«Youth for Earth» by CNN Greece: A most-successful international conference

«Youth for Earth» by CNN Greece: A most-successful international conference

CNN Greece successfully hosted the international “Youth for Earth” conference on Thursday, June 12, at Technopolis City of Athens. The event was dedicated to the new generation that demands solutions for the environment and the future of the planet and was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Region of Attica and with the support of Technopolis City of Athens.

The event was hosted by Dimitris Makalias, while the Minister of Environment Stavros Papastavrou, the Governor of the Attica Region Nikos Hardalias and the Mayor of City of Athens Haris Doukas opened the discussion with remarks on the role of the state in environmental protection. In a recorded message, the Minister of Education Sofia Zacharaki referred to the youth who care deeply about the environment and have already proven that they are ready to act.

The keynote speaker was National Geographic explorer and photographer Esther Horvath, while the conference also featured a live podcast with scientist Konstantis Alexopoulos from the University of Cambridge. The event welcomed representatives of international organisations, scientists, students, and civil society bodies. Among the participants were Clement Albergel from the European Space Agency, Dr. Dimitra Founta from the Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development (National Observatory of Athens), Jessica McKenzie from The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Andreas Flouris from the University of Thessaly, Rania Papadopoulou from the Youth Climate Diplomacy Forum & UNESCO, Artis Zanagee from NRDC and co-founder of Zero Hour, Yiannis Helis, manager of the Parnitha wildlife refuge, and Dr. Antonios Avgerinos, President of the Hellenic Red Cross, and many more.

In a panel discussion moderated by Nefeli Meg, representatives from Greenpeace, WWF Greece and Amnesty International shared their views, while Peggy Xirotagarou, Executive Director of the Athanasios K. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation, highlighted the importance of strategic collaborations in achieving meaningful environmental change. Emphasis was placed on entrepreneurship and social innovation, with the participation of representatives from AB Vassilopoulos, AFIS, Photocyclosis, and Goody’s Burger House, as well as NGOs, such as Greenpeace, WWF, and Amnesty International. With humor and great audience interaction, Dimitris Makalias and Zisis Roumbos presented a stand-up act focused on environmental awareness.

Over 2.500 people from all around the world watched the event live via streaming, which was made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of AB Vassilopoulos, the battery recycling NGO AFIS, Goody’s Burger House, and Photocyclosis SA.

Read the full recap article on CNN.gr here: https://www.cnn.gr/ellada/longform/481528/youth-for-earth-h-apantisi-ton-neon-se-enan-kosmo-pou-allazei

From left: Clement Albergel, Head of the Actionable Climate Information Section at the European Space Agency, Andreas Flouris, Professor at the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly | TIME100 Next of TIME magazine, Esther Horvath, Explorer and Photographer at National Geographic, Dimitris Pefanis, Director of CNN Greece, Jessica McKenzie, Climate Journalist and Editor at The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Dimitris Makalias, Host
Esther Horvath, Explorer and Photographer at National Geographic.
From left: Amalia Katzou, Journalist and Corporate Affairs Director of DPG Digital Media Group, Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Environment.
From left: Nefeli Meg, Reel Creator, Smaragda Skoulou, Storytelling & Communications of Greenpeace, Konstantinos Tsoukalas, Head of Plastics and Waste Programmes at WWF Greece, Myriam Patrou, Communications Officer at Amnesty International Greece.
Stand-up acting by Dimitris Makalias and Zisis Roumbos.
From left: Dimitris Pefanis, Director of CNN Greece, Peggy Xirotagarou, Executive Director of the Athanasios K. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation.
From left: Sofia Mavrantza, Journalist, Lydia Alaiadi, Marketing Manager at AFIS, Dimitris Christogiannopoulos, General Director of the Collective Alternative Management System (CAMS) Photocyclosis SA, Alexia Machaira, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Communications at AB Vassilopoulos.