As global uncertainty intensifies and geopolitical tensions reshape the international landscape, leaders, policymakers and experts have once again gathered in Delphi, seeking answers to questions that are becoming increasingly complex and pressing.
In this context, the curtain will rise on Wednesday, April 22, on the 11th Delphi Economic Forum, which will run until April 25, with a notable Australian presence once again this year.
The Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and former Australian Treasurer, Mathias Cormann, will deliver opening remarks, focusing on the need to strengthen economic resilience and international cooperation in an environment shaped by successive crises.
Mr Cormann will also participate in a panel titled “Supporting Greece’s future growth model”, where he will join Vice President of the Greek government Kostis Hatzidakis in discussion, moderated by Spyros Dimitrelis.
Also drawing attention is the participation of former Chief of the Australian Defence Force and current Ambassador to Belgium, Angus Campbell, who on Thursday will take part in a discussion titled “Strategic crossroads: Where Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security meet”.
The session, organised in cooperation with the embassies of Australia, South Korea and Japan, is expected to focus on the convergence of strategic challenges between the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions, at a time of rising geopolitical tensions.
Under the central theme “The Shock of the New”, this year’s forum will seek to capture an era of constant change – from the war in Ukraine to instability in the Middle East, and from pressures on energy to the reshaping of trade relations. At the heart of discussions will be the search for a sustainable growth model, strengthening competitiveness and ensuring energy security.
Artificial intelligence will also feature prominently, not only as a tool for development but as an area requiring regulation, with implications for work, governance and public life. At the same time, issues such as demographic ageing and the need for new skills will return forcefully to public debate.
The scale of the forum will be reflected in the numbers: more than 1,200 speakers across over 200 discussions, bringing together government officials, international organisations and leading think tanks in a dynamic exchange of ideas.
In recent years, the Delphi Forum has sought to strengthen its outward focus, with plans to expand to Australia.
The organisation of its first edition in Sydney – planned as a two-day forum featuring politicians, investors and senior market figures – was ultimately postponed due to major disruptions to international travel caused by the crisis in the Middle East.
The postponement of the visit of Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was to be the keynote speaker, made it practically impossible to proceed with the event.
However, organisers have maintained their intention to reschedule the forum for October 2026, reaffirming their ambition to establish a steady channel of dialogue between Greece and Australia.
