The European Cultural Delphi Centre (E.C.D.C.) a cultural institution in Greece aiming at exploring humanistic thought and promoting dialogue on the pressing questions of our time, has launched in 2023 the international symposium “Delphi Dialogues,” which aims to explore key aspects of humanity’s journey toward its emerging future, and to contribute through concrete proposals and the promotion of global critical thinking.

Renowned thinkers and scientists of global stature gather in Delphi to discuss urgent contemporary issues and challenges that humanity will soon be called upon to face. Now in its third year, and under the auspices of H.E. the President of the Republic,
Mr. Konstantinos An. Tasoulas, Delphi Dialogues 2025 will focus on the theme of Biopolitics, Bioethics, and Democracy.

As noted by Harvard University Professor and President of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi Professor Panagiotis Roilos, the unprecedented developments across many scientific fields — most notably in medicine, biomedical research, genetic engineering, computer science, and physics — as well as in technology (including artificial intelligence), are providing political (and economic) centers of power with highly advanced mechanisms and tools of "biopolitics", i.e., the management, regulation, surveillance, and overall shaping of critical aspects of citizens' lives. He highlights that the Third Delphic Dialogues will explore a series of complex questions arising from this new reality, including:

• How are the principles and priorities of bioethics being redefined as a result of these developments, particularly in medicine and genetic technology?
• To what extent and in what ways can a balance be achieved between the concentration of scientific and technological capital and knowledge in a few research and business entities, on the one hand, and the protection and expansion of democratic ideals and political rights, on the other?
• What threats do these highly complex and advanced biopolitical mechanisms pose to democratic institutions?

The Third Delphi Dialogues with take place between Friday 20 and Saturday 21 June 2025 at Delphi, one of the most emblematic sites of ancient Greek thought, regarded by ancient Greeks as the center of the world. One of the founding mission of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi, is to develop Delphi as a European and global hub of intellectual life.

As Professor Andreas Gofas, Director of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi, states:

“From the very beginning of its operation, the European Cultural Centre of Delphi has served as a beacon of culture and reflection, centered on the human being and Democracy. Today, as the concepts of biopolitics and bioethics return to the forefront with renewed urgency, the Centre emerges as an ideal space for dialogue on the critical questions of our time.

In the 21st century, advances in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and the life sciences not only affect our daily lives but also raise fundamental questions about the meaning of human existence in the future and society’s responsibility toward human life. Political decisions concerning the body, health, reproduction, and the technological enhancement of the human being define a new arena—one in which ethics, science, and democratic accountability intersect with increasing intensity.

In the deeply historic setting of Delphi—a place long associated with prophecy, wisdom, and deliberation—the convening of the Third Delphic Dialogues offers a unique opportunity for meaningful reflection on how modern technologies and the politics of biopower influence democracy, freedom, and human dignity. Here, where plurality of voices and the synthesis of ideas have always been core values, the conditions are ideal for reexamining the principles we wish to see govern our contemporary civilization.”

Τhe 2025 Delphi Dialogues international symposium will feature a distinguished roster of speakers whose work spans a wide array of disciplines and critical global concerns. Together, they will explore the multifaceted ethical, political, and philosophical dimensions of biopolitics, democracy, and scientific advancement in our rapidly evolving world.

Daniel Wikler (Harvard University) will address the challenges of bioethics in an era of disinformation, probing the ways in which truth, trust, and public health intersect in the digital age.

Frédéric Keck (CNRS – Collège de France) will explore the democratic potential of cynegetic power, drawing lessons in wisdom from the practices and insights of virus hunters.

Elaine Scarry (Harvard University) will present a thought provoking examination titled “Thermonuclear Monarchy: Can a Single Speech Act Destroy All Civilization?”, investigating the concentration of destructive power and its implications for democratic sovereignty.

Michael Hardt (Duke University) will discuss democracy and the global war regime, reflecting on how conflict infrastructures reshape civic life and political agency on a planetary scale.

Demetrios Yatromanolakis (The Johns Hopkins University) will trace the trajectory of biopolitics from Plato’s political pragmatism to post-human cybernetics, illuminating the continuity and disruption in philosophical approaches to life, governance, and technology.

James Faubion (Rice University) will offer insights on antibiopolitics and bioautology, advancing a new conceptual vocabulary for understanding the regulation of life and the self in the contemporary biopolitical landscape.

Didier Fassin (Collège de France) will confront the inequality of lives as an ethical challenge to democracy, interrogating the moral imperatives and failures of institutions that value some lives over others.

Timothy Campbell (Cornell University) will conclude with a reflection on the uses of democracy, proposing a reframing of biopolitics that reclaims democratic potential amid escalating technological control.

The dialogues will officially kick off on Friday, June 20, 2025, at 17:30, in the "Frynichos" Hall of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi and the whole symposium will be streamed live online, allowing global audiences to participate in this vital conversation on biopolitics, democracy, and ethics.

Live Stream: eccd.gr/delphidialogues2025

The symposium proceedings will be published in a dedicated special edition, available after the event.

I.L.

The post Democracy, Ethics, and Power in the Age of Biopolitics: The Third Delphi Dialogues appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

The Secretary-General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy, Prof. John Chrysoulakis, sent a powerful message on dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and respect for cultural diversity within the framework of the International Conference on “Islam and Human Rights in the European Union” that was recently held in Thessaloniki, Greece (23-25 September 2021). The conference was co-organized by the European Consortium for Church and State Research, the School of Law, the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence “European Constitutionalism and Religion(s)”, and the School of Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

John Chrysoulakis started his keynote speech by stressing that the topics chosen for this year's conference could not be more relevant with what is happening in our area nowadays. More specifically, Mr Chrysoulakis noted:

“This side of Europe, Middle East, and North Africa are associated with common history with Greece for thousands of years. Cultures, religious and philosophical systems that were born and flourished in this region were mutually influenced but they were also the basis for the further development of the countries in the wider geographical area. Even the most diverse cultures and religions coexisted and found fertile ground for further development. Muslims, Christians and people of older religions formed multicultural and multi-religious societies in some areas. Nowadays they are threatened by extremist ideas which invoke extreme religious projects and try to turn back times of history reviving forgotten animosities and rivalries.

As it happened in the case of Turkey’s decision to convert to a mosque two brilliant examples that are timeless symbols of the coexistence of peoples, cultures, and religions, the Hagia Sophia and the Church of Chora. Monuments that received, especially for their symbolism, the designation of World Heritage Sites. In fact, Turkey itself, by its own actions was characterizing these two monuments as museums, for almost 80 years, recognizing their inter-religious and intercultural character. However, today regrettably, they cut themselves off from this role and use it for political exploitation, by provoking hostilities and rivalries that had faded many years ago.

Indeed, Greek and Islamic cultures are two elements that are clearly recognized in the history of the Mediterranean Basin. Their contacts and interactions have created historical and cultural ties between the two cultures to such an extent that we could hardly study the historical course of one from the 8th-century onwards, without direct or indirect reference to the other.

In the first steps of Islamic civilization, most of the literary achievements of the Hellenistic world were translated into Arabic, expanding in this way the vocabulary and idioms of the Arabic language. Through this meeting of cultures and the assimilation of the achievements of Greek culture, the spiritual curiosity and enthusiasm of the intellectuals of Islam develop and give new impetus to fields such as medicine, mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, architecture, and alchemy. A typical example of this interaction is the exact rendering of Hippocrates' oath in Arabic in the 9th century, as long as the core of Arabic medicine comes from Greek medicine and physiology. Following this tradition path, Arabic medicine has been developed and evolved, promoting science and then dominating through Latin translations in European medicine until the 16th century.

Basic elements of Greek philosophy, found enthusiastic supporters and translators among the intellectuals and philosophers of Islam, who attempted, in the 9th and 10th centuries, to balance between the truth of religious faith and the truth based on the study of human reasoning.

This is reflected exactly in the love for the hoarded knowledge that Greek culture bequeathed to the Arabs. The first organized libraries of the Arab world in the 9th and 10th centuries are centers of study and promotion of science, according to the standards of libraries of the Hellenistic period (Alexandria, Pergamon, Caesarea, Palestine, etc.), thus helping to develop a kind of Arab-Islamic cultural consciousness. At the same time, this contact gave the opportunity to save extracts of the ancient Greek tradition, whose originals were lost, due to their translation into Arabic.

It is interesting to remind that during the time of the great Arab philosophers, Al-Farabi, Al-Ghazali, Avicenna, or Averroes, it was not easy to find adequate philosophers of that caliber in the West. As a consequence, they began to turn to great personalities of antiquity, who had begun to become accessible thanks to the extensive translation work of Syrian and Arabic translators. Therefore, Islam can be considered, in many respects, as an interlocutor of Greek antiquity and Byzantium playing a particular role in the preservation and cultivation of the Greek cultural heritage for the rest of the world.

The belief in human reasoning skills which has the potential to use its knowledge to organize the human life, on the basis of rights and obligations, which consist the heart of Aristotle’s and Plato’s works, created the core of shaping the concept of human rights in the Islamic world, too.

Islam has recognized basic Human Rights and almost 14 centuries ago, it set up guarantees and safeguards. Unfortunately, based on socio-historical reasons (such as the descent of the Mongols and the destruction of Baghdad and the House of Wisdom in the middle of the 13th century), the cultural expansion was halted against Islam after the 13th century, the religious structures hardened and philosophy was gradually subordinated to theology and formalist jurisprudence, giving the dimension of the attribution of any rights to God.

Thus, the latter tends to become the center of attention even in our days. However, Muslim states aim to promote critical scientific thought, human rights, peaceful coexistence, freedom of religion within the limits set by the principles of that religion. They are slipping indeed in acts that led to the shrinking and introversion of Islam, depriving their countries of every possibility of scientific, political, social, and economic development. The contemporary Islamic practice, in many respects, does not conform to the true principles of Islam. The implementation though of international human rights norms in any society requires thoughtful and well-informed engagement with religion (broadly defined) because of its strong influence on human belief systems and behavior. Let us hope that the public discussion on the issue will bear fruits in the near future.

The contemporary Islamic practice in many respects does not conform to the true principles of Islam. The implementation though of international human rights norms in any society requires thoughtful and well-informed engagement with religion (broadly defined) because of its strong influence on human belief systems and behavior. Let us hope that the public discussion on the issue will bear fruits in the near future.

At that point, Mr Chrysoulakis invited the conference attendees to recall in memory the legacy and practical advice of a powerful personality, whose contribution was a turning point in the history of protection of human rights that consist the fundamental principle of Democracy: the first chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Eleanor Roosevelt, who as early as 1958, has stated:

“Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home -- so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any map of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person: the neighborhood he [or she] lives in; the school or college he [or she] attends; the factory, farm, or office where he [or she] works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world. Thus we believe that the destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities”.

In conclusion, after wishing every success to the Conference’s work, Mr Chrysoulakis expressed his confidence that it will trigger many fruitful thoughts in the future. It should be undoubtedly, a common and peaceful future for all the people of the region. As Greeks, he added, we fully understand this way of thinking because the interaction of our culture allows us to communicate with our neighbor and leads us to a constructive dialogue between us. A fact that effortlessly reminds us of a basic condition that is none other than respect for cultural diversity”.

Read also via GNA: Secretary-General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy John Chrysoulakis on promoting Greece to the international public; Hagia Sophia: The violation of a symbol

E.S.

The post “Islam and Human Rights in the EU”: Sec Gen for Greeks Abroad and PD, J. Chrysoulakis, sends a powerful message on dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and respect for cultural diversity appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Athens Music Week (AMW) was launched for the first time in 2019, as a weeklong music marathon aiming to "celebrate cultural and creative diversity", turning Athens into a showcase for the contemporary Greek music scene; in 2020, it took a "phygital" form, combining physical events with a high-quality digital experience. Still in keeping with the current restrictions, AMW 2021 presents its Hybrid edition (22-26 June), allowing anyone interested to register and attend the events via livestreaming, free of charge.

AMW functions as a Boutique showcase festival & conference, with the main goal to foster connections among music and art professionals from international markets, allow them to promote their work on an international level, exchange knowledge and practices, discuss issues faced by the music industry and discover new artists and ideas, with an emphasis on the productions of Greece and the Balkans.

This year, AMW features 67 speakers, including music industry professionals, company CEOs, managers, producers, curators, journalists, musicians etc. in 10 panel discussions, 4 talks, 5 webinars and 5 workshops; it also features 9 original project pitches as well as 19 showcases by young solo artists and bands from Greece and other countries. The event will culminate with a live show on the main stage of Technopolis - City of Athens on 26 June, featuring Greek artists "who made an impact, climbed to the top of the charts, became viral sensations, and ruled the social media this last year".

the events will take place in front of live audiences but will also be broadcast for online audiences, who will even be able to participate in Q&A sessions. Discussions and lectures will predominantly focus on the issues faced by the music industry in light of the latest worldwide developments.

AMW is organized by Technopolis - City of Athens and the non-profit organisation MESO Music Events, whose team is responsible for the national coordination of the European Music Day organisers’ network in Greece; it is also supported by the European networks Jump – European Music Market Accelerator and Hub for The Exchange of Music Innovation (HEMI), both co-financed by the EU’s "Creative Europe" Programme.

The panels, talks and workshops of the conference will touch on a number of different subjects, including the evolution of AR-VR music festivals & gaming, the way blockchain technology and NFTs shape the future of music, the position of women in the music industry & the cultural sector, the future of music distribution and the opportunities within the EU, Digital Strategy for online success, the tools for a successful crowd-funding campaign and, of course, the way that Covid-19 continues to affect the music industry, especially concerts and live gigs.

Good Job Nicky, Atomic Love and Solmeister will perform live at Technopolis

Among AMW 2021’s speakers you will find some of the most distinguished industry professionals, popular artists, and representatives of international networks and organisations, such as Shabaka Hutchings (members of the bands The Comet is Coming, Sons of Kemet and Shabaka & the Ancestors), Melanie Parejo (Head of Music for Southern Europe at Spotify), Chris Cooke (Co-Founder and MD of Complete Music Update), Marie Fol (Project Manager for Keychange), Claudia Schwarz (Co-Founder & VP MusicTech Germany) and Υvan Boudillet (TheLynk).

As an event dedicated to music, AMW features a number of showcases by young, up-and-coming artists from Greece and Europe, who will give a taste of the latest trends and innovations in music production, from hip hop, rock and punk to electronic, jazz and Balkan funk. On the last day of the events, Saturday 26 June, AMW will culminate in a live show by up-and-coming Greek performers.

See the full programme here.

Read also via Greek News Agenda: Athens Music Week - Phygital edition; 20th Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival *hybrid edition; Radio Producer Makis Milatos: "There’s a Vivid New Greek Music Scene Out There"; Giannis Petridis: "We live in an era that ultimately favors commercial music"

N.M.

The post Athens Music Week – Hybrid edition appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Cities across the world are gradually starting to play a greater role in addressing challenges at the international level, from climate change and immigration to the health and security of citizens. As cities become global actors developing international partnerships and synergies with other cities or global actors, the concept of city diplomacy needs to be defined and analyzed.

GNA presents an insightful interview about city diplomacy with Dr Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi, one of the speakers at Public Diplomacy Talks 2021, an online event organized for the second consecutive year by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greeks Abroad and the Secretariat General for Greeks Abroad & Public Diplomacy). The topic of this year’s PD Talks is “City Diplomacy: Creating Global Networks” and the event will take place on Wednesday, June 16th, at 17:00 EEST. 

Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi is the founder and chair of Urban Flag and a lecturer in City Diplomacy at Sciences Po Paris, École Polytechnique, and Columbia University. His primary expertise and research interests are in the international action of cities and their multilateral response to global challenges such as sustainable development, intercultural dialogue, and digital transition.

Lorenzo gained extensive practical experience in these areas, serving as an officer of the City of Milan’s International Relations Department and as an advisor and content strategist to the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF). He is currently an advisor on city diplomacy strategies to numerous municipalities, city networks, and international organizations. He is the author of “City Diplomacy” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020), the first global handbook of such a field.

A member of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Fellowship Program, Lorenzo holds a dual Ph.D. in Political Theory from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociale (EHESS) in Paris and the Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali “Guido Carli” (LUISS) in Rome.

Dr Lorenzo spoke to GNA* about the increasing role of cities in the global community illustrating the relation between city diplomacy and place branding. Dr Lorenzo also analyzed the role of community stakeholders in the transnational networks that municipalities are trying to forge, while he shared with us his advice for an impactful city diplomacy strategy as it is described in his latest book.

The role of cities in the global community is greatly increasing, and many cities are gradually becoming significant international actors. What is the scope of city diplomacy, and how can transnational networks help municipalities deal with global challenges such as climate change, migration, social inequalities, etc.?

City diplomacy refers to the ability of municipalities around the world to pursue local interests and promote universal values through international partnerships. Although it has existed for over a century, this practice has achieved great popularity over the last ten years, mainly thanks to the action of networks of cities dedicated to tackling major global challenges. The reason for the success of these networks lies essentially in their ability to scale up the exchange of best practices, foster joint innovation, and deploy advocacy campaigns.
As a result of such impactful methodology, city diplomacy features increasingly ambitious goals. An example regarding climate change is the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, whose 10,700 member cities worldwide (215 in Greece) have jointly committed to reducing their emissions by 24 billion tons of CO2 by 2030.
Moreover, the impact of cities' international action is fuelling their ambition to actively contribute to the definition of the next global agendas. In city diplomacy terms, this means to obtain a "seat at the global table." An example of this determination took place in December 2019 in Morocco. On the eve of the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), over 150 mayors from around the world signed the Marrakech Mayors Declaration, calling on the international community to acknowledge their essential role in achieving the GCM. The objectives of the Declaration are pursued by the Mayors Migration Council, a coordinating body in which the former Mayor of Athens Georgios Kaminis participates as Special Envoy for the MMC and C40.

What is the relation between city diplomacy and the image of a city? Do you think that partnerships with other cities and international actors can contribute to place branding, and what could be the impact on the reputation and the image of a country?

It is undeniable that cities worldwide are competing to attract investment, companies, talent, tourists, and students. A primary resource in this competition is the increasingly widespread practice of city branding, aimed at defining and promoting a particularly attractive identity for the urban area.
However, it would be erroneous to identify an incompatibility between the competitive goal of city branding and city diplomacy's collaborative approach. An increasing number of cities are engaged in bilateral and multilateral initiatives to enhance their respective city branding strategies by sharing best practices and through cross-promotion activities.
Furthermore, the very fact of being a member of a famous city network such as C40, Eurocities, or the UNESCO Creative Cities Network represents a highly coveted addendum to the international brand of a city.
More and more states are endorsing and supporting their cities' international branding, integrating it into their public diplomacy strategy. Examples include the growing involvement of cities in relations between France and African countries and Chinese cities' role in the Belt and Road Initiative.

In your opinion, what should be the role of community stakeholders such as citizens, organizations, businesses, etc., in city diplomacy?

One of the key differences between nation and city diplomacies lies in the participatory approach of the second. As the closest political institution to citizens and local actors, cities are ideally positioned to foster the co-creation and co-responsibility of international activities.
This multi-stakeholder approach allows municipal administrations to integrate the ideas, energies, goals, and hopes of citizens and local actors into a unique international strategy. The most effective and appreciated diplomatic actions of cities have been designed around this approach. By creating local coalitions for international actions, citizens and students can volunteer and strengthen their skills, NGOs can enhance their global reach and impact, companies obtain visibility, and establish new partnerships abroad. Moreover, the participation of local actors - especially from the entrepreneurial sector - can allow municipalities to scale up their projects thanks to financial and in-kind contributions.

In your latest book, "City Diplomacy" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020), you are combining theory with practical evidence. What would be your advice to practitioners and city officials who wish to design and implement impactful diplomatic strategies?

As I highlight in my book, city diplomacy has the potential to jointly enhance a municipality's local and international activities through the political, financial, and technical resources deriving from international partnerships. Given that it is a relatively young field of municipal action, its role might be misunderstood or even disputed by other municipal departments. As a result, city diplomacy requires to be clearly and pedagogically identified as a priority by the mayor and the city council, which should take all the necessary steps to fully deploy its transversal contribution to the different components of the municipal government.
Once this step is completed, defining a strategy connected to local identity and specificities is paramount. Hence, the municipal staff should identify formal and informal existing links with foreign partners to assess their current and potential contribution to the city's international positioning and action. Those links include, for example, international relations between companies, NGOs, universities, museums, or those between migrants and their communities of origin. By engaging and empowering these actors, the municipal administration can design and implement an original, coherent, impactful, and widely supported international strategy.

* Interview by Ioulia Elmatzoglou

More info about the event PD Talks 2021 "City Diplomacy: Creating Global Networks"

The “Public Diplomacy Talks (PD Talks)” constitutes an annual Forum inaugurated in 2020 by the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to provide a platform for a vibrant and fruitful exchange of views and best practices on Public Diplomacy.

In the first part of this year's event Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi, founder of Urban Flag, and lecturer at Sciences Po Paris, École Polytechnique and Columbia University, Ms Sohaela Amiri, researcher at the University of Southern California and Dr. Antonios Karvounis, Head of the Interministerial Committee for the International Partnerships of Local Government, will focus on the new globalized role of the cities with examples from Greece and abroad. A discussion on cooperation and expectations regarding City Diplomacy will follow between the Mayor of Athens, Mr. Kostas Bakoyannis and the Mayor of Porto, Mr. Rui Moreira, as well as between the Mayor of Ioannina, Mr. Moses Elisaf and the Mayor of Kiryat Ono, Mr. Israel Gal. The discussion will be moderated by Ms Nektaria Stamouli, foreign affairs reporter at Athens News Agency and regional correspondent for Politico.

More info here: https://tinyurl.com/c6krr82s

Working language: English

June 16, 2021 - 17:00 EEST 

Register at: events@mfa.gr (deadline June 15)

Read also via GNA 

Public Diplomacy Talks | Beyond archaeology and tourism: A new image for Greece, in the post-pandemic world?

Join the first “Greek Public Diplomacy talks” webinar: the new initiative of the Sec Gen for Public Diplomacy

Nicholas J. Cull, Professor of Public Diplomacy at the USC, speaks to GNA about nation branding and cultural diplomacy 

I.E. 

The post PD Talks 2021 | Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi speaks to GNA about city diplomacy & the role of cities in the global community appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greeks Abroad, Mr. Konstantinos Vlasis and the Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy, Prof. John Chrysoulakis, cordially invite you to the 2nd Public Diplomacy Talks (PD Talks) on Wednesday, June 16 at 17:00 (EEST). The topic of the online event is:

City Diplomacy: Creating Global Networks

In the first part of the discussion Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi, founder of Urban Flag, and lecturer at Sciences Po Paris, École Polytechnique and Columbia University, Ms Sohaela Amiri, researcher at the University of Southern California and Dr. Antonios Karvounis, Head of the Interministerial Committee for the International Partnerships of Local Government, will focus on the new globalized role of the cities with examples from Greece and abroad. A discussion on cooperation and expectations regarding City Diplomacy will follow between the Mayor of Athens, Mr. Kostas Bakoyannis and the Mayor of Porto, Mr. Rui Moreira, as well as between the Mayor of Ioannina, Mr. Moses Elisaf and the Mayor of Kiryat Ono, Mr. Israel Gal.

The discussion will be moderated by Ms Nektaria Stamouli, foreign affairs reporter at Athens News Agency and regional correspondent for Politico.

In an international environment, where cities focus their efforts to emerge as key actors, city diplomacy is becoming more and more relevant. New technologies foster the creation of active city networks, in order to address common challenges and achieve mutual goals. Global challenges, such as climate change and COVID-19 pandemic can be effectively tackled at a local level as well. The debate on the cities’ role in a multilateral environment is becoming indispensable.

The “Public Diplomacy Talks (PD Talks)” constitutes an annual Forum inaugurated in 2020 by the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to provide a platform for a vibrant and fruitful exchange of views and best practices on Public Diplomacy.

Working language: English

Register at: events@mfa.gr (deadline June 15)

Meet the Speakers:

Dr. Lorenzo Kihlgren Grandi is the founder and chair of Urban Flag and a lecturer in City Diplomacy at Sciences Po Paris, École Polytechnique, and Columbia University. His primary expertise and research interests are in the international action of cities and their multilateral response to global challenges such as sustainable development, intercultural dialogue, and digital transition. Lorenzo gained extensive practical experience in these areas, serving as an officer of the City of Milan’s International Relations Department and as an advisor and content strategist to the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF). He is currently an advisor on city diplomacy strategies to numerous municipalities, city networks, and international organizations. He is the author of “City Diplomacy” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020), the first global handbook of such a field. A member of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Fellowship Program, Lorenzo holds a dual Ph.D. in Political Theory from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociale (EHESS) in Paris and the Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali “Guido Carli” (LUISS) in Rome.

Sohaela Amiri is Research Associate at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy (CPD) and PRGS Fellow at the RAND Corporation. Her recent research has focused on U.S. City Diplomacy, influence dynamics in international affairs, and impact assessment for public diplomacy programs.

Antonios Karvounis is working at the Hellenic Ministry of Interior and is competent for the international partnerships and European programmes of local government. He is teaching public administration at the Hellenic Open University. He studied Political Science and Public Administration at Panteion University (B.A., Phd), at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne (Phd) and at the Hellenic Open University (MSc). He has written several books and articles on city diplomacy, public administration, local government’s international affairs and European Programmes.

Read more:

Public Diplomacy Talks | Beyond archaeology and tourism: A new image for Greece, in the post-pandemic world?

Join the first “Greek Public Diplomacy talks” webinar: the new initiative of the Sec Gen for Public Diplomacy

Nicholas J. Cull, Professor of Public Diplomacy at the USC, speaks to GNA about nation branding and cultural diplomacy

The post Public Diplomacy Talks 2021 | City Diplomacy: Creating Global Networks appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Athens Music Week (AMW) was launched for the first time last year, as a weeklong music marathon aiming to "celebrate cultural and creative diversity", turning Athens into a showcase for the contemporary Greek music scene. This year, the AMW International Conference and Festival (6-21 June) takes a "phygital" form, combining physical events with a high-quality digital experience, in keeping with the current social distancing requirements.

The international conference and festival will feature 50 speakers in 12 panels, 10 meet & greets and 5 webinars, and also 28 showcases by young artists from 17 different countries; the events will take place in front of live audiences but will also be broadcast for online audiences, who will even be able to participate in Q&A sessions. Discussions and lectures will predominantly focus on the issues faced by the music industry in light of the latest worldwide developments.

AMW is hosted by Technopolis - City of Athens, in cooperation with the non-profit organisation M.E.S.O. Music Events, whose team is responsible for the national coordination of the European Music Day organisers network in Greece. This year’s edition also marks Technopolis’ collaboration with the European network Jump – European Music Market Accelerator, and also the network Hub for The Exchange of Music Innovation (HEMI), both co-financed by the EU’s "Creative Europe" Programme.

The covid-19 era has posed a number of challenges, especially regarding the future of live concerts and tours: How do managers, booking agents and festivals react to travel bans and new guidelines for limiting audiences? Are online concerts and phygital festivals the new trend, and can they replace the experience of live gigs? How can artists and music professionals be supported today? How can one promote their music business today, access new markets and get in touch with new partners? These are some of the questions to be addressed at the conference.

More than 30 acclaimed professionals from abroad will livestream their presentations; online participants include representatives from international music networks (European Music Exporters Exchange (EMEE), International Music Managers Forum (IMMF), IMPALA, YOUROPE),music conventions and major international festivals (Exit Festival - Serbia, MENT - Slovenia, Mastering the Music Business - Romania, Milano Music Week - Italy, Tallinn Music Week - Estonia),institutions promoting innovation and music business schools (Almost Famous Music Business School - Hungary, Music Innovation Hub - Italy, The School of Music Business – UK) and other music-related hubs and initiatives (The State51 Conspiracy, Wallifornia MusicTech - Belgium, TheLynk - France).

AMW of course also features representatives from the Greek music industry, including the country's largest festivals (Release Athens, EJEKT Festival, Plisskën Festival, Sónar Athens, Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival), producers, music producers, promoters, journalists, and other figures from the fields of culture and tourism, as well as local administration, who will discuss current as well as enduring issues faced by the sector, in Greece but also internationally, in the hope of developing and promoting viable solutions.

Given that AMW is an event dedicated to music, it goes without saying that it will also feature a number of performances and special showcases by young, up-and-coming artists from Greece, Turkey, and Central and Southeastern Europe, who will give a taste of the latest trends and innovations in music production. The live acts will culminate on Sunday, 21 June, on the occasion of European Music Day 2020: a music event will take place across 12 European capitals, with live broadcast around the world.

Read also via Greek News Agenda: Athens Music Week - First edition; Arts in Greece | Antonis Zouganelis on the 18th Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival; Radio Producer Makis Milatos: "There’s a Vivid New Greek Music Scene Out There"; Giannis Petridis: "We live in an era that ultimately favors commercial music"

N.M.

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The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution and celebrated each year as a national holiday on March 25, is the foundational act of the Modern Greek State. It refers to the organized struggle of the Greek Orthodox population against the Ottoman Empire, mainly in the areas of the Peloponnese, Roumeli, and the Aegean Islands. The Revolution was the result of the Greek national movement, in line and under the guidance of a rising Greek merchant class and an even smaller intellectual elite (Hatzis 2018). All in all, the Greek national project was extremely pioneering and innovative, successfully relying on multisided diasporic networks, one of the first revolutions to follow the seminal American (1776) and French (1789) ones (Kalyvas 2015), while being constantly attuned to the expectations of Western European States and publics (Tziovas 2014). The Greek people’s armed struggle and diplomatic efforts finally led to the creation of the Greek State in 1830, after a long period of warfare, but also wasteful internal conflicts (Koliopoulos and Veremis 2010); the centrality of the Greek Revolution in the trajectory of the Greek State goes without saying. Ever since, its history has been a field of lively public debate and contestation that reflects Greek society’s ever-changing preoccupations and polarizations (Beaton and Ricks 2009, Kechriotis 2011, 2013).

A brief account of the historiography of the Greek Revolution

On a more academic note, the historiography of the Greek Revolution has been the object of arduous debates within the community of Greek historians throughout the 20th century. This ongoing debate involves different epistemological perspectives (idealism, materialism, post-modernism etc.) and different methodological premises (biographical method, statistics, linguistic turn etc.). The most influential School of thought can be traced back to the seminal work of K.Th.Dimaras and was labeled the “Modern Greek Enlightenment” thesis by Dimaras himself in 1945. This historiographical current emphasizes the fundamental role of Greek intellectuals and their ideology, which reflected the impact of the Enlightenment on Europe’s periphery. At the same time, one can note the importance attributed to personalities. Dimaras’ work was pivotal in establishing the well-known dichotomy between illuminated elites and conservative social forces as an overarching interpretative framework of Modern Greek history; it is in this sense that this thesis was incorporated in the last quarter of the 20th century in modernization theories (Diamantouros 2000). Another influential current in the study of the Greek Revolution has been the historical materialist paradigm, with Nikos Svoronos as its main exponent within academia. The so-called “New History” paradigm that rose to prominence in the 1970s, with Spyros Asdrachas as its most renowned advocate, followed a rather eclectic path, by incorporating materialist concerns and an outlook on the “history of mentalities”. This tendency borrowed methodological and argumentative approaches from the French Annales School.

More recent works have taken on a variety of approaches and subjects; a novel trend is the critical revisiting of the one-sided diffusionist model of Centre-Periphery relations in favor of a more nuanced “transnational” understanding of ideological processes, where e.g. “peripheral” intellectuals are contributing and interacting on an equal par with so-called “centre” intellectuals (Dialla in Kurunmäki et al 2018). The fixation on personalities still poses problems for our understanding of the Revolution, according to critiques that have questioned the incessant production of biographical studies related to the 1821 Revolution (Amorati 2013). Calls for a history focused on networks, practices, and conditions might accordingly reinvigorate the comparative and heuristic potential of historiographical studies (Avdela et al 2018); nonetheless, one is still faced with the ever-present danger of modern day historiography, which is a fragmented micro-empiricism lacking a larger argumentation.

2021: Greek academia meets the public again

The bicentenary of the Greek revolution of 1821 stands as an excellent opportunity for a new opening up of academia to the Greek public. Greek society itself seems eager to become engaged by supporting and valuing the work of professional researchers working on Modern Greek History. Inevitably, the celebration of the 1821 bicentenary could not be spared an important amount of historical debate and reflexivity, such as e.g. the one that took place in France on the occasion of the 1789 bicentenary; even more, it seems that in the case of Greece the prospect of the bicentenary has generated a critical mass of historiographical events, conferences and publications that –possibly in line with Dimaras’ argument– point to the exemplary intellectual nature of the Greek celebrations.

First and foremost, the National and Capodistrian University of Athens, an institution created in Athens in 1837 and thus itself an immediate offspring of the Greek Revolution, has announced a series of ambitious events for 2021; these involve the participation of a multitude of renowned Greek and foreign scholars and are aimed at both specialised and non-specialised audiences, within and outside Athens; the University is also planning to inaugurate a specialised Centre for the Study of the Greek Revolution and related research grants. In the same vein, the initiative undertaken by 14 private well known non-profit foundations called Protovoulia21 (Initiative21) has given heavy emphasis on academic research, education and historiography in its programming, inside and outside Greece. Both initiatives have stated their intention to contribute in the critical re-appraisal of the trajectory of the Greek State over the course of the last 200 years. This same concern can also be found in the rationale of the most imposing initiative, Greece2021, which has been endorsed by the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic and is headed by Ms Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki. The Committee Assembly has a strong academic component and comprises some of the most well-known Greek and foreign scholars of Modern Greek history and culture; accordingly, the impact of 1821 and the trajectory of Modern Greece over the last 200 years represent two of the Committee’s four main pillars, the other two being notable Greeks and 2021 as a window of opportunity to the future. Greece2021 has followed so far a participative bottom-up approach for the preparation of its programming with an open platform for the submission of proposals. By complementing already undertaken initiatives, this dynamic approach will possibly engender new forms of public involvement in the celebrations of the bicentenary, as well as incentivise historians to engage even more with the public and further challenge their own postulates.

*Intro photo: A Greek hoisting the flag on the walls of Salona, 1821, (detail) by Louis Dupré (1789-1837)

D.G.

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The Secretariat General for Public Diplomacy, Religious and Consular Affairs of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently inaugurated a series of in-service seminars, with the first, “Public Diplomacy in Practice”, taking place in Athens on February 19, 2020. The aim of the seminar was to gather officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as from other Departments of Government and public organizations, to discuss extrovert activity and familiarize with Public Diplomacy new trends and methods, so as to promote Greece to a wider international public.

The seminar was addressed by the Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, Religious and Consular Affairs, Konstantinos Alexandris who underlined the need for Greece, following a long period of introversion, to regain foothold and promote the nation’s narrative in a systematic, coordinated and targeted way. Public diplomacy (hereafter: PD) is about understanding, informing and engaging citizens, all of which play a role in influencing public opinion in foreign countries; it is a government to people activity, thus, a significant “soft power” tool that can be used in order to promote the country abroad more effectively. Mr Alexandris also made special reference to the recent integration of the Press Counselors and Secretaries sector into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs structure, a reform capable of making a decisive contribution to promoting Greece abroad with one voice, something that was not obvious in the past years.

The seminar's program featured presentations by the following speakers:

• Zafeiris Rossides, Head of the Media Diplomacy Directorate
• Mary Vaxevanidou, Head of the International Communication Directorate of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Dimitrios Roukas, Head Physician- Psychiatrist at 417 Army Equity Fund Hospital-NIMTS

Mr Rossides’ presentation, titled “The origins of Public Diplomacy as a foreign policy tool” referred to PD as a new way of approaching foreign policy with Information acting as a “strategic equalizer” that can be transformed into a comparative advantage if managed wisely. Practically speaking, it involves the promotion of a positive image for one’s country abroad and building long-term relationships, not only through activities that address official actors, but mainly non-official ones, such as foreign citizens and non-governmental organizations, which –in combination with transparency and interactive communication– is what differentiates PD from traditional diplomacy.

Overall, PD is about communicating, on a government to people basis, a country’s ideas and ideals, its institutions and culture, as well as its national aspirations and current policies, aiming to influence attitudes or opinions of publics abroad, Mr Rossides underlined, before going on to give a brief historical background. More specifically, he noted that PD has its roots in the World War II period when the USA decided to launch an “ideological war” by creating the Office of Wartime Information (OWI) and the Voice of America with the aim to inform and have a cultural influence on a global scale. In the 1950’s, after the war was over, the staff and activities formerly carried out by OWI were transferred to the newly established agency “United States Information Agency (USIA), known overseas as the United States Information Service (USIS) aiming, among others, to diminish the influence of the Soviet Union in the Western World. For instance, examples of US PD in practice were commercial and cultural interchange programs such as the Fulbright Program. In 1999, the USIA’s staff and responsibilities were integrated into the Public Diplomacy Division of the State Department, concluded Mr Rossidis, who also referred to the case of Greek PD until the moment of its recent integration into the MFA, as well as its goals for the near future.

The floor was then given to Ms Vaxevanidou, whose presentation was titled “Public Diplomacy strategy, methodology and tools”. Ms Vaxevanidou opened her speech by analyzing the steps necessary in order to implement a strategic plan, pointing out –among others– the significance of having a mission statement, as it helps an organization define its purpose in the now and communicate it to its publics; that is why it has to be concise, clear and able to articulate what’s unique about the organization in order to build trust and rapport with an audience. Concerning strategic planning, Ms Vaxevanidou stressed the importance of situational analysis by using tools such as the SWOT analysis, which aims to identify the strengths and weaknesses internal to the organization and the opportunities and threats presented by the external environment; another tool that can be used is the PESTEL analysis, according to which each Greek Mission abroad and/or Public Diplomacy Office must conduct an external environment analysis on all levels: political (P), economic (E), social (S), technological (T), (E) environmental and (L) legal, before moving on to the next step which is to set long-term goals on what the organization intends to achieve, such as “promoting Greece as an investment place” which can then be put down to more specific and measurable objectives defining the strategies or implementation steps to attain the identified goals.  

The next step is to define the action plans for all objectives. Specifically, there are four dimensions of PD that can be formed into action plans: a) awareness (international broadcast, social media), b) appreciation (visit programs, campaigns), c) affinity (exchange programs, nation branding) and d) advocacy (collaborative programs, network initiatives). Last but not least, Ms Vaxevanidou pointed out that developing a PD Strategy is a complex and difficult task which requires deep knowledge and capabilities, as one has to deal with a foreign culture’s values that underlie behavior, which constitute the internal or subconscious part of the so-called “cultural iceberg”.

The seminar concluded with Mr Roukas’ presentation, titled “Psychological Dimensions of Public Diplomacy”, focusing on the role of psychological mechanisms and influence processes and the way they are involved in Greece’s efforts to persuade, inspire and ultimately achieve its goals through PD. Among others, he quoted Nye’s definition on PD (2005) according to which, holding a conversation with the public and achieving mutual understanding plays a pivotal role in reaching foreign policy goals.

Moreover, Mr Roukas stressed the importance of trust as it creates the context in which persuasion and influence can be used, while he also pointed out the importance of nonverbal communication for achieving messaging resonance. As far as negative message management strategies are concerned, he analyzed the processes of content and context reframing; to sum up, he referred to PD as a “battle of narratives” or a “battle for Hearts and Minds”, in which perception is reality; thus, one should not be so much preoccupied about how one will promote their activities but more about what they communicate.

See also: Sec Gen for Public Diplomacy, Religious and Consular Affairs Constantinos Alexandris on building the new image of Greece ; The practice of Greek Public Diplomacy and its contribution to the country’s image abroad

E.S.

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“Death does not scare me. Not being loved does.” | Melina Mercouri (1920-1994)

The Greek Ministry of Culture has declared 2020 as the “Year of Melina Mercouri”, featuring a series of events to mark the 100-year anniversary since the birth of internationally-acclaimed Greek actress, activist and much-loved former Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri. The program kicked off last week (29/1) at the Acropolis Museum, with a presentation of the “Proceedings of the International Workshop for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures” and the screening of a video of Melina Mercouri’s work, with a special focus on her efforts towards the repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. This event was chosen to be the inaugural one for the year "because of the efforts Melina made to fulfill a dream we all believe will one day come true, the unification of the Parthenon sculptures on the Parthenon," Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni said.

“I hope to see the Marbles back in Athens before I die. But if they come back later, I shall be reborn” | M. Mercouri on the Parthenon Marbles issue

As it has been announced by the Melina Mercouri Foundation – an Institution founded by Mercouri’s husband and film director Jules Dassin with the aim to keep Melina’s ideas alive and promote Greek culture in Greece and abroad - a series of commemorative events will follow, such as the Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation’s exhibition titled “Our own Melina” (26/2), two photo shows at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris (end of March); one that focuses on the efforts for the return of the Parthenon sculptures from Britain and another on antiquities smuggling. In June, singer Alkistis Protopsalti will perform songs associated with Mercouri at Epidaurus' Little Theater.

A large exhibition is also scheduled for July and will run through September at Technopolis cultural venue of the City of Athens, showcasing photos, posters, costumes, Melina’s dressing room and her correspondence with celebrities of her time. Moreover, National Theater Director, Dimitris Lignadis, announced that the Rex National Theater will host the Melina Mercouri’s theatrical awards ceremony at an event dedicated to educating the youth. Last but not least, on the day of Mercouri’s birthday, October 18, a special event titled “Piraeus Celebrates Melina” will take place at the Piraeus Municipal Theater. On the same day, the Melina Mercouri Foundaton and the Ministry of Culture will hold a one-day meeting on Mercouri's initiatives as Minister of Culture, and on her activism, since "Melina was an activist in everything she did" as it was pointed out by Lina Mendoni.

Melina Mercouri was indeed one of the most influential women of Greece in the 20th century, bringing a fire and passion to everything she did; from gracing stage and screen in the early part of her life, to fighting the fascist junta that took control of Greece in 1967 and campaigning for the protection and promotion of culture as a politician. Even though she was born into a prominent Athenian family of politicians, it took over four decades before she became actively involved in politics.

She graduated from Drama School of the National Theatre of Greece in 1944 and a year later, she played Electra in the National Theatre of Greece’s production of Eugene O’ Neill’s “Mourning Becomes Electra”, but her breakthrough performance was as Blanche Dubois in the 1949 production of Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Mercouri’s film career took off in the late 1950s and she found international acclaim in the role of Ilia in the Oscar nominated “Never on Sunday”, winning the Best Actress award at Cannes in 1960.

She reprised the role in the 1967 stage version on Broadway. It was during this theatre run in New York, on April 21, that a group of right-wing army officers, led by Brigadier General Stylianos Pattakos and Colonels George Papadopoulos and Nikolaos Makarezos, seized power in Greece in a coup d’état. When informed of developments in Greece, Mercouri pleaded through American media, “Please don’t go to my country”; as a result, she was deprived of her Greek citizenship, passport and had her property confiscated; butwith her temperament, she embodied the Greek ideal of freedom making the historic statement:

“I was born Greek and I will die Greek. Pattakos was born a fascist and will die a fascist”.

After the fall of the dictatorship and the restoration of democracy in July 1974, Melina Mercouri settled in Greece where she continued her political activity with the Panhellenic Socialist Movement to which she was a founding member, whilst actively involved in the women’s movement, without of course abandoning her career as an actress. In 1981, she became the first woman to head the Greek Ministry of Culture (1981-1989).

Among others, she established the institution of the Cultural Capitals of Europe (with Athens as the first Capital in 1985) and became the spearhead of the Parthenon Marbles return to Greece. Her name became synonymous with this cause so much so that, shortly after her death, UNESCO established the ‘Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes (UNESCO-Greece)' which rewards outstanding examples of action to safeguard and enhance the world's major cultural landscapes

Melina Mercouri was able to combine the magic of the performing arts with the realism of politics. But more important to Melina Mercouri was that the love she had for Greek people was returned to her and that her memory is revered and cherished by all.

See also: Remembering Melina- 25 years after

E.S.

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The most important exhibition event in Greece, and one of the most important B2B, B2C and B2G events in Southeastern Europe, the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), will be held on 7-15 September 2019. TIF’s 84th edition will feature 1500 exhibitors from Greece and abroad, promoting a huge variety of Greek and foreign traditional and modern products and services, with a special focus on startup companies.

TIF fosters entrepreneurship and innovation, promoting Greek economy as well as international trade cooperation, especially in the wider region of Southeast Europe. Visitors are also introduced to some of the most interesting markets of the global economy, through the institution of the Honoured Country. For the 83rd TIF, this country was the USA, while this year’s Honoured Country is India, a rapidly growing economic and investment superpower and one of the world's largest markets.

As Kyriakos Pozrikidis, CEO of TIF-Helexpo SA, told ANA-MPA, the 84th Thessaloniki International Fair will showcase the “New India”, a country of Bollywood and pashminas but also technology, aerospace and high-tech companies. High technology, innovation, agriculture and tourism are some of the fields of common interest between India and Greece. Greek exports to India will be discussed by representatives of bilateral trade support agencies, investment and export companies experienced in the market of the honoured country.

Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy Indian cuisine, traditional dances and music –including a Kathakali recital organised by the Indian Embassy- and a three-day tribute to Indian cinema, with a focus on women’s place in India. Additionally, MOMus-Museum of Contemporary Art will host the group exhibition "Brief Parables of Dystopia" featuring paintings, sculptures and videos by contemporary Indian artists, which will take place on 7-22 September 2019.

The International Exhibition & Congress Centre of TIF HELEXPO, distributed into a complex of 17 pavilions, hosts the main events and exhibitions of the Fair. Unity sections cover vast areas such as Energy (high-tech photovoltaic systems, environmental technologies and waste management), Education and career opportunities (featuring state universities, private colleges and technological institutions), "Greece and Entrepreneurship" (featuring more than 400 Greek businesses, organisations and government agencies) and the "Gastronomy Corner" (featuring traditional and innovative products from around Greece).

The “Digital Greece” section was introduced last year, with the aim of promoting innovative entrepreneurship. This year’s event, an initiative of the Ministry of Digital Governance and TIF-Helexpo, in collaboration with Industry Disruptors - Game Changers, will map the country’s digital ecosystem, presenting startups and scaleups, company structures supporting young entrepreneurs, universities and research centers. Workshops, lectures and discussions will highlight emerging trends and dynamics, as well as opportunities arising in the specific business sector.

Also, the 84th TIF will host Salonica Cannabis Expo 2019, an exhibition promoting products and innovations, and presenting the latest advancements in the medical, pharmaceutical and industrial use of cannabis. The event also provides investment opportunities, bringing visitors in contact with foreign companies with years of experience in the hemp market. This is of particular interest in light of Greece’s latest efforts to promote its nascent cannabis economy.

A number of side events are hosted during the TIF, aiming to present products, services and innovative ideas; these include symposiums, workshops, discussions and shows. Some examples are the interdisciplinary event ReBrain Greece, an initiative of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the USA Talks & Events, a series of lectures and events related to various areas of innovation and business organised by the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce and the US Embassy in Greece.

Other events include the 52nd Rally – TIF, one of the most historic and exciting rally races in Greece held by the Thessaloniki Automobile Club, as well as a number of music concerts featuring some of Greece’s most popular contemporary artists.

Read also via Greek News Agenda: 83rd Thessaloniki International Fair 2018; 83rd Thessaloniki International Fair DIGITAL GREECE: The audiovisual industry in Greece; SigMag: Thessaloniki Special Issue; Greece: Business Opportunities in Cannabis

N.M. (Photos from TIF-HELEXPO official site)

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