Cyprus Forum set to focus on inclusivity

For a third time, the Delphi Economic Forum and the nonprofit, nongovernmental organization Oxygono are organizing the largest independent policy conference in Cyprus, this Thursday and Friday, September 29-30, at the Nicosia Municipal Theater, themed “Inclusivity: For a More Open and Fair Cypriot Society.”

Among the personalities who stand out at the 3rd Cyprus Forum are the well-known American intellectual, political activist Noam Chomsky, European Commissioner Dubravka Suica, MEPs Niyazi Kizilyurek and Stelios Kympouropoulos, the first Cypriot analog astronaut (i.e. astronaut in simulation) Eleni Charitonos, Nicholas A. Christakis, professor of social and natural sciences at Yale University, Daniel A. Effron, professor of organizational behavior at London Business School, chef, restaurateur and cookbook author Asma Said Khan, University College Dublin (UCD) Professor of Informatics at Eleni Mangina, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the United Nations Dr Michal Mlynar, and Andria Zafirakou, who was awarded the prize of the best teacher in the world for 2018.

One of the innovations of this year’s conference is the assignment of all discussions to renowned organizations and research centers, such as the Office of the Special Adviser of the Secretary General for Cyprus, the Delegation of the European Commission, the European Parliament Office, the University of Nicosia, LSE’s Hellenic Observatory, the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) and the World Bank.

Debate themes concerning Cypriot society are awaited with great interest. In particular, in addition to the topic of diversity, the panels will discuss topics related to smart cities, electric mobility, euthanasia, artificial insemination, participatory education, the circular economy and others.

Nikolas Kyriakidis, executive president and founding member of the Cyprus Forum, stated that “at this year’s Cyprus Forum, we want to give it the stamp of comprehensiveness and inclusion. We also want to push in our own way for Cypriot society to become more open and socially just.”

Yiannis Thomatos, vice president of the Delphi Economic Forum, said, “It is our strategic mission to be in Cyprus, which plays an important role in regional developments, and we are happy that this year we have a very timely program with great speakers.”