Η Elisabete Botsaris η Ελληνίδα από τη Βραζιλία, απόγονος του Μάρκου Μπότσαρη, επιτέλους απέκτησε την ελληνική ιθαγένεια. Έδινε αγώνες επί 16 χρόνια για να φτάσει τελικά η πολυπόθητη μέρα και η Ελληνική Πολιτεία, διά της Προέδρου Δημοκρατίας κ. Σακελλαροπούλου να της δώσει αυτό που της ανήκε πάντα: την ελληνική ιθαγένεια.
Έτσι, τολμούμε να πούμε περήφανα ότι εισακούσθηκε και η δική μας φωνή. Έπιασαν τόπο και τα δικά μας δημοσιεύματα τα οποία στηλίτευαν το γεγονός της απίστευτης ολιγωρίας της Πολιτείας να μην δίνει επί τόσα χρόνια την ελληνική ιθαγένεια σε μια ελληνίδα και όχι μια τυχαία ελληνίδα αλλά την απόγονο του Μάρκου Μπότσαρη.
H Elisabete Botsaris είναι μια ελληνίδα που μένει επί χρόνια στη Βραζιλία και δραστηριοποιείται εκεί.
Δείτε τι γράφαμε για την Ελισάβετ:
Η συνέντευξη δόθηκε στα Αγγλικά
Your adventure has already become well known. Not only is your name famous because you come directly from the brave hero Markos Botsaris, but the Greek state deprives you of the Greek citizenship. You’ve been trying to get it for the last 15 years (if I remember well) and you always fail, not because of you but because of the Greek state. Doesn’t it make you feel sickened of your Greek ancestry?
I am proud of my Greek name and I know what it represents in the history of Greece, since before Markos Botsaris’ achievements, the Botsaris family has been fighting and serving with love for the homeland, giving their body, blood and soul to the Greek cause. Until the generation of my father, Vassilios Mihail Botsaris, all of my family protected Greece with all their efforts. I regret that I now have to face Greek bureaucracy to get my recognition. I understand this situation as a great shame for the Greek state.
There are about 25.000 Greeks who live permanently in Brazil, most of them in Sao Paolo. We want to create a site which will address to all Greeks who live all around the world. How do you find the idea of having a site where you can find news about Greeks in the different countries of the world?
I believe it is very interesting to have a website where Greeks around the world can obtain information, however I believe that fundamentally this should be an obligation of the Greek state and not a private initiative. We Greeks who live outside Greece need clear and correct information on various subjects and not just curiosities about Greek culture. This alienation of true information about processes is something that takes time and money, so we first need to have the fundamentals.
Would you like to learn about Greeks who have great success in different sectors in the countries they act? Which sectors would you specifically prefer?
Here in Brazil, we Greeks and descendants lack all information. Many arrived here through the diaspora and do what they can to maintain the traditions and customs that were taught by their ancestors.
Do you think that Greek communities apply Greek traditions? The Greek community, for example in Brazil where you live respects customs and Greek traditions.
Yes, I’ve been to Greece five times and I can see that here in Brazil the customs and traditions are the same. The first Greeks who arrived did everything they could to maintain the family culture, teaching the new generations. However, in recent decades this legacy is being lost, Greek members are dying and the new generations do not have support from the Greek authorities, since we do not have a Greek school here in São Paulo. I believe that the essence of Greek customs and traditions is greatly reinforced when shared with the community and not just within the home.
I think you are fond of the idea of putting links for Greek history on our site. Tell us more about it, and tell us your opinion.
Yes, I really liked the possibility of including historical themes, as I wrote previously, we lack everything here. Any initiative to encompass Greek people and unite through culture is valuable. Unfortunately, our efforts here are still small within the global scenario. We do what is within our possibilities. But as I always say: It’s not easy being Greek in Brazil! Year after year I see the Hellenic community in São Paulo getting smaller and less expressive. I’m very sorry and I do what I can to help my community.
Any positive initiative is valid, however, without the basics, I don’t see great prospects for real evolution. We need to think about the collective and not just individual interests.