ΤΟ ΙΔΡΥΜΑ PACKARD ΑΠΑΝΤΗΣΕ...

Η πολυπόθητη απάντηση από τον κ. David Packard, ήρθε στα χέρια μου την Τετάρτη το μεσημέρι. Πέρασε αρκετός καιρός αλλά επιτέλους υπήρξε απάντηση. Προσωπικά την κρίνω θετική, στο μέτρο που εμείς θα ενεργοποιηθούμε προκειμένου να διεκδικήσουμε και να επιτύχουμε την πολυπόθητη αναβάθμση της πόλης.
Δεν έχω αυταπάτες, ούτε περπατώ στα σύννεφα. Ο δρόμος είναι μακρύς, δύσκολος και σπαρμένος με αγκαθια. Όμως αν ξέρεις στο τέλος του δρόμου αυτού θα αλλάξει δραστικά η ζωή σου, επιλέγεις να τον βαδίσεις ακόμη κι αν είσαι ξυπόλητος.
Σας παραθέτω το απαντητικό mail του κ. John Camp, συνεργάτη του κ. Packard, προκειμένου να εξάγεται μόνοι σας τα συμπεράσματα (θα με συγχωρήσουν οι μη αγγλομαθείς διότι παραθ΄τω την απάντηση αυτούσια στην αγγλική, προκειμένου να μην αλλοιωθεί το ακριβές νόημα. Θα ακολουθήσει και η μετάφραση):

""Dear Sotirios,

My apologies for the long silence; I have been traveling (England and Turkey for most of March) and it has taken me some time to find Dr. Packard.
His answer is in the middle area. Because of the economic situation, the Foundation is not in a position to distribute the amounts of money he was prepared to invest 10 years ago. It is hoped and expected that Hewlett/Packard value will go up again, but that is obviously uncertain, as is the timing. And, as I have indicated, we have tried so many times and so many ways in the past that it is not clear that this new approach will work any better. Nonetheless, he was pleased to learn of the local, civic interest in the project (which we both regard as essential) and he still thinks it worth excavating parts of the Cadmeia.
He is certainly willing to explore the possibilities, though, as I mentioned, the proposal, even if based on our original one, will need to come from your side. He wondered what you would propose about moving the agora and he wondered if there was still the interest in building a research center, perhaps on the hill to the west, above the school. Would there be public land available? What sort of costs/size would you imagine for a new agora, similar to the old one?
While we understand the basic conflict between the Ministry of Culture and all local municipalities in Greece, it is clear that the Ministry cannot be ignored entirely. Just as the local administration and people could play a strong negative role, so too could Ministry officials. Without their support it is hard to see how the project could go forward effectively. Some sort of agreement and understanding with them is necessary.
These were the issues that interested or concerned him. The answer, like the future, cannot be entirely clear in these circumstances, but I am still willing to try to go forward if you and your colleagues would like to.
I leave for the States for 6 weeks this Saturday, though we can continue e-mail correspondence during my absence.
My best wishes to you and the mayor and the others I had the pleasure of meeting earlier this year. John"".

Κατόπιν αυτών νομίζω ότι μπορούμε να ελπίζουμ ότι αν δράσουμε συντονισμένα κι οργανωμένα σαν τοπική κοινωνία, κι ενωμένοι πάνω απ' όλα, θα πετύχουμε ότι δεν έχει επιτευχθεί δεκαετίες και δεκαετίες τώρα στη νεώτατη ιστορία της Θήβας.