IIASA Director General at the Fifth Delos Global Gathering

© World Human Forum | Stephan Talneau

Initiated by the World Human Forum, ALPHA MISSION ΔELOS combines myth, art, and science to raise awareness and inspire global action for planetary wellbeing. It is supported by leading partners including Monterock International, the Qualco Foundation, Alpha Bank, the Hellenic Space Center, and the European Space Agency (ESA).

This year’s gathering – set against the sunset in the ancient Delos Theatre under the theme Human Settlements: From the Earth to the Moon and Beyond – brought together planetary scientists, architects, philosophers, artists, and policymakers to explore how humanity can build more just and resilient futures, both terrestrially and in space. Among the distinguished guests were also prominent members of the Greek Government including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, and Minister for the Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou.

The event featured sessions on ecological settlements, lunar and orbital habitats, as well as a tribute to the legacy of the pioneering Delos Symposia, which ran from 1963 to 1975 and were dedicated to rethinking and reshaping the built environment to solve the planet’s environmental and demographic problems.

During the event, Schellnhuber, who also serves as Honorary President of the World Human Forum, engaged in an interdisciplinary reflection on sustainable human settlements, the climate crisis, and the imperative for systemic planetary change alongside Carlos Moreno, Urban Planner Profession at IAE - Paris1 Sorbonne, and Yannis Zouganelis, Solar System Science Coordinator at ESA. Moderated by historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes, the discussion merged science, humanities, and the arts – true to the spirit of the ALPHA MISSION.

A symbolic highlight of the day was the unveiling of the ALPHA MISSION ΔELOS commemorative stamp series by the Hellenic Post and a performance of the Geranos dance by students from the Myth2Space School Network.

Professor Schellnhuber’s participation supports IIASA’s commitment to bridging scientific insight and global governance for sustainable development. His call for transformative action echoed the central aim of the gathering: to fuse ancestral intelligence with cutting-edge knowledge in service of planetary stewardship.

"We must learn from the past, design for the future, and act in the present. The fate of our settlements – on Earth or in orbit – depends on it," Schellnhuber said.