Athens Democracy Forum 2020 to Be Held Online

The Athens Democracy Forum will be held as a virtual event this year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Scheduled to run between September 30 – October 2, the event will bring together leaders from government, business, civic society and the non-profit sector to explore real solutions to the most pressing issues facing democracy. Attending the event in-person will only be 50 speakers, journalists and key stakeholders.

Titled “The New Abnormal: Reimagining Democracy”, the Athens Democracy Forum is organized for the second year by the Democracy and Culture Foundation in association with The New York Times and under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

“Even before the current crisis, democracy was threatened: from hijacked elections to the spread of extreme ideologies to the increasingly sophisticated tactics of strongmen. The effects have become alarmingly apparent: migration shifts, climate change, economic uncertainty and general global unrest,” the organizers said.

Topics to be explored include:
– Democracy in a time of crisis
– Beyond “Big Bad Tech”: A cearch for colutions
– Capitalism in a Post-Covid world
– Geopolitical tectonics and global inequalities

Speakers of the Athens Democracy Forum 2020 include Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas, Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić and Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis.

The virtual event is open to the public, but registration is required at athensdemocracyforum.com.