A series of knowledge scattered in economic theory, but also what he knows from everyday life in current economic issues (such as inflation and a country’s monetary policy) had to be mobilized by 17-year-old student of the 2nd High School, Anastasis Vasiliadis, to answer the question, what would be the possible effects of Greece’s exit from the eurozone and why would a devaluation of the currency be recorded. Thanks to her but also to all the other answers he gave in his final panhellenic competition her Economic Olympiadhe won first place among 3007 children from 168 schools in the country and in September he will go to Bratislava, Slovakia for the international Economic Olympiad.

“Answering these kinds of questions requires a combination of information from economic theory and real knowledge from real events. Issues to consider are related to public debt, money flow in the economy, competitiveness and many more economic indicators, while critical thinking and a good knowledge of economic implications are required. In general, in economics, any move brings a counter-movement and everyone should be able to perceive the chain reaction that can cause a change in the status quo” he points out to APE-MPE.

Referring to the Economic Olympiad, he emphasizes that it includes a broad knowledge of microeconomics, macroeconomics and international economics, while also looking at critical thinking and what could happen in real-world conditions. Speaking about himself, he notes that his personal interest in the economy arose from his general interest in social sciences, economics and international relations and adds: “I remember from a young age watching Greece’s participation in international organizations that promote economic growth. At the same time, I saw how the pandemic had an effect on the economy and on everyday life. All this created in me a love for the subject, an interest to explore the subject further and the more I deal with economics and international relations, the more the interest grows. I certainly wish to study in this area, but I leave the possibilities open, so that I can specialize in the future as a person should have a multi-faceted education with knowledge from many fields”.

When asked about the secret of his success, Anastasis Vassiliadis answers: “he wants madness, dreams, love for what everyone does. He needs to be able to try things that will take him out of his comfort zone and it will work on a personal level.”

Anastasis is a scholarship holder and boarder at the Anatolia American College from Alexandroupoli. The final of the competition took place at the premises of the College of Psychikos.