Hearth Summit in Athens
Impact Hub Athens has been at the forefront of systemic change in Greece for the past 12 years, fostering social and environmental innovation and entrepreneurship through impactful programs and activities.
As a cornerstone of the Athenian ecosystem and a driving force of the innovation and startup communities across Greece, directly connected with 126 Impact Hubs around the world, we are dedicated to driving sustainable transitions and catalyzing meaningful change both locally and globally.
Hearth Summit in Athens
FOR THE FIRST TIME…
For the first time a Southern European country is hosting an event of this kind, expected to travel to 25 other countries worldwide.
For the first time, 120 participants from all over Europe will gather to discuss Greece’s prospects.
For the first time, experts from different
fields will explore ways to transform
Greek cities into Wellbeing cities.
For the first time, we hope to gather significant insights compiled into a report, to be forwarded to the Greek participants at COP29 in Baku.
ANNUAL EVENT
Our goal is not to have just another conference. Instead, we want to create an annual event that will take place in a different Greek city every year. An annual event that will travel, grow stronger, move forward, and leave its unique imprint each time. So that discussions spread, interaction is enhanced, and networking increases for sustainable and resilient cities across Greece.
STRUCTURE
The programme will include keynote speakers, workshops,
debates, panels, poster sessions, co-creation activities, and artistic elements, with satellite events.
Core Themes
Through an open survey, conversations, and a series of 20 multi-stakeholder co-creation workshops
across Greece, we have identified the key pillars for a Wellbeing City and sustainable urban living:
Impact Economy
vs Wellbeing Economy
Exploring the shift from the
impact-driven economy to one that
prioritizes holistically the wellbeing
and societal health.
Cultivating Vibrant
Communities
Discussing ways to encourage citizen
participation in the development and
maintenance of green spaces,
enhancing social cohesion and
revitalizing urban architecture.
Ecological Integration
& Nature-Based Learning
Incorporating nature-based practices
into urban environments to foster
sustainability and deepen our
connection to the natural world.
Climate Resilience
& Extreme Weather
Implementing strategies to mitigate
extreme weather conditions and keep
urban temperatures moderate through
sustainable urban planning and design.
Climate
& Mental Health
Examining the relationship between
climate change and anxiety, and the
rejuvenating effects of nature on our
mental health.
Core Themes
Equity in Cities
Addressing issues of poverty,
employment, and housing to ensure
equal access to the necessary
resources for their life.
Decentralization
& Repopulation
Enabling cities in the periphery to
thrive independently and drive their
own growth and development.
Sustainable Consumption
Promoting conscious consumerism and
responsible consumption practices from
food to mobility to entertainment.
Sustainable
Tourism
Balancing tourism with the preservation
of cities’ unique identity, nature and
culture, while prioritizing the wellbeing
of local residents and its alarming
interconnection with climate change.
Climate Justice
Advocating for fair and equitable
policies that address the disproportionate impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities.
SPEAKERS
Lorenzo Fioramonti
Director of the Institute for Sustainability ofUniversity of Surrey
Pedro Tarak
Global Bridge Builders at Sistema B International, Co-founder of Sistema B and former President of Sistema B International. Board Member of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. Co Founder of Regional Impact Trade Alliance
Conchita Galdon
Vice-Dean Business with Purpose @IE Business School-Director IE Center for Social Innovation &Sustainability-Professor
Torri Tsui
Climate justice activist, organiser, writer, consultant & speaker
Paolo Di Cesare
Co-founder & President NATIVA (also founder IH Roma, and Croqqer)
Martha Giannakopoulou
Architect & founder of If- architects, Housing consultant for IOM
Julia Lopez Varela
Consultant, strategic designer, and project manager specializing in Social Innovation.
Ioannis Sarakiotis
Member of Parliament, Fthiotida
Olivier van der Feltz
Strategy & innovation manager at Sympower
Maria Vassilakou
Urbanist, Urban Advisor & Consultant – Vienna Solutions
Sheila Darmos
Co-founder and Director of The Southern Lights non-profit organisation and Regenerative Farming Greece initiative
Dimitrios Kaliampakos
Professor at the School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens
Dimitris Ptochos
Governor of the Peloponnese Region
Vassilis Papaefstathiou
Civil Engineer NTUA, MSc at Papaefstathiou office, Deputy Mayor of Strategic Planning and Climate Neutrality Municipality of Kalamata, co-founder of Eu-topos for Raising Public Awareness on Green and Public Spaces
Athanassios Koutsianas
IMPACT STRATEGY VP at Symbeeosis
Sofia Malaspina
Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability Director, Danone Italy & Greece
Johan Mirtorp
Chairman of the ”Housing Policy Working Group” at the International Union of Tenants (IUT). general counsel at the Swedish Union of Tenants/ EU.
Sotiris Tsoukarelis
Founding member and responsible for social innovation at the Social Cooperative Enterprise ‘Ta Psila Vouna’
Agenda
Registration
Would you like to be part of the Hearth Summit in Athens?
Then please fill out this form.
Core Experience Elements
POSTER SESSION
Researchers and startupers present their unique tech or soft solutions and theoretical frameworks for nature-based practices in the urban context.
MULTIMODAL WORKSHOPS & AGORA
Engage in hands-on sessions and for-
mats, designed to inspire and equip par-
ticipants with practical solutions for sus-
tainable living and ecological belonging.
PANEL DISCUSSIONS & DEBATES
Hear from leading experts and thought leaders as they discuss critical issues and innovative strategies to adopt wellbeing as a goal for decision makers and influencers of the city life.
KEYNOTE SPEECHES & FIRESIDE SESSIONS
Gain insights from influential speakers who are shaping the future of urban sustainability.
CO-CREATIVE ACTIVITIES
Collaborate with a diverse group of stakeholders to connect on a personal and cognitive level, de velop actionable plans and forge new partnerships.
ARTISTIC ENRICHMENT
Emerge into difficult conversations with
the guidance of contemporary artists and embrace the topic from a sentimen tal perspective through performances and art installations.
DECOMPRESSION ZONE
Spaces that participants can learn about the healing effects of nature and take time for themselves
Participants
& Audiences
We want to extend an invitation to approximately 120 people who are committed to transforming our economy and society, to build connections, exchange views, and develop synergies. We are curating an exclusive gathering of key stakeholders, including:
Participants
& Audiences
DEPUTY MINISTERS & SECRETARIES GENERAL
of the relevant Ministries, Regional Governors and Mayors, as well as executives of the relevant organisations and services, related to infrastructure, innovation, and the environment.
RESEARCHERS, STARTUPS, & PROFESSIONALS
in the fields of circularity, data analytics, design,citizen empowerment, artificial intelligence, and nature-based solutions (biomimicry).
ARTISTS & CREATIVE INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES.
BUSINESS EXECUTIVES
in key positions (product research & development, sales, CSR & ESG, marketing, finance & corporate funding), entrepreneurs and representatives of the Greek industry, Chambers of commerce and business associa-
tions from key sectors such as energy, tourism, technology, construction, food (production, processing, packaging, distribution), trade, and the banking sector.
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATION REPRESENTATIVES
with a particular focus on equal participation,
environmental restoration and regeneration,
placemaking, and philanthropic institutions.
A Sustainable event
The Wellbeing Summit sustainability framework will be achieved by implementing an integral sustainability action plan specially developed for conferences & cultural events. Sustainability will be embedded into the core of our strategy, regarding the suppliers we use, the first material for catering and workshops, taking into consideration carbon, circularity, and social footprint.
Diversity, Equality
& Inclusion
Creation of a Summit where every participant feels valued, supported and
inspired to achieve both individual and common goals. DEI
Curation of the attendee list
Range of ticket prices, flight,
hotel and ticket sponsorships
Selection of speakers and artists from diverse backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints
Physical accessibility at venues and accommodations
Feedback surveys after the event
CALL FOR POSTERS
The Hearth Summit in Athens invites the submission of poster papers (work in progress/late-breaking research) to be presented in the poster sessions of the event. The goal is to provide opportunities for participants from academia, public institutions and industry to present their latest developments in the interest areas around the topic of Wellbeing Cities- Sustainable Urban Living.
Registration
Would you like to be part of the Hearth Summit in Athens?
Then please fill out this form.
Co-Creators
Sponsors
Experience Partners
Media Sponsor
Content Partners
Auspices
Community Partners
