The Academy of Athens will host the Inaugural Symposium of the International Community (Koinon) of Academies from 9-10 February 2026, marking both the launch of this new global initiative and the 100th anniversary of the Academy of Athens. IIASA Director General, Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber will be a keynote speaker at the event.

The event will take place in the Academy’s historic neoclassical building in Athens, bringing together representatives of 36 academies worldwide and leading international scholars to foster interdisciplinary dialogue across the natural, social, and human sciences, arts, and letters. Discussions will focus on major global challenges, including artificial intelligence, climate change, cultural heritage protection, and societal resilience in the Anthropocene.

Schellnhuber's keynote titled, Hi-Tech Meets No-Tech, will explore how cutting-edge scientific and technological advances can be meaningfully integrated with humanistic knowledge, culture, and long-standing intellectual traditions to better respond to contemporary global challenges, reflecting IIASA’s role in and the Symposium’s goal of bridging science, culture, and humanism through international cooperation.

Visit the conference website for further information.

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