Dearest Friends,
As 2025 is drawing to a close, I want to wish us all Peace, Health and Creativity for the New Year ahead.
But I’d also like to share a few thoughts:
AI is reshaping how we work, how we connect, how we lead. Tech is accelerating faster than most of us can process.
In all the noise and breakneck speed, let us not forget each other.
Let’s commit to lead with humanity first, to keep investing in collaboration rather than competition. Let’s choose inclusion and understanding over echo chambers.
Technology will advance whether we’re ready for it or not. We will have to adapt to the new reality, one way or another. But how we use it? That’s on us.
- It is on us to prioritise human connection in every project.
- It is on us to build teams that reflect diverse perspectives.
- It is on us to stay curious about and welcoming of people who think differently.
- It is on us to create spaces where difficult conversations can happen, and we are all prepared to take a step back and listen to each other.
The more technology changes our world, the more we need to anchor ourselves in what makes us human.
We can’t control every shift coming our way. But we can control how we show up for each other.
I wish you a joyful rest of the year and may your dreams come true in 2026!
Until then,
With fond wishes,
Elizabeth
| 2025: A YEAR IN REVIEW! |
| Athena40 Women & Entrepreneurship a partnership with the Greek Embassy in London November 2025 |
One hundred international women entrepreneurs from London and Athens gathered to exchange ideas, build connections, and spotlight the power of cross-border collaboration! Athena40 convened its network for a series of events organised by the Greek Ambassador to the UK Mr. Yannis Tsaousis, during the Global Entrepreneurship Week. GTF Founder and CEO, Elizabeth Filippouli, moderated a panel discussion on ‘Funding, Business Development and Female Entrepreneurship’ and was also the keynote speaker at the reception on ‘How Women Can Shape International Business in the Future’
Athena and Telemachus Online Forum
November 2025
Last November, our Athena and Telemachus virtual gathering brought together a vibrant community of mentors, mentees from the 2025 cycle, and graduates from previous years, spanning the globe—from Algeria to Zambia and everywhere in between, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Sri Lanka, The Philippines, Tunisia, Uganda, the UK, and the USA.
The session was a celebration of connection, learning, and growth. Graduates had the inspiring opportunity to showcase their projects, sharing their vision and accomplishments with both mentors and mentees, igniting ideas and fostering collaboration across continents.
The session concluded with reflections from mentors who emphasised the significance of learning to work with people who don’t necessarily agree with us and make the most of these connections.During the session, some of our graduates had the opportunity to present their projects to our mentors and mentees. See below:
We celebrate Damaris Chawinga from Malawi for presenting Opticenter Opticals and Eye Clinic, a beacon of accessible and affordable eye care, alongside the Vision4All Initiative, a humanitarian program delivering free eye screenings, donated glasses, and essential eye health education to underserved communities. Be part of this extraordinary mission by contributing lenses, frames, used glasses, or basic eye care equipment, helping bring sight and hope to remote areas where it’s needed most. For more information: contact@globalthinkersforum.org
Cheikh Tidiane Mbaye presented his project Lost Memory Archive. The project focuses on preserving and revitalising forgotten photographic archives across Senegal by identifying, restoring, and showcasing the works of photographers whose studios and collections risk disappearing with time. He aims to set up a scanning studio and he wishes to acquire the necessary equipment, such as a professional negative scanner and other essential materials for organising and archiving the remaining negatives and prints. You may contact us if you can support this initiative: contact@globalthinkersforum.org
Elias Kantepa as a member of a national team of trainers, he conducts nationwide programs for Skilled Birth Attendants (SBAs), equipping them with critical skills to manage emergency obstetric conditions. His work focuses on addressing the three leading causes of maternal mortality—maternal sepsis, hemorrhage, and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia—ultimately saving lives and strengthening maternal health across the country. If you can support Elias’s work email us: contact@globalthinkersforum.org.
Telemachus and Athena New Cohort 2026!
Our mentoring programmes ‘Telemachus’ for youth and ‘Athena’ for women are entering their 11th cycle in 2026.
We are delighted to announce that for next year’s cohort we received applications from 25 countries: Afghanistan, Brazil, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, UAE, Uganda, USA & Vietnam.
For yet another year, Global Thinkers Forum will deliver to youth and women from around the world the mentoring support that is necessary for them to materialise their career plans and professional dreams. The new annual cycle will commence at the end of January 2026 and the mentors-mentees pairs will be announced then. Stay tuned!
Support the GTF mentoring programmes by making an annual donation or by becoming a mentor.
Contact: katerina.chatzi@globalthinkersforum.org
GTF at the 3rd Annual KOMVOS Conference
in Athens, Greece
KOMVOS – Networks of Global Hellenism hosted its 3rd Annual Conference on November 28 welcoming participants to a dynamic exchange of ideas, collaboration, and joint action across fields including economics, biotechnology, sustainability, shipping, Artificial Intelligence, research, and global Hellenism.
The conference featured seven thematic panels, among which the “Tourism and Sustainability” session, hosted by Elizabeth Filippouli, founding member of KOMVOS, stood out. The panel included insights from businesswoman and author Eleni Andreadi, a trailblazer in sustainability in Greece, as they explored the challenges of implementing sustainable policies in the hospitality sector. The discussion opened with a keynote intervention by Deputy Minister of Tourism Anna Karamanli, setting the stage for impactful dialogue.
A highlight of the session was the honorary recognition of leaders driving sustainability across the Greek islands: the Municipality of Tilos for its energy transformation and autonomy, the Municipality of Astypalea and Mayor Nikolaos Komineas for pioneering green mobility and integrating sustainability into development strategies, and the Cyclades Preservation Fund for its ongoing support of local environmental protection initiatives. Each tribute was presented as a unique work of art by artist Leonie Yagdjoglou, symbolizing the harmony of innovation, culture, and environmental stewardship.
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4th Athena40 Awards – March 2025
On March 6 2025, as part of International Women’s Month, Athena40, in partnership with the London Press Club and KNOCK Inc. hosted the ‘Women’s Interventions for a Sustainable Future’ Awards in London and celebrated international stories of women’s leadership shaping a sustainable future for all.
Baroness Catherine Ashton, former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, delivered the keynote speech, and economist Vicky Pryce chaired the evening. Photos from the Awards evening can be visited here.
The Pebbles Project
The Pebbles Project is an international photographic and storytelling initiative co-founded by Elizabeth Filippouli and Sebastian Boettcher in 2021. It is an ongoing campaign based on the idea of photographing trailblazing women from around the world, women who are leading with courage, compassion and accountability.
In 2025, Sebastian Boettcher visited the Philippines to photograph Geraldine Roman, the first openly transgender woman elected in the Congress of the Philippines, and Shawntel Nieto, an activist fighting poverty and championing sustainability; Egypt to portray internationally acclaimed journalist Shahira Amin; Ukraine to capture the unwavering resilience of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk; and Hungary to photograph Ambassador Katalin Bogyay, a seasoned Hungarian diplomat who won our Athena40 Award earlier this year.
The Pebbles Project aims to raise awareness around the 17 UN Goals and highlights the importance of living purposeful lives.
www.thepebbles.org
Elizabeth Filippouli Keynotes at Oxford’s Saïd Business School Graduation Ceremonies
June 2025
Last June, our Founder, Elizabeth Filippouli, was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremonies of Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. The ceremonies took place at the historic Sheldonian Theatre, where Elizabeth, an alumna herself, shared insights from her professional journey with the graduating classes and also how the School helped her transition successfully from journalism to social entrepreneurship. Diplomas were conferred in the following fields of study: Artificial Intelligence for Business, Global Business, Financial Strategy, Organisational Leadership, and Strategy & Innovation.
| Join an incredible global network of visionary changemakers! Become a Member of Global Thinkers Forum & Athena40 |
Spotlight on Partners’ Initiatives in 2025
Headwaters Relief Providing Relief after Hurricane Melissa
In early November, the Headwaters Relief Organization team returned from Jamaica, where they worked with communities recovering from Hurricane Melissa. Volunteers provided essential relief focusing on public health, medical, and psychosocial support. They worked to clean up debris, tarp damaged roofs, and bring relief to overwhelmed families in hard-hit areas. The team identified two schools and a church that they plan to return to and support in the coming months, demonstrating a commitment to ongoing recovery.
Genesis Energy at WAPECC 2025
On December 3-5, the Genesis Energy team joined industry leaders in Cotonou, Benin, for the 3rd edition of WAPECC 2025, a platform where vision meets action. Genesis Energy Chairman, Akinwolle Omoboriowo II, was the Keynote Speaker and Roundtable Host at WAPECC 2025.
Genesis was on the ground, engaging stakeholders, exchanging insights, and reinforcing their commitment to a more resilient and accessible energy future.
The conversations highlighted the power of collaboration, regional integration, and scalable solutions in expanding access and reliability across West Africa.
Mismanaged Decline: A New Book
by Vicky Pryce & Andy Ross
How did the UK transition from being the world’s workshop to having the dependent, service-driven economy of today, prone to severe negative shocks and daunting economic challenges?
Mismanaged Decline: What Politicians Won’t Tell You About the Economy distils the lessons to be learned from the forces that have shaped the UK economy since the Industrial Revolution.
Experienced economists Vicky Pryce and Andy Ross capture what can be learned and used to improve the performance of the UK economy, and seek to explain why there are no magic solutions and why there will be no sudden economic ‘reset’.
At a time of rising geopolitical uncertainty, this balanced, non-partisan account offers a blueprint for a stronger and more resilient economy.
ULEAM Awards Honorary Doctorate to Rosalía Arteaga
Congratulations to our Advisory Board Member and former president of Ecuador, Dr Rosalía Arteaga Serrano, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor Honoris Causa) by the Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabí (ULEAM) during a formal ceremony held on its campus in Manta. The university recognised the former Ecuadorian head of state for her outstanding career and her contributions to education, culture, and public service, both nationally and internationally.
Empowering African Grandmothers as Social
Change Agents: Optimizing a Cultural Resource
Dr Judi Aubel, Executive Director of the Grandmother Project – Change through Culture, who received in 2017 the GTF Award for Excellence in Positive Change, continues to promote positive change through her work.
In Senegal, the assets-based, grandmother-inclusive, Girls’ Holistic Development (GHD) program addresses major issues regarding girls’ education, child marriage, teen pregnancy and female genital mutilation. GHD empowers grandmothers to support girls.
Dr Aubel’s recent article is an extensive analysis that showcases the significant role grandmothers play, especially in the care and socialisation of women and girls in their communities. Read the article here.
Our Gratitude to our Sponsors and Partners
