Thessaloniki is set to become a hub for international dialogue on sustainable development and innovation with the launch of the first Blue Heritage Summit Thessaloniki, taking place from 17 to 19 March. The event will bring together 92 speakers from politics, academia and business from Greece and abroad.
Organised by BeyondCSR with support from Greece's interior ministry, the summit will cover five themes: blue and circular economy, technology, innovation and education, culture, and tourism. Discussions will focus on leveraging coastal and cultural resources to support sustainable growth and regional cooperation.
Speaking at a press briefing, Deputy Interior Minister Kostas Gkioulekas said the summit aims to highlight the potential of northern Greece. "To discuss how we can make the most of the opportunities our region offers to take Macedonia and Thrace even higher," he said. He also stressed the event's timing amid shifting geopolitical conditions, noting the "particular importance of the event in today's geopolitical context," where sustainable development, energy transition, coastal resilience, and regional cooperation are key priorities for Europe and the Mediterranean.
Pavlina Proteou, founder of BeyondCSR, said Thessaloniki has the potential to become an innovation hub in southeastern Europe. The summit, she added, aims to generate ideas that could develop into projects and startups. "The Blue Heritage Summit aspires to become an international space for dialogue and solution-building, linking policy, innovation, investment and the implementation of ideas and programmes."
Although the programme is still being finalised due to the developments in the Middle East, the Blue Heritage Summit in Thessaloniki will bring together a diverse range of speakers from politics, diplomacy, business, and academia. Participants include European commissioners, several Greek government ministers, international diplomats, MEPs, business leaders, and university rectors, while regional authorities, business associations, and international partners will support the event.
