The Athens Democracy Forum returns to Greece

It comes as no surprise to say that Greece is currently experiencing some challenging times.  Despite this, Athens continues to be a bustling exciting and safe city.

Athens is hosting a range of summer activities, but it is not all leisure related. Athens is preparing for the upcoming third Athens Democracy Forum, organized by International New York Times (INYT), which will take place on 13-15th September 2015 at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre and the Stoa of Attalos of the Ancient Agora. Organised in association with Navarino Initiative and in cooperation with the United Nations Democracy Fund, the City of Athens, and Kathimerini, the Forum coincides with the UN International Democracy Day and will explore the current challenges facing liberal democracies.

Developed by New York Times Editorial Board Member, Serge Schmemann, the agenda identifies four major concerns that democracies face today. These include the rise of regimes in states like China and Russia which reject the universality of liberal democracy; growing worldwide inequality where the rich gradually take control of the political landscape; religious extremism; and lastly, how the development of new technologies present a new range of threats to personal and national security.

The INYT has convened some renowned speakers, all experts in their respective fields, to share their knowledge and opinions at the Forum. The first confirmed speakers are Nobel Prize winning economist and New York Times Op-Ed columnist Paul Krugman, author Valerie Plame, former Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky, as well as venture capitalist and political scientist, Eric X. Li, with more to be announced in due course.

Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, President, International and The New York Times Company said: “It is fitting that we are holding this conference in the very heart of Athens, where democracy itself was born 2,500 years ago. We have some great speakers taking part in this event and we are also happy to have contributions from some of The New York Times’s most talented editorial voices. The agenda is extremely topical and the ‘Athens Democracy Forum’ could not be more relevant to the world we live in today.”

Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations stated, “Gatherings like the Athens Democracy Forum provide the much-needed oxygen of dialogue. They demonstrate that diversity is a strength; that giving voice to all people is our collective responsibility; that freedom of expression and respect for the beliefs of others are not mutually exclusive; that when the people have spoken and when they have been heard, democracy lives.”

Keep up to date at athensdemocracyforum.com

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