Athens is buzzing with talk about democracy as the Athens Democracy Forum 2025 opened on Tuesday, 30 September, at 18:00 at the Athens Conservatoire. Running through Friday, 3 October, the forum is held under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic, in partnership with the Democracy & Culture Foundation and The New York Times. By Thursday afternoon, sessions were still rolling across the city, drawing policymakers, scholars and journalists eager to see how democratic systems can handle 21st-century pressures.
Opening remarks came from Achilleas Tsaltas, President of the Democracy & Culture Foundation. Greece’s Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, then outlined the country’s path toward digital transformation and what it could mean for everyday democratic life.
What questions dominate the agenda?
This year’s program zeroes in on the strain on institutions and the need to rethink democratic models in a fast-changing world. Core themes include:
- AI, ethics and the guardrails of democracy
- Academic freedom, electoral integrity and the role of NGOs
- Populism and the shifting global order
- The voice of youth and tomorrow’s democracy
Who is taking part in the forum?
Organizers say the speaker lineup brings together well-known and fresh voices from public policy, civil society and academia – a mix you rarely get in one room.
- Mary Beth Goodman (OECD), Danilo Türk (former President of Slovenia; Club de Madrid)
- Ivan Krastev (Center for Liberal Strategies), Martin Hojsík (Vice-President, European Parliament)
- Bjørn Berge (Council of Europe), Chrystia Freeland (Deputy PM & Finance Minister of Canada)
- Marjan H. Ehsassi (FIDE North America), Hélène Landemore (Yale University)
- Battinto L. Batts, Jr. (Walter Cronkite School of Journalism), Maria Ressa (Nobel Peace Prize laureate)
- James S. Fishkin (Stanford), Gideon Levy (journalist and author)
- Bill de Blasio (former NYC Mayor) in conversation with Athens Mayor Haris Doukas
How did local authorities react?
The City of Athens is using the forum to spotlight civic participation and open dialogue. The planned discussion between Bill de Blasio and Mayor Haris Doukas is expected to dig into urban policy, social inclusion and city-level democratic innovation, tying global ideas to local priorities.
Who joined the opening?
Achilleas Tsaltas set the tone for the week, while Minister Papastergiou highlighted opportunities and risks in Greece’s digital transition.
What are the next dates?
The forum runs 30 September-3 October in central Athens. Public details on session times are provided by the organizers; as of today, the program remains active.
What does this mean for the city?
Hosting the forum underlines Athens’s role as a meeting point for democratic debate, from its historic roots to everyday practice. For residents, it brings high-level discussion into local venues, creates chances for student engagement and media literacy initiatives, and puts Athens on the radar of an international policy community.
What remains to be confirmed?
Attendance figures, budget information and full session-by-session schedules were not included in the source material and should be verified through official channels.
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