Athens Democracy Forum 2020

Silver linings. Every year, the high-powered think tank – Athens Democracy Forum – gathers the great and good from Greece and abroad, to give one of our most sacred western ideals a much-needed healthcheck. Thanks to Covid-19, the Athens Democracy Forum ventures on-line later this month, providing the general public with free access to this vital symposium for the first time. This year’s pandemic-minded hook? The New Abnormal: Reimagining Democracy. Τhe 3-day panel will convene leaders from government, business, civic society and the nonprofit sector to explore real solutions to the most pressing issues facing democracy in 2020: migration shifts, climate change, economic uncertainty and global unrest sparked by the epidemic. Some of the hottest talks on the ticket include Yuval Noah Harari - historian, philosopher, and bestselling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (the tome that wowed everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to Obama); Jeffrey D. Sachs, ranked by The Economist as one of the top three most influential living economists; and Clover Hogan, Australia’s answer to Greta Thunberg. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis also join the bill.

Here are some headline topics up for discussion:
•    Democracy in a Time of Crisis
•    Beyond “Big Bad Tech”: A Search for Solutions
•    Capitalism in a Post-Covid World
•    Geopolitical Tectonics and Global Inequalities
•    The Power of Belief
•    From Street Protests to Government

You can check the full agenda here. In addition to the free virtual event, there will be a small gathering in Athens for any delegates who are able to attend in person. Be sure to register for your virtual attendance in advance.

This year's Athens Democracy Forum is organized by the Democracy and Culture Foundation in collaboration with The New York Times, under the auspices of SA. of the President of the Republic, Mrs. Katerina Sakellaropoulou, in collaboration with the United Nations Democracy Fund, the Kofi Annan Foundation, the Municipality of Athens and Kathimerini.