Alexandros Vovidis

Activist, Connector, Event planner, Foodie, Gay, Global soul, Student, Writer/Editor

When I turned 18, I realized the significance of joining and building communities. These communities provide a sense of reliability, safety, and support, enabling individuals to achieve their personal and professional goals. During my first years of studies at the American College of Greece, I actively participated in various clubs, organizations, and societies. These experiences honed my skills in public speaking, teamwork, problem-solving, and leading large groups, which have proven invaluable in all my areas of expertise. Some notable volunteer activities I’ve been involved in include the Heritage Greece Program, curated by the National Hellenic Society; the Meaningful Engagement Trip, organized by the American College of Greece; and TEDxPanteionUniversity 2021-2023.

Ideas that unite people, provoke thought, encourage reevaluation, foster forgetting, and promote learning.

As I grow older, I’ve come to realize that trauma is something we all experience. It’s not about simply putting it behind us because everyone’s exposure to trauma is different, and it manifests in various ways. Instead, it’s about learning to unlearn. We’ve all grown up in different ways, but as we age and gain wisdom, we need to unlearn the information our parents taught us that may be incorrect or the societal norms that shape our perceptions of others. This is crucial for developing our own independent thinking, free from biases, prejudices, stereotypes, and harmful jokes that perpetuate racism, homophobia, or transphobia. We must also challenge the normalization of these prejudices and work towards legislating them or making them official, as no one questions the ethical implications of jokes or comments that cause harm.

Event Planning, Leadership, Management Skills, Problem Solving, Public Speaking, Team Work

I learned how to lead before I learned how to stay, and that lesson shaped everything that followed. I started at Deree in 2017, at 18, and immediately found something I had been looking for. A community. I joined student organizations that gave me a sense of belonging and purpose, including the LGBT+ Club, where we worked closely with the college to help make the campus a safer and more inclusive place. Through seminars, workshops, and debates, I learned how dialogue can create change within institutions. Alongside this, I participated in volunteer programs in Ioannina and with Heritage Greece, where I guided and supported Greek American students, toured Athens with them, and acted as a peer and cultural bridge. These experiences taught me the power of connection, responsibility, and showing up for others. At 22, I joined TEDxPanteionUniversity, where I was introduced to leadership and the pressure of building something meaningful in public. At 23, I continued with the team, taking on more responsibility while quietly questioning my place in academia. Shortly after, I stepped away from college for three years. During that time, I kept contributing through work, volunteering, and organizing, while carrying the belief that progress had to look linear to be valid. In 2024, at 25, I returned to Deree with a different understanding of success. My story is about unlearning the idea that leadership requires perfection and uninterrupted progress. Responsibility often comes before clarity, especially for young people, and we are rarely taught how to carry it without burning out. Through my experience, I am learning to replace performance with presence and redefine leadership as something human, sustainable, and honest. This talk is not about success, but about what it costs, and how unlearning old expectations can help us lead without losing ourselves.

Singing. I always perform in my room in front of 60.000 people like Taylor Swift in THE ERAS TOUR.