📅 September 29 – October 1, 2026
📍 Athens, Greece
🔗 https://www.athensdemocracyforum.com/

The Athens Democracy Forum returns for its 14th edition, convening in the Greek capital from 29 September – 1 October 2026. Organized by the Democracy & Culture Foundation in association with The New York Times, the Forum asks both a philosophical and operational question: Why democracy — and how must it evolve to be fit for purpose in the 21st century?

This year's programme argues that today's democratic structures were built for a different era — rigid where agility is needed, reactive where anticipation is required. Sessions will bring together policymakers, civil society leaders, technologists, academics, artists and young leaders to explore democratic systems capable of learning, adapting and delivering. Discussions are led by senior New York Times journalists and feature confirmed speakers including Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkol Karman, Owen Gaffney (Chief Impact Officer, The Nobel Prize), and Edward Wingenbach (President, American College of Greece), among others.

The Forum also hosts the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize, the City of Athens Democracy Award, and the "Democratic Innovators of the 21st Century" Politicians' Hall of Fame. With cultural tours, networking events and a track record of drawing 400+ participants from across continents, it is one of Europe's most prominent annual gatherings on democratic renewal.