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ATHENS CONFERENCE 2025
The Art of Life Collective is honored to collaborate with the NPO Unity in Philia and participate in two consecutive events of literary, artistic, spiritual and scientific interest on the last Saturday of November. The events will take place within the framework of “Athens Conference 2025” hosted by Unity in Philia. The conference will bring together representatives of the Greek diaspora, academics, artists and experts from Greece and abroad, promoting cooperation and cultural diplomacy.
*The artbook presentation and panel talks are two out of the four events of the conference. The complete program of the conference is listed at the bottom of this page.
Venue: Antonis Tritsis Amphitheater, Cultural Center of the Municipality of Athens (50 Akadimias street)
Date: Saturday, November 29th
Free Admission
ARTBOOK PRESENTATION
Book launch & dialogue:
Artbook presentation & dialogue: “Consciousness’ Journey to the Transcendent – Tuning the Finite to the Infinity” – authored by Dr. Vassilis Adrahtas
A book that captures the common denominator of a deeper spiritual essence through quotes of the Greek poet Nikos Kazantzakis, the Indian philosopher Sri Aurobindo and through the visual work of the Art of Life Collective.
How it came to be
The project of creating this artbook began when NPO Unity in Philia, met with Art of Life Collective. In November 2024, the seed of collaboration was given by Konstantinos Sgouras (Co-Founder of UIP) and the theme for the book emerged from the author Dr. Vasilis Adrachtas (co-founder of UIP), who was inspired by the spiritual and visual work of the six members of the Art of Life Collective to write the central text.
The title of the book “Consciousness’ Journey to the Transcendent” represents the spiritual legacy of the teaching for the expansion of consciousness, which constitutes the life and work of the members of the Art of Life Collective. This book is a tool that attempts to open a new world of perception in the hands of those who will appreciate it. Each additional reading unlocks more and more meanings that come to the reader as revelations. It is a living and dynamic object with which its creators hope to convey the key to the source of their inspiration.
A bold Inspiration
”The dialogue between Nikos Kazantzakis, Sri Aurobindo and the artistic work of the Art of Life Collective was a spiritual dare. This bold venture served as a source of inspiration for me, so that I could engage with the work of the artists. The questions arose impetuously: How is the unity of matter and spirit expressed visually? How is the mystery of the indestructible relationship of the finite with the infinite morphologically captured? What visual vocabulary can express the ineffable, so as to fulfill the meaning of spiritual insight and visual symbolism. How is the transcendence of consciousness experienced artistically and how is the supernatural sensed? A necessary prerequisite for all of the above is a perspective that transcends the limits of the material. Matter is transmuted into a spiritual entity through transcendental abstraction and the transposition of experience into symbolic hypostasization of visual perception. Matter is transformed through the Epiphany of the transcendent in its embodied impressions”
– Dr. Aikaterini Triantaphyllopoulou, Art Historian
Artbook Cover: Prism 2022 | Eirini Apsychou
colored pencil on paper
50 x 70 cm
50 x 70 cm
“A book for Mystics”
Comment by Mrs Alexandra Charalamboudi, ex-secretary of “Archetypo” publications.
Artbook Editor: Androniki Tsagkarakou
About Athens Conference 2025
Exactly one year after its conception, the book is presented for the first time in Greece, after its debut in Sydney in May. 2025. The presentation will take place within the framework of “Athens Conference 2025” organized by Unity in Philia on November 29 at the “Antonis Tritsis” Amphitheater in Athens. The conference will bring together representatives of the Greek diaspora, academics, artists and experts from Greece and abroad, promoting cooperation and cultural diplomacy.
The book presentation is one of the four events of the conference and is addressed to those who want to experience another attitude of contemporary creativity that interweaves art, literature and spirituality.
During the event Dr. Vassilis Adrahtas will give a presentation of the context titled: “Three dialogues in one book: How the Journey of Consciousness to the Transcendent came about”. Art historian Dr. Aikaterini Triantaphyllopoulou will speak on the topic ‘‘The sacred in life and art’’ inspired by selected artworks included in the artbook. Next, a 7-minute mini-documentary created by the Art of Life Collective will be presented.The documentary aims to give a deeper insight on important moments of their shared life path as creators through the spiritual Teaching of Yoga Science. Finally a dialogue with the panel, the artists and the audience will follow.
Talks (16:00 – 17:30)
- Introduction – Three dialogues in one book: How Consciousness’ Journey to the Transcendent came about | Dr. Vassilis Adrahtas (Head of Hellenic Studies – UNSW, General Director of Actions & Programs – Unity in Philia)
- The sacred in life and in art | Dr. Aikaterini Triantafyllopoulou (Art Historian, Head of Hellenic Culture Programs – Unity in Philia)
- Art of Life Collective | Mini Documentary (7min)
- Dialogue (Q&A) | Art of Life Collective (Alexia Grammenidou, Alkistis Panagiotopoulou, Eirini Apsychou, Lila Nikolaou, Marsy Syreggela, Freideriki Papastavropoulou)
ATHENS CONFERENCE 2025 Antonis Tritsis Amphitheatre
50 Akadimias Street, Athens
PANEL TALKS
THE ADVENTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS: SCIENCE – ART – SPIRITUALITY
Talk Series: “The Adventure of Consciousness: Science – Art – Spirituality”
The event features five talks which share as common ground the significance of science, art, and spirituality in the evolution of consciousness. Speakers from the respective fields will present their thoughts on the nature of consciousness, exploring how these three pillars of culture influence and shape the human experience at the core of its existence.
Moderator: Vassilis Adrahtas | Head of Hellenic Studies – UNSW, General Director of Actions & Programs – Unity in Philia
ATHENS CONFERENCE 2025
PROGRAM
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 29
1st EVENT 10:30 – 12:00
From Athens to the World: Bridges of Innovation, Creativity and Culture. – How innovation, creativity and cultural diplomacy can transform societies and connect communities around the world.
Moderator: Katerina Pylarinou (Head of Strategic Partnerships – Unity in Philia)
Introduction: Konstantinos Sgouras (Co-Founder, Head of International Programming and Administration – Unity in Philia)
Talks :
- Culture and Tourism: Professionals in the Digital Age | Dr. Achilleas Kameas (Founder and Director of the DAISSy research group – Hellenic Open University) | Panagiota Polymeropoulou (Archaeologist-Museologist, DAISSy research group – Hellenic Open University)
- The Innovation Map: From Conception to Sustainable Development | Elina Karamanou (CEO Athens Financial Services)
- Real Estate: An Alternative Approach | Giannis Karasarinis (Real Estate Specialist, Public Relations Consultant – Unity in Philia)
- The-more-than-human heritage of Kefalonia: Infrastructure as a tool for Ecosystem Stewardship | Paolo Apostolidis (University Researcher, Head of Human Environment & Architectural Research Programs – Unity in Philia)
2nd EVENT 12:30 – 14:00
Migration & Diaspora – New approaches to integration, cultural identity and the economic contribution of communities.
Moderator: Elyse Isheja (Head of East Africa Programs & Advisor for African Community Issues in Greece – Unity in Philia)
Speakers :
- Richard Spyros Hagambimana (Special Advisor to the Minister – Ministry of Immigration and Asylum)
- Paraskevi Trifylli (Head of Wellbeing & Social Inclusion Programs – Unity in Philia)
- Elyse Isheja (Head of East Africa Programs & Advisor for African Community Issues in Greece – Unity in Philia)
- George Katsifaras (PhD Candidate in Historical Linguistics, Advisor for Greek Culture Programs – Unity in Philia)
- Nikolaos Tsolozidis (Psychologist, Public Relations Advisor – Unity in Philia)
3rd EVENT 16:00 – 17:30
Artbook presentation & dialogue: “Consciousness’ Journey to the Transcendent – Tuning the Finite to the Infinity” – authored by Dr. Vassilis Adrahtas.
A book that captures the common denominator of a deeper spiritual essence through quotes of the Greek poet Nikos Kazantzakis, the Indian philosopher Sri Aurobindo and through the visual work of the Art of Life Collective.
Moderator: Lila Nikolaou (Economic & Curatorial Activities, Founding Member – Art of Life Collective)
Talks :
- Introduction – Three dialogues in one book: How Consciousness’ Journey to the Transcendent came about | Dr. Vassilis Adrahtas (Head of Hellenic Studies – UNSW, General Director of Actions & Programs – Unity in Philia)
- The sacred in life and in art | Dr. Aikaterini Triantafyllopoulou (Art Historian, Head of Hellenic Culture Programs – Unity in Philia)
- Art of Life Collective | Mini Documentary (7min)
- Dialogue (Q&A) | Art of Life Collective (Alexia Grammenidou, Alkistis Panagiotopoulou, Eirini Apsychou, Lila Nikolaou, Marsy Syreggela, Freideriki Papastavropoulou)
4th EVENT 18:00 – 20:00
Talk Series: “The Adventure of Consciousness: Science – Art – Spirituality”
The event features five talks which share as common ground the significance of science, art, and spirituality in the evolution of consciousness. Speakers from the respective fields will present their thoughts on the nature of consciousness, exploring how these three pillars of culture influence and shape the human experience at the core of its existence.
Moderator: Vassilis Adrahtas | Head of Hellenic Studies – UNSW, General Director of Actions & Programs – Unity in Philia
Talks :
- Human and Cosmos: science as path to self-knowledge | Dr. Alexandros Antoniadis-Karnavas (Doctor of Astrophysics – University of Porto, Research & Development Advisor – Unity in Philia)
- The transformations of consciousness in art: from spiritual vision to the networked mind | Dr. Eleni Gemtou (Associate Professor – Department of History and Philosophy of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
- Post-virtual: artificial intelligence, photography and spirituality of the self | Dimitris Bekridakis (Teacher, Theologian – MA in Religious Studies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
- Art as individual and collective therapy | Dr. Dimosthenis Davvetas (Professor of Philosophy – Institut d’études supérieures des arts Paris, Writer, Artist)
- Spiritual work as a foundation for the modern creator | Freideriki Papastavropoulou (Artist – Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Representative of the Art of Life Collective)