About this Event
WGES Global™ International Symposium & Expo — Athens 2026
Athens, Greece | October 6–8, 2026
Global Leadership. Innovation. Collaboration. Implementation.
WGES Global Athens 2026 marks the inaugural European WGES Global International Symposium & Expo, bringing together leaders from the United States, Greece and the international community for three days of high-level dialogue, innovation, professional networking and practical collaboration.
Hosted in Athens with UNIWA School of Public Health as Academic Coordinator and Nazionale Piloti (Safe-Drive.org), the international program connects leaders and experts from government, academia, science and industry around public health, digital technology, energy innovation, sustainability, resilience and international collaboration.
Featured 2026 WGES Global NOVA Honorees, International Speakers, Thought Leaders & Distinguished Guests Include:
Formula 1's Sustainability Strategy; Nazionale Piloti; Formula 1 & International Motorsport Drivers Giancarlo Fisichella, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Luca Filippi and Maro Engel; Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation; Myconian Collection Hotels & Resorts; Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou, Prime Minister's Envoy for the Ocean and Member of the Hellenic Parliament; Adonis Georgiadis, Minister of Health of Greece; Dr. Marios Themistocleous, Deputy Minister of Health; Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance; Nikolaos Hardalias, Regional Governor of Attica; Senator Antonio Salvatore Germanà of the Italian Republic; Professor Ashish Joshi, MBBS, MPH, PhD; Kevin Kampschroer; Professor Sabine O'Hara, PhD; Barbara J. Ryan; Vince Ambrosia; Kinga Hydras, CEM, CSDP, ASHRAE Fellow; Professor Ioannis Gitas; Alkis Triantafyllopoulos; Dr. Reginald Swift; Virginia Gibson; Professor Elpida Pavi; Professor Georgios I. Zakynthinos; Professor Yiannis Koumpouros; Assistant Professor Olga-Eleni Astara; Assistant Professor Michalis Skordoulis; Professor Georgios Priniotakis; Associate Professor Anastasios Sepetis; and other distinguished Greek, U.S. and international leaders.
Confirmed and invited participants are listed; appearances and governmental participation remain subject to individual schedules and final availability.
Three Days of Ideas, Expertise & International Connections
The WGES Global Athens 2026 program addresses some of today's most important challenges and opportunities, including:
- Public Health & Health Innovation
- Digital Technology & AI Solutions
- Energy Innovation & Hydrogen
- Sustainable Construction & High-Performance Buildings
- Geospatial Technologies for Wildfire & Disaster Preparedness
- Sustainable Agri-Food Systems
- Circular Economy & Climate Resilience
- Workforce Development
- International Collaboration
Attendees will experience expert-led sessions, international speakers, specialized Master Classes and opportunities to connect with leaders and professionals from Greece, the United States and the international community.
Networking in Athens
WGES Global Athens 2026 extends beyond the formal sessions with opportunities for professional networking and relationship-building among international participants.
The program includes the WGES Global Welcome & Networking Reception on October 6, providing an opportunity for participants to meet and connect as the three-day international program begins.
WGES Global™ NOVA Awards — October 7
The prestigious WGES Global™ NOVA Awards recognize exceptional leadership, innovation and impact across sustainability, public health, environmental stewardship, international collaboration, hospitality and industry.
2026 NOVA Award Honorees include:
Formula 1's Sustainability Strategy — recognized for its Net Zero Carbon by 2030 commitment
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation — international leadership in climate, biodiversity and ocean protection
Nazionale Piloti — international motorsport and Safe-Drive.org
Myconian Collection Hotels & Resorts — sustainable hospitality leadership
Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou — Prime Minister's Envoy for the Ocean and Member of the Hellenic Parliament
Professor Ashish Joshi, MBBS, MPH, PhD — public health and population health informatics
The NOVA Awards will take place on the evening of October 7 at NYN ESTI in Athens.
Daisy Gallagher, AMA, CPM, CCH and Dr. Kostas Mastorakis, DVM, WGES Global Athens Ambassador and Vice President of Nazionale Piloti, will co-host the evening.
Please note: NOVA Awards admission is based upon the ticket level selected. Please review your ticket details when registering.
U.S.–Greece Leadership Organizing Team
WGES Global Athens 2026 is led by Professor Robert J. Gallagher, President of WGES Global, Inc.; Daisy Gallagher, AMA, CPM, CCH, Executive Lead of the U.S.–Greece Organizing Team, WGES Global Board and Leadership; Dr. Kostas Mastorakis, DVM, WGES Global Athens Ambassador and Vice President of Nazionale Piloti; Professor Georgios I. Zakynthinos, MSc, PhD, UNIWA School of Public Health Academic Coodinators; Nikoletta Anagnostopoulou Bakalarou, MBA Executive Coordinator, WGES Global Athens 2026
About WGES Global™
Founded in the United States in 2009, WGES Global™, Inc. is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3), non-political nonprofit organization bringing together government, academia, science, industry and the international community for knowledge exchange, professional collaboration and practical solutions.
For more than 15 years, WGES Global programs have connected leaders and experts across sustainability, energy, public health, technology, resilience and workforce development.
Athens 2026 marks WGES Global's expansion into Europe and the inaugural European WGES Global International Symposium & Expo.
Join Us in Athens
Whether you are a business or government leader, academic, researcher, public-health professional, sustainability expert, technology innovator, industry professional, student or emerging leader, WGES Global Athens 2026 offers an opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships and expand your international network.
Space is limited. Advance registration is required.
WGES GLOBAL ATHENS 2026
October 6–8, 2026 | Athens, Greece
For the complete agenda, speakers, program information, venues and NOVA Awards details, visit:
Questions: [email protected]
October 6–8, 2026 | Athens, Greece
🌐 www.WGESglobal.com
✉ [email protected] | [email protected]
Let Us Tell You a Little About WGES Global™
Founded in the United States in 2009, WGES Global™ has spent more than 15 years bringing together leaders from government, academia, science and industry to exchange knowledge, build relationships and advance practical solutions.
A Legacy of Leadership & International Participation
Past WGES programs have included representation from The White House, U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. General Services Administration, together with Governors, Mayors, Ambassadors and international representatives from Greece, Europe, Canada, Brazil, South Korea and beyond.
Corporate and industry participation throughout WGES Global's history has included organizations such as AECOM, Siemens, GE, Johnson Controls, Dow, BAE and Tishman, alongside universities, chambers of commerce, trade organizations and other institutions.
Academic engagement has included University of Pennsylvania/Wharton, Drexel University, Temple University, University of the District of Columbia and Hunter College/CUNY, among others.
From the United States to Europe
Athens 2026 marks the inaugural European WGES Global International Symposium & Expo, extending a U.S. legacy that began in 2009 to a new international platform in Greece.
WGES Global Athens 2026 continues that tradition by convening Greek, U.S. and international leadership around public health, digital technology, energy innovation, sustainable construction and high-performance buildings, geospatial technologies for wildfire and disaster preparedness, sustainable agri-food systems, workforce development, resilience and international collaboration.
Registration
Space is limited. Advance registration is required.
Official attendee registration for WGES Global™ Athens 2026 is processed securely through this Eventbrite event page. Upon completion, registered attendees will receive an official Eventbrite confirmation and digital ticket.
For the complete agenda, speakers, venues, NOVA Awards and WGES Global information, visit:
Registration Questions: [email protected]
WGES Global: [email protected]
WGES Global™ International Symposium & Expo — Athens 2026
October 6–8, 2026 | Athens, Greece
Event venue & nearby stays
Athens, Greece listed on website, Greece
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.