ATHENS, Greece – Oct. 7, 2026 – WGES Global opens in Athens with an invitation to connect knowledge, people and practical action for healthier, more resilient communities.
A healthier home. Care that is easier to access. A community better prepared for wildfire. A farmer able to protect both the land and a livelihood. These are some of the everyday concerns behind the conversations beginning today at WGES Global Athens 2026.
Taking place from 6 to 8 October, the Symposium brings together people from Greece, the United States and the wider international community to explore how sustainability, innovation and public health can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. It is organised by WGES Global, with the School of Public Health of the University of West Attica as Academic Partner.
At its heart is an invitation to listen, ask questions and find people with whom useful work can begin. Researchers, public officials, business leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals and students each bring a different part of the picture. The value comes from giving those perspectives room to meet.
Starting with the people affected
The programme connects public and digital health, artificial intelligence, sustainable buildings, wildfire preparedness, energy, agriculture, food systems and the circular economy. Each subject carries a human question. Who can access a new health service? Can a building become more comfortable and affordable to run? Does an early warning reach the people who need to act? Can a small producer afford to adopt a better practice?
Those questions deserve to sit alongside the technical and investment discussions. A promising solution needs evidence, resources and people who can put it to work. It also needs the experience of those expected to use it.
Through its sessions, questions and opportunities for exchange, WGES Global Athens aims to make those connections possible. Participants are encouraged to bring practical challenges, share what they have learned and speak openly about what still needs to change.
An international conversation with roots in Greece
Founded in the United States in 2009, WGES Global has convened forums in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York, connecting government, academia, industry and the international community. Its arrival in Athens opens an opportunity to build lasting relationships in Greece and, over time, a wider European platform for collaboration.
The University of West Attica School of Public Health gives that ambition an academic connection to the host country. Greece brings its own research, professional experience and community knowledge to questions that matter across borders-from climate resilience and food security to dependable energy and healthier places to live.
The hope is that people who meet here will find reasons to keep working together: a researcher and a municipality defining a pilot, a business and a university testing an idea, or a public official and a community identifying a barrier that can be addressed.
Giving the conversation a life beyond the room
LUDCI.eu has undertaken the event’s moderation and strategic communications across media channels and corporate partners. Its contribution centres on helping people engage with the substance of the discussion: asking clear questions, connecting different perspectives and making complex issues accessible to a wider audience.
That means making space for the questions behind the announcement. Who benefits? What evidence supports the proposal? What will implementation require? And how will people know whether progress has been made? These questions can help speakers, participants and readers understand where an idea could lead and what remains to be resolved.
The Association of European Journalists is also supporting communications around the event, helping extend the exchange beyond those attending in person.
What meaningful progress could look like
For businesses, the invitation is to bring a real challenge, explain the value of a proposed solution and be open about its limits. For policymakers, it is to identify the practical changes that would help useful work move forward. For universities, it is to connect research with partners and communities who can help shape its application. For the media, it is to make the evidence understandable and follow the story as it develops.
A useful next step can be modest and specific: one shared problem, a person responsible for moving the discussion forward, and a date to review what has happened. That gives a new connection a chance to become a pilot, a partnership or a better-informed decision.
As Robert J. Gallagher, Chairman of the Board of WGES Global, Inc., puts it: “Come and be part of the dialogue.”
It is an invitation to bring curiosity, experience and difficult questions-and to help shape what comes next. The impact of these three days will depend on the work people choose to carry forward together.
The people behind the gathering
The Symposium has been developed by WGES Global’s leadership in the United States, Professor Robert Gallagher, Daisy Gallagher, and Lori Gallagher inclusive.
Daisy Gallagher, Founder and CEO CCG Inc says, “Our hope for Athens is simple: that people meet, ideas find support, and new partnerships grow into healthier, stronger communities.”
The Greek team also includes Dr Kostas Mastorakis, Safe Drive. Org, Vice President Nazionale Piloti, and Ambassador WGES Global Athens Ambassador says, “Greece brings knowledge, experience and a willingness to collaborate. We want the conversations in Athens to lead to practical improvements in people’s lives.”
Aside from Dr Mastorakis, Professor Georgios I. Zakinthinos, Academic Ambassador and member of the University of West Attica School of Public Health; Nikoleta Anagnostopoulou Bakalarou, Executive Coordinator; and Nicole Nikolaou, Executive Assistant have equally supported the event.
Partners include Safe-Drive.org and Nationale Piloti.
WGES Global Athens 2026 | At a glance
6 – 8 October 2026 | Athens, Greece
6 October: Invitation-only welcome event, Cultural Centre of the Church of Greece, Kolonaki.
7 October: International Symposium and Executive Master Classes; WGES Global NOVA Awards. National Museum of Contemporary Art / NYN ESTI, 51–53 Andrea Syngrou Avenue, Athens 117 43.
8 October: Academic programme with the University of West Attica.
Academic Partner: School of Public Health, University of West Attica.
International Partners include: Safe-Drive.org / Nationale Piloti, together with WGES Global’s academic, institutional, business and communications partners.
The Association of European Journalists is supporting the event through communications and press relations.
LUDCI.eu has officially undertaken the moderation of the event and strategic communication dissemination across media channels and corporate partners.
Programme and participation information: www.WGESglobal.com
Agenda: https://thewges.us/agenda-3
About Dr. Vassilia I. O.
Dr. Vassilia I. Orfanou is an impact-driven business strategist and transformation leader with 24+ years of international experience across business, EU institutions and complex stakeholder environments. As Founder and Chief Operating & Innovation Officer of LUDCI.eu, she specialises in AI-enabled transformation, 360° MarCom, growth engineering, public affairs; policy, governance and organisational optimisation & innovation.
Having led 480+ projects, managed portfolios exceeding €800 million and directed international teams and networks of 1,200+ experts, she combines strategic vision with hands-on leadership to turn complex challenges into scalable, measurable growth and impact.
For media inquiries, interviews, or more information, contact:
[email protected]
www.ludci.eu
Quotes:
“Sustainability is no longer a choice or a future ambition. It is a leadership responsibility. We must move beyond commitments and turn sustainability into decisions, investment and measurable action. The time to act is not tomorrow. It is now. Bridging relationships is how we act responsibly and drive measurable impact for the future”
Lori Gallagher,
Chief Sustainability Officer, WGES Global
“Sustainability is not a conversation. It is a responsibility and a commitment to impact. Stop talking about change. Build it. Fund it. Measure it. Deliver it. Because the world does not need more promises. It needs people willing to take responsibility and make impact happen.”
Dr. Vassilia I. Orfanou,
Global Chief Operating & Innovation Officer, LUDCI.eu
“Journalism is not simply about reporting what happens. It is about making what matters impossible to ignore. Sustainability needs informed voices, credible facts and accountability. Our responsibility is to connect knowledge with society, amplify meaningful action and ensure that impact is not only promised, but seen, understood and measured.”
Saia Tsaousidou,
Association of European Journalists
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