On Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20, 2026, the third edition of The Lyceum Project (TLP2026) took place at the Athens Conservatoire. Over the course of two days, an active forum of dialogue and bold ideas succeeded in creating a community, a space of coexistence. From the very first discussions, a common thread began to unravel, connecting disciplines, institutions, cultures, and ultimately bringing people together in a shared search for meaning and for a common perspective on the relationship between humanity, nature, and technology.
On Animate Intelligence
Τhe first day of this interdisciplinary gathering, Friday 19/6, was dedicated to Animate Intelligence.
Vangelis Karkaletsis (President of the National Centre for Scientific Research (NCSR) “Demokritos”) welcomed the participants and set the tone for the event by introducing the concept of a modern Lyceum: “This modern Lyceum aspires to be a place where philosophy, science, technology, and the arts spirituality and society come together. […] Progress requires dialogue between scientists and philosophers, engineers and policymakers, citizens and leaders.” pointing out that it requires intellectual curiosity, as well as humility, that is the willingness to recognize that, despite all our advances, many of the most important questions remain open.
In his opening address, Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance of the Hellenic Republic, emphasised that technology is a field with human, social, and ethical dimensions, rather than a purely technocratic one. reaffirming the Greek Government’s commitment to positioning Greece as a key partner in AI advances at the EU and international levels.
Alexandra Mitsotaki (Co-founder & President, World Human Forum / WHF) focused on the importance of the effort to revive Aristotle’s Lyceum and on the value of interdisciplinarity as a means of advancing the well-being of all forms of life: “If intelligence is learning, adaptability, solving problems, achieving goals, then yes we need those 3 AIs we are bringing together here to address the biggest challenge of all: maintaining life on our small planet, the only home we have” she noted.
In the presence of Metropolitan Theodoretos of Laodicea, Fr. John Chryssavgis, Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Throne, delivered the message of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew which highlighted the need for spiritual orientation and the search for meaning. He concluded his address with the following words: “The truth that the management of the achievements of civilisation is more complex and more difficult than their production will remain valid, even in the age of artificial intelligence. We are certain that modern technological conquests do not cancel out what we know about human beings and the human condition.. […] We continue to seek authentic meaning in life and existential orientation, to philosophise, to marvel at the beauty of nature, to listen for the voice of Heaven. Together with artificial intelligence, the validity of the diptych of living and the ancestral intelligence remains undiminished within the context of holistic, entangled intelligence”.
Ruth DeFries (Columbia University) opened the main programme of the event with her insightful keynote speech “Entangled Intelligences”, in which she explored the lessons that nature’s operational strategies can offer humanity, as well as their relevance to the development of Artificial Intelligence. “For life to survive, it has to be adaptive, it has to be resilient, otherwise it would not be here. […] So nature, animate intelligence has developed a set of operating principles that enable that resilience.”
The discussion that followed, titled “The Wisdom of Ecosystems,” was facilitated by Niki Mardas (Global Canopy) and brought together Armand Marie Leroi (Imperial College London) and Yadvinder Malhi (University of Oxford) in an intriguing dialogue. The conversation invited both the audience and the speakers to reflect on the questions: “Is an ecosystem intelligent? Does a forest think?” and explored the complexity of ecosystems and examined the distinctions between intelligence, consciousness, and the subjective experiences of living beings.
The discussion between Adam Elman (Director of Sustainability at Google for Europe, the Middle East and Africa), and Vangelis Karkaletsis (NCSR “Demokritos”), explored applications of Artificial Intelligence in forecasting, data collection, and the democratisation of data for the protection of nature. Adam Elman pointed out that “We have a lot of data but actually, just having data itself, sometimes isn’t helpful. You need to be able to get insights from that data.” He also shared examples from a range of projects leveraging Google’s Artificial Intelligence models, which, through collaboration with other organisations and institutions, can support efforts to protect the planet and nature.
The day concluded with the panel discussion “Rethinking Intelligence: Beyond the Brain,” moderated by Ruth DeFries. Paco Calvo (University of Murcia) argued that we often fail to recognise intelligence as an embodied process that is not confined solely to the brain, and questioned whether our growing dependence on technology “is making us know more and more about less and less”. Morten L. Kringelbach (Aarchus, University/Oxford University) referred to collective intelligence and the importance of social relationships, adding: “the ability to play is a really good way of thinking about intelligence – the curiosity, the fun – and I would always add kindness”.
In two “Walk the Talk” presentations, Emmanouel Stratakis (IESL-FORTH) and Niki Evelpidou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens/NKUA) demonstrated how the wisdom of nature inspires and guides their research, from the development of “smart” materials imitating properties such asthose of cicada wings, to the creation of reefs from natural materials for coastal protection.
Saturday 20/6 was dedicated to Ancestral Intelligence, Young Scholars and Artificial Intelligence.
On Ancestral Intelligence
In her welcome address on the second day, Alexandra Mitsotaki (Co-founder & President, World Human Forum) highlighted the inspiration behind the theme of this year’s The Lyceum Project. During the sponsor’s welcomeGianna Andronopoulou (Microsoft), referred both to the company’s support for the initiative and to the defining challenge of our time: the need to ensure “trust that our data is protected”.
“We still need human wisdom” said Angie Hobbs FRSA (University of Sheffield) in her keynote speech on “Artificial Intelligence and a Good Life: What We Can Learn from Aristotle” that set off the discussions on Ancestral Intelligence.
The discussion “Nature Does Nothing in Vain”, also followed the paths of Aristotelian philosophy. The moderator, Spyridon Rangos (University of Patras), explored the notion of purpose (telos) in Aristotle’s philosophy and highlighted the conception of the world as a unified whole. Stasinos Stavrianeas (Hellenic Open University) explained that according to Aristotle “life is something that permeates the whole universe, plants and animals”. Meanwhile, Evangelos Protopapadakis (NKUA) discussed Stoic philosophy: “for the Stoics the good created the universe which a divine, not physical, fire unifies.”
“Climate and Environmental Change: The Ancient Wisdom” brought geology and archaeology into dialogue. In conversation with Niki Evelpidou (NKUA), Anca Dan (École Normale Supérieure) concluded with an example from the Roman times: “a debate which took place in Rome, in the 1st century, AD, in the time of Tiberius. Should we change the Tiber river or not? Because it was flooding the city periodically. And after the debate, they decided not to change it, so, to suffer the economic damages of not changing the river. What is important is the debate and the philosophical dialogue.”
In his deeply reflective address, Father John Chryssavgis (Ecumenical Patriarchate) drew attention to the responsibility of the Church to listen and to have the courage to engage in dialogue on the critical issues of our time. “AI exposes, actually amplifies cracks in our work and in our life. [ …] Maybe AI will oblige us to reimagine our life, to reimagine the role of humanity in the world, to redefine our values. […] AI could have a central place in creating a society oriented toward the common good and a shared planet.”
The “For What We Have In Common” panel brought together Stefanos Gandolfo (Athens Columbia Global Center), Dimitris Vassiliadis (Hellenic-Indian Society for Culture & Development), Laymert Garcia Dos Santos, and Wakanyi Macharia-Hoffman (Utrecht University). Guided by Sergio Imparato (Harvard University, CHS Greece), the panelists explored philosophical perspectives on nature drawn from Chinese and Indian philosophy, the traditions of Brazil’s Indigenous peoples, and the African philosophy of Ubuntu.
“The Earth, like us, needs greater care. We need to develop a culture of care, care for one another. And perhaps this is what will carry us into the next millennium and give us the possibility to develop other worlds,” highlighted the indigenous leader, environmental activist, philosopher, and writer, Ailton Krenak in the first of the two keynote speeches of the day. Known for his influential ecological advocacy, he stressed that the logic of “extracting data” from nature mirrors the limitless extraction of natural resources, with devastating environmental consequences. He was welcomed to the stage by Fali Vogiatzaki (National Museum of Natural History Goulandris), who read excerpts from a 1990 speech by Angelos Goulandris, delivered when he and Ailton Krenak were honoured by the Onassis Foundation for their contribution to environmental protection.
The Lyceum Project was honoured by the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Saturday afternoon.
Young Scholars’ Session
Once again this year, The Lyceum Project provided a platform for the next generation of researchers, featuring scientific presentations aligned with the central theme of the gathering.
In the Young Scholars’ Session, in affiliation with the Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece of Harvard University, the four selected speakers, Andreas Athanasakis, Dimitrios Chatzitheodosiou, William Dorrell, and Anastasia-Stavroula Valtadorou, explored the entangled relationship between the three forms of intelligence through interdisciplinary approaches.
On Artificial Intelligence
The third part of The Lyceum Project delved deeper into Artificial Intelligence.
In a talk that bridged ancestral and artificial intelligence, Edward Harcourt MBE (University of Oxford) concluded that “one of the most pressing questions for AI ethics, and beyond that, for global AI governance, is how an AI ecosystem would need to be configured so as to realise the good of pluralism.”
Inclusive AI design was at the heart of the discussion titled “AI for/from all the People,” moderated by Katie Evans (IEEE SA). Benjamin Rosman (University of the Witwatersrand) noted that “we’re building towards an antihuman future at the moment.” Ali-Reza Bhojani (University of Birmingham) raised the question of the purpose of human intelligence more broadly, as well as that of many approaches rooted in a materialist understanding of the world. For her part, Wakanyi Macharia-Hoffman expressed the view that “there has to be some kind of relationship between you and the problem that you’re trying to solve, in order for you to understand different ways in which the solution might actually create more problems.”
The importance of creating a network of organisations to harness Artificial Intelligence in addressing climate change, the criteria for evaluating its impact, as well as the lack of usable and accurate data on its energy costs and effectiveness, were central to the discussion “AI for/from the Planet.” The panel, moderated by Giannis Mastrogeorgiou (Special Secretary of Foresight), featured Radia Funna (Build n Blaze), Uday Khemka (N.J. Khemka Foundation), and Stelios Karozis (NCSR “Demokritos”).
Summarising key points from the two-day dialogue, Jeremy Lent (Ecocivilization Coalition) and Nicolas Prevelakis (Harvard University, CHS Greece) focused on the interconnected relationship between different forms of intelligence. “We have that sort of animated intelligence within us, we are deeply connected with all of life, we are all life,” the award-winning British author and thinker stated, rejecting the dualism of Western thought, which separates humans from nature.
In the spirit of the interconnectedness highlighted throughout the discussions, an orange ball of yarn was passed from one speaker to the next, offering an interactive way for participants to share thoughts and reflections. The activity was led by Maria Dagioglou (Scientific Coordinator of The Lyceum Project at NCSR “Demokritos”).
The two-day event concluded with a nocturnal silent walk through the archaeological site of Aristotle’s Lyceum, with musical accompaniment from members of the Athens Conservatoire’s Early Music Centre. The walk ended at the “Garden of Paradise” of the Byzantine and Christian Museum, where musician and researcher Nikos Xanthoulis spoke about the role of art in antiquity and its significance today. He was then joined by Sokratis Sinopoulos, playing the politiki lyra, and Alexandros Rizopoulos playing the daouli, as Nikos Xanthoulis performed on the ancient Greek lyre, drawing participants into a circle of music and dance.
Key Takeaways from ΤLP2026
True to its mission of reviving the spirit of Aristotle’s Lyceum, The Lyceum Project continued to foster interdisciplinary dialogue between philosophy, Artificial Intelligence, and a broad range of scientific and social fields. Its aim is to create meaningful collaborations and promote a new perspective that recognises the interdependence of humans, nature, and technology. The key message that emerged is that progress cannot be based on technology alone. It requires connection, respect for every form of life, care, and empathy – values that can serve as the foundation for a form of progress that benefits not only humanity but all life on Earth.