Perspicacious words at Delphi
After four years of undeniable success, the Delphi Economic Forum returns with a healthy dose of extroversion and an ambitiously broad agenda. More than 500 speakers from 35 countries around the globe – including notable political figures, leading academics, renowned entrepreneurs and awarded scientists – will gather in the picturesque town from March 5 to 8 to exchange views and ideas and map out future developments on a national, European and global scale.
At the heart of this year’s conference lies the key theme “Action with Vision” – a phrase that will serve as a compass and guide for all 85 diverse panels on the agenda. “On the occasion of the start of a new government, we thought it was a theme that is particularly relevant,” noted Symeon Tsomokos, founder and chairman of the Delphi Economic Forum, in Wednesday’s press conference, before unveiling the conference’s detailed agenda. Under the central theme, discussions will develop around five pillars: Power Shifts and Geopolitics, the Future of the European Union, Disruptions and Future Trends, Structural Reforms and Investments in Greece, and Sustainable Development. The latter is in fact a new addition to the conference’s themes, echoing the fact that sustainability and global coordination around climate change is emerging as a top priority worldwide.
“We can now claim the title of the biggest conference in the wider region of the Southern Balkans,” Yiannis Thomatos, vice president of the Forum, noted with enthusiasm. Indeed, since its inaugural edition in 2016, the Forum has marked undeniable growth and continues to increase in importance. A few figures are more than enough to confirm Thomakos’ statements: The first Delphi Economic Forum attracted 732 participants and speakers from seven countries. By comparison, last year’s Forum brought together over 2,900 attendees, with speakers coming from an astounding 32 countries, including Australia, China and the US. This year, the Forum is expected to reach even greater heights with more than 3,000 participants.
Beyond the numbers, the Forum aims to raise the bar in terms of the level and quality of its invited speakers as well. Alongside Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who will converse with renowned Financial Times journalist Martin Wolf, as well as President of the Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos, in one of his last official appearances in the post, a number of prominent international figures have already confirmed attendance. Among them are European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas, IMF Deputy Managing Director Tao Zhang, Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the MIT Media Lab, and Klaus Regling, managing director of the European Stability Mechanism.
Along with a broad agenda and an impressive array of speakers, this year’s Delphi Economic Forum will also include a cultural event: a special performance by the Greek National Opera. The symbolic value of Delphi and its rich cultural heritage are, after all, invaluable features of the conference that resonate particularly with international participants. Besides, it would be challenging to find a better place to ponder the world’s future than the home of the most prominent oracle of antiquity.
