The International Crisis Management Conference «ATHENA» is an international forum for constructive, topical discussions and exchange of views on the prevention and management of Defence and Security crises at geostrategic and geopolitical level.
This activity took place for the first time in 1996 as a Crisis Management Seminar and was part of the NATO initiative «In the spirit of Partnership for Peace – PfP». In the following years, the Seminar expanded its circle of participants to include countries outside the PfP initiative. The gradual success of the event led to the international recognition of the Seminar, and demonstrated the demand for its upgrading, with the addition of specialized discussions in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Relations and Defence Studies Institutes.
In 2007 it was renamed the International Crisis Management Conference and was placed under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence. With this initiative, «ATHENA» has increased its visibility, broadened its prestige, expanded the fields of study and opened its doors to academics and analysts of international standing, transforming from a purely operational - strategic seminar into an international forum for constructive discussions on crisis management issues. Today, it has established itself as one of the key conferences at international level dealing with crisis management.
In the Conference participate civilian and military personnel of highest and senior ranks, representatives of States, International and Regional Organizations such as NATO, UN, EU, Institutes of International Relations and Strategic Studies, as well as stakeholders from relevant institutions (Ministries, General Staff, Organizations, Universities, Institutes, etc.). Since its birth, the «ATHENA» Conference has been held approximately every three years. In particular, it was held with great success and wide participation of participants in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2021.
The aim of the Conference is dual and focuses mainly on:
a. Information - exchange of views on the methods, procedures and capabilities of the international community for the prevention and management of crises in the Defence and Security fields.
b. Presentation and analysis of contemporary challenges and threats to international security and stability, focusing on the wider geopolitical environment of the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean and the selection of strategies for a holistic approach to address them.
Specifically for the year 2025, the Conference will take place on 21 ‒ 23 May 2025 in Athens and specifically at the amphitheatre of the Hellenic Army Academy, in Athens, with the theme: «Armed Conflicts and Crisis Management in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (AI)». There is no doubt that AI represents a major challenge for the modern way of conducting Armed Conflicts, which has generated a wide range of discussions, both at the level of International and Regional Organizations, as well as at the level of States. Its potential and prospects, both in anticipating and managing defence and security crises and during armed conflicts, are numerous and multi‒layered. The challenges and constraints are equally significant. Justifiably, therefore, a number of questions arise, such as: Could AI bring about major upheavals in the modern field of military confrontations and if so to what extent? Which sectors will be most affected? To what extent will crisis management be affected? What are the estimated economic costs of these changes? What are the ethical and legal constraints?
These are just some of the points that the forthcoming Conference aspires to cover. However, the high level and prestige of the speakers, the extended audience and finally the modern facilities of the Hellenic Army Academy, which will host the proceedings of the Conference, constitute sufficient guarantees for the success of the project.