Global gatherings, leading voices from diverse fields, and sold-out artistic events — 2025 was a year to remember. Let’s relive this remarkable journey together.

2025 was a year defined by community and collaboration, impact and groundbreaking initiatives. It marked our return on-site in Delphi —the World Human Forum’s starting point and symbolic base— as well as in Delos, Aristotle’s Lyceum in Athens and Elefsina for our major on-going symposia. At the same time, we reached across the globe toward new promising beginnings. Join us as we revisit key moments from this inspiring journey.

World Human Forum – Key moments from 2025

Joyce DiDonato: Eden in Olympia – A Cinematic Ode to Planet Earth

The breathtaking film-concert featuring the world-renowned mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, premiered at Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall on 11 January and was also presented at the Megaron Concert Hall of Thessaloniki on 5 September. Blending the timeless beauty of classical and pre-classical music with an urgent environmental message, this cinematic experience invites audiences on a powerful journey through nature’s majesty and fragility.

Filmed on Ancient Olympia, Eden in Olympia is a call to reconnect with the living world and reflect on our place within it. Featuring the ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro and children’s choirs from Greece and France – the Children’s Choir of the Greek National Opera, the Chœurs ECLATS choir, and the intercultural El Sistema Greece – the film bridges cultures, generations, and artistic expressions. Both screenings culminated in live choral performances of the project’s anthem, Seeds of Hope.

At a time when the world faces unprecedented ecological challenges, with wildfires ravaging more than 10,000 square kilometres across the EU since the beginning of 2025, Eden in Olympia reminds us that the Earth transcends borders. Following global presentations, the film continues its mission: to inspire awe, reflection, and collective action.

3rd Delphic Festival – A Celebration for Humanity

A full house gathered at the V Hotel Delphi on 10 April 2025, for the unveiling of the initiative to relight the flame of the Delphic Festival, an event that was warmly embraced by the local community.

2027 marks the 100th anniversary of the first Delphic Festival—the initiative by Angelos Sikelianos and Eva Palmer that embodied the vision of the Delphic Idea. Their dream was to make Delphi once again a living center of harmony, unity, and cultural renaissance.

The World Human Forum initiates and coordinates the regeneration of the Delphic Festival. Τhis meta-Delphic Festival will highlight the Sikelianos’ legacy with concerts, performances, symposia, workshops, multidisciplinary events and more. The aim is for these events to be held every three years as a triennial dedicated to art, tradition, science, dialogue and inner development.

The inspiring endeavor was presented by Maria Efthymiou, Professor Emerita at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Alexandra Mitsotaki, Executive President and Co-founder of the World Human Forum; Panagiotis Tagalis, Mayor of Delphi; and Kostas Konstantinidis, CEO of PostScriptum. The event was moderated by Christos Carras, Founder and Director of the CCSC. Also present was poet Eleni Sikelianos, the great-granddaughter of Angelos and Eva Sikelianos. The event was hosted within the framework of the Delphi Economic Forum.

Find out more at https://delphi.worldhumanforum.earth/

5^th ALPHA MISSION – ΔELOS Global Gathering – Human Settlements: From Ancestral Wisdom to Celestial Futures

On 26–27 May 2025, on the sacred island of Delos—birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, once one of the first cosmopolitan centres of the Mediterranean and now an open-air museum—the 5th ALPHA MISSION – ΔELOS Global Gathering took place. Entitled “Human Settlements: From the Earth to the Moon and Beyond”, it invited a global constellation of thinkers, scientists, and artists to reimagine how we inhabit the world—and worlds beyond. At the core of the gathering was a tribute to the legacy of prominent urban planner Constantinos Doxiadis and the Delos Symposia of the 1960s and 70s.

Among this year’s participants were distinguished speakers John Schellnhuber, Carlos Moreno, Athena Coustenis, Yannis Zouganelis, Mark Wigley, Beatriz Colomina, Daniel A. Barber, David Gissen, Dimitris Philippides, Simon Richards, Nahum Romero, Catherine Gall, Thomas Doxiadis, Véronique Chankowski and others.

As part of this year’s gathering, the World Human Forum unveiled a new sculptural installation created by the renowned sculptor Praxiteles Tzanoulinos. Centred on the themes of “Oneness, Wisdom, Life”, the installation invites the public to a space of rest and reflection. Attendees also had the opportunity to send their own personal message by posting a postcard bearing stamps from the new ALPHA MISSION – ΔELOS stamp series.

ALPHA MISSION – ΔELOS is a World Human Forum initiative in collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades and in partnership with the National Centre of Scientific Research “Demokritos”, the Hellenic Space Center, and Europa Nostra. The 2025 gathering was realised with the support of our sponsors Qualco Foundation & Qualco Group, and Alpha Bank, as well as our donor COSMOTE TELEKOM. Our partners included Aegean Airlines, Blue Star Ferries, Autohellas Hertz, and ELTA / Hellenic Post. Special thanks go to the Municipality of Mykonos, the Evangelos Pistiolis Foundation, Rtdeco Event Services, and View Master events.

Find out more at https://delos.worldhumanforum.earth/

The Lyceum Project 2025 – Children in the Age of AI

An initiative for global, open, and interdisciplinary dialogue connecting Philosophy and Artificial Intelligence, The Lyceum Project 2025, held on 20 June, explored what it means to be a child in the age of AI. Leading figures in ethics, AI, education, and policymaking discussed how AI technologies can be guided with wisdom and integrity, and how sectors from governance to innovation can align with values that promote children’s well-being. The conversations highlighted both opportunities and challenges in building an inclusive, ethical future for the next generation.

A highlight of the event was the presentation of the “Philosophy Hub” at the archaeological site of Aristotle’s Lyceum, showcasing the vision for its future development. The day concluded with a site-specific artistic performance, created to reflect the unique character of the archaeological site.

Speakers included Kyriakos Mitsotakis (Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic), Baroness Beeban Kidron (House of Lords, Oxford Institute for Ethics in AI), John Tasioulas, Eugenia Bozou, Juraj Čorba, Alpesh Shah, Tanya Perelmuter, David Bickham, Spyridon Doukakis, Mhairi Aitken, Sergio Imparato, among others.

The Lyceum Project 2025 was organised by the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” and the World Human Forum, in collaboration with the Special Secretariat of Foresight, Presidency of the Government, Hellenic Republic and hosted by the Athens Conservatoire. It was held in affiliation with the Center for Hellenic Studies – Harvard University and the Center for Hellenic Studies at the University of Chicago, and supported by the IEEE Standards Association and the Alexander S. Pissios Family Foundation.

Our partners included Google (Main Sponsor), AEGEAN (Official Airline Partner), Athens News Agency – Macedonian Press Agency (Media Partner), Hellenic Artificial Intelligence Society (Future AI Leaders Sponsor).

Find out more at https://thelyceumproject.ai/

3rd New Eleusis Symposion – Re-Enchanting the World

From 25–27 September, we returned to the land of the Eleusinian Mysteries — where transformation and self-knowledge were once cultivated — to co-create a contemporary narrative of unity, reconnection, and hope. The symposion explored themes including the arts for healing; new approaches to the economy through impact investment, the circular economy, and nature-inspired systems; bottom-up initiatives to re-enchant neighbourhoods; our relationship with food; democracy as a shared vision; and the role of psychedelics in consciousness and healing.

During a panel on the future of Eleusis, the World Human Forum President Alexandra Mitsotaki emphasised the need for strong partnerships to support the city’s next chapter. Drawing on an idea by Professor Emeritus Pavlos Kavouras, she proposed exploring the recognition of the Eleusinian Mysteries as part of UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The impressive roster of speakers included, among others: Franz X. Vollenweider, Antonia Trichopoulou, Christina Merkouri, Hélène Landemore, Lex Paulson, Ruth DeFries, Daniel A. Barber, Maria Loizidou, Gary A. Bolles, Gina Belafonte, Emmanuel I. Stratakis, Phil Cousineau, Kostis Tselenis.

The Symposion’s artistic programme was met with great acclaim, notably the sold-out performance Sacred Paths – From the Mysteries of Eleusis to Byzantine Chant and the Mevlevi Dervish Tradition at the archaeological site of Eleusis, which later also captivated audiences at Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall.

The symposion was organised by the World Human Forum, with the support of the Region of Attica, 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture and the Ephorate of Antiquities of West Attica, and in collaboration with the Municipality of Eleusis. Heartfelt thanks to our main sponsor Piraeus Port Authority / P.P.P. SA – COSCO SHIPPING and to our sponsors National Bank of Greece, Huawei, ELPEN Pharmaceutical Co. Inc., Qualco Group, Bank of Greece, HELLENiQ PETROLEUM, EYDAP, and Vernicos Scafi Tugs & Salvage. Special sessions were held in collaboration with the Athens Columbia Global Center and the Athens Democracy Forum. Aegean served as Official Airline Partner and ERT, Kosmos 93.6, Second Programme 103.7, and Third Programme 90.9 were our Media Sponsors. Special thanks also to Rtdeco Event Services, View Master Events, and Dipnosofistirion Catering. The Sacred Paths performance at Megaron was presented in co-production with Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall.

Find out more at https://eleusis.worldhumanforum.earth/

Design for Change Global Celebration – Looking Ahead to Athens 2026

The World Human Forum team spent an inspiring few days at the Design for Change Global Celebration in Tokyo (27–30 November), a journey that also allowed us to immerse ourselves in Japan’s rich culture.

Children’s delegations from across the globe came together to showcase their projects, embodying the powerful “We Can” spirit that drives meaningful, real-world change. A particularly moving moment was the Cultural Night, where participants shared dances, customs, and traditions—reminding us of the beauty and strength of our diverse global community.
The World Human Forum delegation was there, celebrating the young changemakers’ achievements and to officially taking the baton for next year’s Global Celebration. We are thrilled to welcome the world to Athens, Greece, in November 2026, where we will co-host this transformative gathering with Design for Change Global.

Find out more at https://dfcworld.org/SITE

The Inner Values Incubator (IVI©) Model is an assessment designed to help individuals and groups uncover the values that guide their reflections, behaviours, and actions. It supports a deeper understanding of personal and collective value systems, offering insights and recommendations to help achieve goals and contribute positively to communities and the world.

In July 2025, Dr Irene Papaligouras and Dr Gerasimos Kouvaras, who developed the tool, began disseminating it at conferences across Europe, including the 3rd Sumus Forum of Unlimited Possibility in Venice, the IDG Summit 2025 in Stockholm, and Apprenance Learning in France.

The IVI©️ Model is a World Human Forum tool made available to our wider community and was developed with the support of the Helidoni Foundation.
Take the free assessment at www.ivimodel.com

About the World Human Forum

The World Human Forum is a think-and-do tank, a knowledge and action hub that seeks to contribute to the creation of a genuine ecological civilisation. With Delphi as its anchor and symbolic point of reference, it draws inspiration from iconic locations (Eleusis, Delos, Ancient Olympia, Aristotle’s Lyceum) and connects pioneering forces around the world, working towards a new narrative for humanity. Its methodology is embodied in the Delphic Cube, a holistic approach grounded in the values of sustainability and regeneration, democracy, education, inner transformation, science and technology, and art.

Find out more at https://worldhumanforum.earth/