On Saturday, April 25, as part of the 11th Delphi Economic Forum, the Director General for Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Katerina Koika, spoke with Katerina Sokou, journalist for the newspaper “Kathimerini,” about, among other topics, Public Diplomacy, support for the Greek diaspora, and the promotion of the Greek language abroad.

Ms. Koika stressed that “today, ongoing geopolitical developments and international crises in the global communications environment underscore the urgent need for a new communication strategy to promote Greece’s image abroad. In this context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, having recognized this necessity, is elevating public diplomacy into an operational tool within the framework of a coherent and holistic approach.”

As she noted, “the Strategic Plan for Public Diplomacy, which is expected to be presented soon, covers areas such as culture, foreign economic policy, our country’s positions on major international issues, such as migration, the environment, and energy, as well as the Greek diaspora, which, by its very nature, can serve as a multiplier of these messages.”

Ms. Koika referred to the efforts over the past two years to develop a coherent, impactful policy to support the Greek language and Hellenic Studies programs at universities abroad, with the support of the Greek Diaspora. In the same context, she also highlighted the initiative to provide scholarships to members of the Greek diaspora and to foreign nationals, to cultivate a new generation of “philhellenes.”

Regarding the resources and modern tools available to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Koika referred, among other things, to the digital platform Global Media Center, which in the future will also serve as the support arm of a platform incorporating artificial intelligence tools for combating and managing disinformation.

The 22nd Thessaloniki International Book Fair (TBF) takes place from Thursday, May 7, to Sunday, May 10, 2026, at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition & Congress Center (TIF-HELEXPO), featuring the theme “Generation of Readers / Book Generators” (GeneReaders_BookGenerators), with Bulgaria as the Guest of Honour.

This year’s Fair hosts 318 exhibitors (publishers and organizations), including 30 publishing houses participating for the first time. A total of 330 events for adults will take place. There will be 25 international authors traveling to Thessaloniki, while 40 distinguished professionals from major publishing houses around the world will take part in the fellowship programme. Additionally, 8 prominent representatives of international organizations and ministries will participate in the professional programme, along with 3 authors connected to the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL). For younger audiences, 104 events for children and teenagers will be organized by 40 publishing houses and 17 educational and cultural institutions.

https://www.greeknewsagenda.gr/thessaloniki-international-book-fair-2026-welcomes-the-global-book-community/