Giorgos A. Papandreou (June 16, 1952) is the Honorary President of the Socialist International, a politician, a Member of Parliament, and a former President of PASOK (February 8, 2004 – March 18, 2012). He also served as the 11th Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic (October 6, 2009 – November 11, 2011), following his party’s victory in the October 4, 2009 elections.<

He was born in 1952 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. At that time, his father, the future Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou, held a university position at the University of Minnesota. His mother is Margarita Chant, from Elmhurst, Illinois, USA. He is also the grandson of former Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou. The Papandreou family’s political roots are in Kalentzi, Achaia.

He studied sociology at Amherst College in Massachusetts, USA, from 1970-1975, and earned a master’s degree in sociology of development from the London School of Economics, UK (1975-1977). He also pursued postgraduate studies in Stockholm and attended postgraduate courses at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University.

He has worked in the USA, Sweden, and Canada. He speaks English, French, and Swedish. He has two children, Andreas and Margarita-Helena.

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Honorary President of the Socialist International
• Vice-President of the International Olympic Truce Center
• President of the Committee for Democracy of the Council of Europe
• Member of the Board of the Foundation for Mediterranean Studies
• Vice-President of the Center for Studies and Self-Education
• Founding Member of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly
• Founding Member of the Balkan Cooperation Initiative
• Coordinator of the Committee for Greece’s bid for the 2004 Olympics

INTERNATIONAL HONORS

• Awarded by the World Health Organization for his firm anti-smoking stance and adoption of strict relevant legislation, June 3-6, 2011
• Quadriga 2010 award at the Berlin Concert Hall, for the 20th anniversary of German reunification, in the "Power for Truth" category
• Awarded the Grand Cross "Sun of Peru" by the Peruvian Foreign Minister Allan Wagner Tizon, October 31, 2003
• Award: Defender of Democracy by Parliamentarians for Global Action, Washington, D.C., September 17, 2003
• Italy: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (2003)
• Hungary: Senior Commander of the Order of Merit (2003)
• Awarded the humanitarian award "Jackie Robinson" by the United States Sports Academy (USSA), July 26, 2002
• Vatican: Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX by the Holy See Ambassador Mgr Paul Tabet, representative of Pope John Paul II (Athens, November 11, 2002)
• Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique (2002)
• Belgium: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (2001)
• Spain: Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (2001)
• Eastwest Institute 2000 Awards – Peace Building Awards: Awarded "Man of the Year 2000" with Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, for outstanding services in improving bilateral relations, May 2, 2000
• Germany: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, First Class (2000)
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre and awarded the Grand Cross by the Patriarch of Jerusalem Diodoros I (September 30, 1999)
• Sweden: Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (1999)
• Austria: Grand Cross of the Order of Honour, First Class (1999)
• Estonia: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Star (1999)
• Botsis Foundation Award for "Promotion of Journalism and his multifaceted efforts to establish Free Radio as an institution of our democratic polity" (1988)
• Spain: Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (1998)
• Special Peace and Friendship Award Abdi Ipekci (June 1997) "for his activities in favor of Greek-Turkish rapprochement during 1995 – 1996 as Minister of Education"
• Award from the organization "SOS Racism" for his contribution to the fight against
• Racism and Xenophobia (1996)
• Poland: Senior Commander of the Order of the Polish Republic (1996)
• Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion (1996)
• Ukraine: Commander of the Order of Yaroslav (1996)