The NKUA’s Administration Council has approved (at the recommendation of its Member, Professor Achilleas Chaldaeakes) a proposal put forward by the Department of Philosophy of the NKUA’s School of Philosophy (through the Chair of the Department, Professor Vana Nicolaidou-Kyrianidou) and the Department of History and Philosophy of Science of the NKUA’s School of Science (through the Chair of the Department, Professor Anthony Hatzimoysis) to introduce an official celebration of World Philosophy Day at our Institution.
UNESCO’s World Philosophy Day is an international observance held on the third Thursday of November each year. This celebration ‘underlines the enduring value of philosophy for the development of human thought, for each culture, and for each individual’. Inextricably linked with the unrestricted dialogue between equal participants on the one hand and autonomous thinking on the other, Philosophy is as old as Democracy itself. Consequently, the activity flourished primarily in Athens, where our University was later born and still operates. Given the fact that NKUA, since its founding, has recognized the importance of advancing philosophical education, and now, two of its Departments serve this purpose both in teaching and research, we introduce the annual official celebration of World Philosophy Day. Within the same context, our Institution will organize the 1st Festival of Philosophy (28 May 2025), entitled ‘Philosophy and the Passions’. The Festival, which will take place in the open outdoor spaces of the historic main building of the University of Athens (30 Panepistimiou St), is part of a series of educational, cultural, and artistic events entitled ‘NKUA in the City’ and coordinated by Professor Achilleas Chaldaeakes. The Festival will interactively combine round-table discussions, musical performances, and visual arts activities centred on philosophy and the passions.
See the relevant Decision of the NKUA’s Administration Council (Session of 24 February 2025)
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