The Delphi Economic Forum is expanding its international presence after completing a decade of operations, leadership announced during a meeting with journalists in Greece.
Founder and president Simeon Tsomokos and vice president Giannis Thomatos presented the organization's strategy and future steps. While the annual conference held every spring in Delphi remains the core of the institution, its activities have acquired a permanent year-round character across Greece and internationally.
Delphi is a historic town in central Greece, famous in antiquity as the sanctuary of Apollo and the seat of the ancient oracle. The forum established there has developed into a major regional gathering for political, economic, and academic leaders.
Organizers said the expanded international strategy aims to build communication channels connecting representatives from politics, academia, and business. The organization is arranging meetings in decision-making hubs including Washington and Brussels, as well as locations across the Middle East and Africa.
The organizers noted that the global expansion comes amid rapid geopolitical realignments, economic challenges, and technological advancement. They said the forum serves as a center for dialogue and is evolving into a tool for shaping policy proposals on issues ranging from geopolitical balances to artificial intelligence.
They added that the initiative acts as a contact point for Greece with international organizations, universities, and think tanks, highlighting key topics affecting politics, the economy, and society at national and international levels.
Regional events across world capitals
The forum's international strategy is built on three main pillars, beginning with the organization of regional forums in different parts of the world.
Annual events are held in major decision-making centers and business hubs, including Brussels, Washington, New York, Toronto, and Paris. In Southeastern Europe, the forum maintains a strong presence with events in cities such as Sofia, Bucharest, and Tirana.
In recent years, the institution has extended its geographical footprint into the Middle East with initiatives in Saudi Arabia and Sulaymaniyah, a major city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It has also developed activities in Africa, including events in South Africa.
The choice of locations links the Greek forum directly with major global capitals. Brussels serves as the administrative hub of the European Union, while Washington is the seat of the United States federal government.
Partnership network with international think tanks
The second pillar of the international strategy involves partnerships with foreign organizations and participation in major global conferences.
Over its ten-year course, the forum has established an extensive network of partnerships with more than 50 think tanks, universities, and international organizations. Its partners include Chatham House, the Atlantic Council, the Heritage Foundation, and the London School of Economics.
Chatham House, officially known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a world-renowned policy institute based in London. The Atlantic Council and the Heritage Foundation are leading foreign policy research organizations based in Washington, while the London School of Economics is a public research university specializing in social sciences.
Leveraging this network, the Delphi Economic Forum participates as a programming partner with its own panel discussions at major global gatherings, such as the European Forum Alpbach in Austria, the Concordia Summit, and the Munich Security Summit.
The organization also conducts side discussions alongside other major international events, hosting Delphi Economic Forum Roundtables on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York and the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Organizers said these partnerships strengthen the forum's presence in international networks where key political, economic, and geostrategic challenges are debated.
Bilateral dialogues and policy proposal centers
The third pillar of international activity consists of bilateral dialogues hosted alternately in Greece and participating partner nations.
Organizers said these bilateral events are designed to strengthen Greece's relationships with other countries while building a stable framework for exchanging views and developing partnerships. In Athens this year, the forum is hosting the 2nd Greek-German Dialogues and the 10th Greek-British Symposium.
Beyond geographic expansion, organizers explained that the institution is strengthening the content of its work by turning discussions into concrete policy proposals. The group operates in consultation with policymakers, business bodies, and civil society.
The primary mechanism for generating these recommendations is a series of Policy Centers that host thematic discussions and roundtables. Conclusions from these sessions are compiled into policy papers containing specific recommendations on the issues examined.
To date, four such structures have been established, covering health, labor, cyber resilience, and the Young Leaders Circle.
Future plans call for further expanding these structures with new centers dedicated to sectors expected to play a decisive role in coming years. Among these planned additions is a center dedicated to artificial intelligence, as its rapid evolution creates new conditions for the economy, society, and policymaking.
