UNDEF partners with New York Times in fifth annual Athens Democracy Forum
The annual听Athens Democracy Forum听was held on 13-17 September 2017, organized for the fifth year by听The New York Times听in cooperation with the UN Democracy Fund and Athens City Hall. This year鈥檚 programme included discussions on the future of polling, political discourse in the post-truth era, bridging the generational gap, the power of the political cartoonist, and progress towards the Global Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN Secretary-General sent a message of support to the Forum, linked听here. at the Presidential Mansion, where he referenced UNDEF's role in supporting grassroots democracy; President of Greece听 Prokopios Pavlopoulos; Foreign Minister of Sweden Margot Wallstr枚m; Mayor of Athens Georgios Kaminis; former Prime Minister of Spain Felipe Gonz谩lez, who was awarded the City of Athens Democracy Award;New York Times听CEO Mark Thompson;听New York Times听writers Roger Cohen, Steven Erlanger, James Bennet; editorial cartoonist Patrick Chappatte; and UNDEF Executive Head Annika Savill, whose remarks can be read听here (PDF).听
Sessions were held at the Zappeion in the National Gardens of Athens; the Stoa of Attalos in the Ancient Agora of Athens 鈥� the very birthplace of democracy; and Costa Navarino, a sustainable destination in Messinia, southwest Peloponnese.
Themes at this year's Forum included democracy and conflict prevention; the role of international organizations; political discourse in the post-truth era; the future of polling; and bridging the generational gap.
An interactive lunch in support of the Sustainable Development Goals was hosted by Marianna Vardinoyannos, President of the Marianna V Vardinoyannos Foundation, focusing on climate action and reducing inequalities.听Read the remarks of Annika Savill to the SDG lunch听here听(PDF).
An exhibition on democracy at the Hellenic Children's Museum was opened by the Mayor of Athens and UNDEF Executive Head, Annika Savill, whose remarks at the opening can be read听here.
