Council Study UK Alumni Awards in Greece, organised in partnership with the British Embassy in Athens, and with the support of the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, the British Graduates Society (BGS) and UK Alumni Associations in Greece.
These annual awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of students who have used their experience of studying at a UK university to make a positive contribution to their communities, professions and countries. As well as social action, categories span across culture, creativity, science, sustainability and business and innovation. Award winners have the opportunity to raise their international profile, expand their professional networks and enhance their careers.
The awards were announced at a prestigious award ceremony on Wednesday 21 February 2024, hosted by the British Ambassador HE Matthew Lodge and Director of the British Council in Greece and Cyprus, Anastasia Andritsou.
On accepting the award Dimitrios said:
This social action award is a testament to the power of education, to what teams and partnerships can accomplish in the service of common good. No sustainable development can be achieved if this development is not inclusive and for all. I am proud that this award came almost one week after Greece took a big step towards equality by providing the right to marriage to the LGBTIQA+ community.
Dimitrios is now planning to take his expertise to larger projects, foster more partnerships between stakeholders and make use of digital technologies for sustainable and inclusive development. He recently founded DevComm LP in Greece, a communications company that designs and implements regional, national and international projects advancing sustainable development.
Dimitrios Chaidas is a Communication and Strategy Consultant with vast experience in EU and UN projects. He has served as Vice President of the Onassis Scholars’ Association and has initiated various projects aimed at reducing inequalities. He has led an initiative that has mobilised 128 internationally renowned professionals to act as online career mentors to approximately 2,500 young students from more than 70 schools and 45 regions in Greece.
Dimitrios holds a Master of Science in Applied Linguistics from the University of Edinburgh and a Master of Studies in Modern Languages from the University of Oxford. He believes that his education in the UK has exposed him to interdisciplinary knowledge, global debates on inequality, societal leadership and how education can drive sustainable development.
I would like to thank the Onassis Foundation and its Onassis Scholars’ Association … A big thank you is also owed to the University of Oxford and Kellogg College which provided me with funding and exposed me to interdisciplinary knowledge, global debates on inequality, societal leadership and how education can drive sustainable development.
Dimitrios is planning to apply his expertise to larger projects, foster more partnerships between stakeholders and make use of digital technologies for sustainable and inclusive development.