850 exhibitors, more than 1500 authors, more than 550 events

Sharjah is the Guest of Honour

With 850 exhibitors, more than 1500 Greek and international authors, speakers, and book sector professionals from 40 countries, and with more than 550 events in 14 halls covering a total area of 16,000 sq.m. the anniversary 20th Thessaloniki International Book Fair (TIF) will open on Thursday 16 May and is one of the largest events in recent years.

This year, the participation of publishers, educational institutions, and bodies from Greece and abroad is very high, while the presence of important and award-winning foreign authors highlights the international character of this year’s TIBF, as well as the vote of confidence given to the event as a point of reference with regards to books in Greece.

This year’s Guest of Honour at the TIBF is Sharjah, the first city in the Arab world to be celebrated by the International Book Fair of Thessaloniki, a city that stands out, because it is the intellectual centre of the Emirates and which has distinguished itself in recent years, particularly for its actions and programmes with regard to books. The participation has been organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) with the primary goal of, on the one hand, developing a meaningful cultural dialogue between the two countries in the present and, on the other hand, of highlighting their historical ties.

More than 30 book professionals from more than 20 different countries are participating in the TIBF’s professional programme. Also present will be the 13 members of the European Translation Network ENLIT, which selected the TIBF to hold its annual meeting.

Very important, especially for women publishers, is the presence at the TIBF of the PublisHer international networking forum, which promotes female empowerment in the publishing sector.

Having paid attention to current challenges, the TIBF is focusing this year on particular themes, such as women in the sector of books, the role of artificial intelligence, the climate crisis, the Balkan area, politics, and history.

This year’s TIBF places particular emphasis and priority on both children and adolescents, seeking to impart a strong stimulus for children to fall in love with books, stories, and reading. To this end, it has dedicated an entire hall to the Children and Adolescents’ Corner, that is vibrant, colourful, bustling, and with a varied programme that includes: 150 authors, illustrators, speakers, and artists at 108 events, 48 illustrators in a separate group exhibition, 40 publishing houses and 19 bodies participating with events, 13 publishing houses providing books for Reading Corner, and 58 groups of students with their teachers, namely, approximately 3000 children, who will visit the exhibition in organised groups.

This year’s fair also welcomes some of the most genuine groups of love for reading and books: Reading Clubs. This is the second meeting of reading clubs in the context of the fair, with the clubs of Northern Greece taking the baton.

Programmes and festivals are also being organised in the context of the TIBF, especially for younger creators. Indicatively, the 10th Young Writer Festival, curated by George Alisanoglou, with dozens of poets and a black box surprise, the 8th Translation Festival, and the 3rd Young Book Designer Award, in collaboration with the Goethe Institute, the EVGE Awards, the Book Art Foundation of Germany and the Frankfurt Book Fair, as well as the thematic tributes to Franz Kafka and Giorgos Ioannou.

Today’s Press conference

“The fair grew up and came of age in this city that we love and which warmly embraced the event, and for this I thank local government, the bodies, and institutions of the city, the creative

groups and the restless spirits of the land,” stated the President of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture (HFC), Mr Nikos Koukis, calling the TIBF an intellectual forum of Greece. He also stressed that the fair, especially in the past two years, besides developing its international profile, has also acquired new momentum that imbues it with great value: With its new professional programme, it has become the meeting point for renowned professionals of the book sector from countries pioneering in book production, thus presenting a huge opportunity for the dissemination of the Greek books abroad.

TIBF has established itself as a major communication platform in the sectors of books, readings, and culture, as stressed by the President of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Tasos Tzikas, who noted that this is a fair based on the incredible cooperation with the HFC, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and the publishers. Furthermore, he noted that it is an honour for the exhibition that Sharjah, the intellectual capital of the United Arab Emirates, is the Guest of Honour at the TIBF.

This year’s TIBF is very dynamic, particularly enlarged, multi-thematic, and celebratory, according to its coordinator, Ms Nopi Hadjigeorgiou, who added that it is becoming increasingly international and extroverted, while it is addressed to all. She also underscored the rich programme that accompanies Sharjah’s participation, while she referred to the importance of the professional programme, which received 300 very important applications for participation, indicative of the willingness of international book professionals from all over the world to participate in the TIBF.

The Deputy Governor of Culture and Sports of the Region of Central Macedonia, Mr Christos Mittas, described the Thessaloniki International Book Fair as an intellectual beacon, stressing that a society that does not read is doomed to intellectual degradation.

The Deputy Mayor of Culture, Tourism Development, and Inter-Municipal Cooperation of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, Mr Vassilis Gakis, stressed that TIBF is an institution that, besides its purely intellectual contribution, enhances the openness of the city and helps its brand outwardly. He welcomed that TIBF is moving forward with the momentum of 20 years, while he underlined the steadfast participation of the Municipality of Thessaloniki in the event, which, as he said, is of particular importance this year.

Celebrating Sharjah as the Guest of Honour at the Thessaloniki International Book Fair serves as a deep dialogue between two cultures with a wealth of history that has lasted for millennia, mentioned the CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority, Mr Ahmed Al Ameri, who stressed that this circumstance is not limited to the recognition of Sharjah’s cultural initiatives; it also pays tribute to the three millennia of Arab cultural heritage and its continuous contribution to literature, art, architecture, music, and innovation.

The TIBF will continue until Sunday, May 19th, entry is free, and its operating hours are: Thursday 16 May, 15:00 to 21:00, Friday 17 May and Saturday 18 May, 10:00 to 22:00, and Sunday 19 May, 10:00 to 21:00. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.thessalonikibookfair.gr/.

The Thessaloniki International Book Fair is held under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Ms Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and is organised by the Hellenic Foundation of Culture in collaboration with Greek publishers, TIF-HELEXPO, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Thessaloniki, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, in the framework of the Regional Operational Program of Central Macedonia 2021-2027. TIBF is a member of the International Book Fair Forum and the ALDUS UP European Book Fairs Network.

With the support of the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

15/05/2024 – 15:16

Important business deals

Sold out forums and events

Sophia the Robot stole the show

This year’s BEYOND (25-27 April) exceeded expectations, more than doubling its total number of visitors, while increasing its trade visitors compared to last year’s event. In fact, there was a significant increase in the number of both Greek and foreign trade visitors, who came from countries such as Austria, Belgium, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, USA, Israel, Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Latvia, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Romania, Sweden, Finland, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Serbia.

Besides improving quantitative characteristics, the qualitative enhancement of the International Digital Transformation, Technology, and Innovation Exhibition was recognised by exhibitors and visitors, while during the three-day period important business deals were made. After all, there were almost 500 scheduled business meetings in the context of the Matchmaking Event by FING and Enterprise Europe Network, with more than 200 participants from Greece and 8 other countries. The Career Day, organised by the Public Employment Service, with 41 purely tech companies and more than 500 job openings, also drew great interest.

The major challenge of Artificial Intelligence set the tone at this year’s BEYOND and was the theme of all its events, with the AI FORUM and the TECHNOLOGY FORUM being typical examples and drawing crowds of people. All BEYOND events were equally successful, on all 5 stages of the exhibition, which were constantly filled with creative people and innovative ideas. From events on AI

Health, AI in Agriculture, AI in Creativity and Workshops by major enterprises on the Digital Work Card, to the Leadership Dialogue, the Conference of Regions of Greece and the Congress of General Secretaries of ‘Kleisthenes’ Local Governments, this year’s BEYOND had it all. In total, there were 440 Greek and foreign speakers.

In fact, the Ministerial Leadership Dialogue evolved into an informal ministerial meeting, attended by ministers and representatives of governments from the Balkans, south-eastern, Europe and Turkey, as well as representatives of international organisations such as the Council of Europe, ENISA, and the ITU. In particular, the Greek Minister for Digital Governance, Mr Dimitris Papastergiou, the Minister of Industry and Technology of Turkey, Mr Mehmet Fatih Kacir, the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation of Montenegro, Ms Angelica Jaksic-Stojanovic, the Deputy Minister of Interior of Albania, Ms Romina Kuko, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Technology of Serbia, Mr Miroslav Trajanovic, the Secretary General of the Croatian Ministry of Regional Development, Ms Spomenka Djuric, and Secretary General, Committee on Artificial Intelligence, Council of Europe, Mr Kristian Bartolin participated in the ministerial dialogue.

The increased presence of young people, especially university students, at this year’s event was particularly encouraging. Sophia the Robot, the world’s best-known AI robot, was also very popular, with visitors asking her all sorts of questions and rushing to be photographed beside her. Sophia, stole the show, appeared on the main stage of the pavilion of the Region of Central Macedonia and had a discussion with the Regional Governor, Mr Apostolos Tzitzikostas, and the Head of the National Cybersecurity Authority, Mr Michalis Bletsas, while it also participated in panels of the AI FORUM.

BEYOND brought together 275 direct and indirect exhibitors from 22 countries, and proved, more than ever before, that it is an ideal platform for international business leaders, pioneering thinkers, world-class scientists, and anyone active in consumer technologies. It was a springboard for small and large companies from all over the world to present their innovative products and services.

This year, the Ministry of Digital Governance participated in the exhibition with the entirety of its political leadership, the Independent Public Revenue Authority, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Regions of Central Macedonia, Crete, Central Greece, and Epirus, the CERTH, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, TEE, Democritus University of Thrace, International Hellenic University, Ionian University, University of Peloponnese, the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, University of Western Macedonia, University of Ioannina, and City College.

BEYOND was organised by TIF-HELEXPO, Be-Best, and Industry Disruptors Game Changers (IDGC), and the co-organisers comprise of the Ministry of Digital Governance, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), and the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and it was being held under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior (Sector of Macedonia-Thrace), the Ministry of Tourism, and the ‘Kleisthenis’ Panhellenic Union of General Secretaries of Local Government.

The Gold Sponsors of the event were INTRACOM TELECOM and OKTABIT, and the Sponsors are MYTILINEOS, AVOKADO, POLITIS TECHNOLOGIES, AI LABS BY UBITECH, and QUEST GROUP.

BEYOND was supported by SEPE (Federation of Hellenic ICT Enterprises), SEPVE (Association of Information Technology Companies of Northern Greece), and SEKEE (Hellenic Association of Innovative Applications Companies), HETIA (Hellenic Emerging Technologies Industry Association), AIC, SOFTONE, and AXAPTA MASTERS.

02/05/2024 – 13:15

275 exhibitors, 22 countries, 440 speakers, and B2B Matchmaking Events with more than 500 business meetings

ΑΙ Forum and Technology Forum

Dozens of events in 5 conference venues

Sophia the Robot will also be present

With 275 direct and indirect exhibitors, 22 countries, 440 Greek and foreign speakers, B2B Matchmaking Events with over 200 participants, and more than 500 business meetings, 5 conference venues with dozens of events, with a Conference on Artificial Intelligence, the 11th Technology Forum, and many hundreds of B2B and B2G meetings, as well as with Sophia the Robot, the world’s best-known AI robot, BEYOND 2024 is starting tomorrow, 25 April.

The International Digital Transformation, Technology, and Innovation Exhibition, which will run until 27 April, has exceeded all expectations, as last year it had gathered more than 170 exhibitors.

From 25 to 27 April at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, BEYOND will be the ideal platform for international business leaders, pioneering thinkers, and all those active in consumer technologies. Furthermore, it will provide a platform to companies from all over the world to present innovative products and their services, as well as to make important deals with visitors from Greece and abroad.

The Ministry of Digital Governance, the Independent Public Revenue Authority, the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Regions of Central Macedonia, Crete, Central Greece, and Epirus are participating in the exhibition this year, while the interest of Universities and Research Centres is enormous, with participations by CERTH, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Democritus University of Thrace, International Hellenic University, Ionian University, University of Peloponnese, the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, University of Western Macedonia, University of Ioannina, and City College. In fact, BEYOND is issuing free passes to students.

25 and 26 April are the dates of the FING and Enterprise Europe Network Matchmaking event, with over 200 participants from Greece and 8 other countries, as well as more than 500 scheduled business meetings. Furthermore, on 27 April, the Public Employment Service is organising a Career Day with 41 tech only enterprises.

BEYOND’s side events and conferences programme is extensive, covering the 4 stages and the Workshops area of the event. The AI Forum (Main Event), the Technology Forum, the Leadership Dialogue, the Conference of Regions of Greece, the Congress of General Secretaries of ‘Kleisthenes’ Municipalities, AI Health, AI in Agriculture, AI in Creativity, Workshops by major enterprises on the Digital Work Card, events on Smart Cities, Professions of the Future, Women’s Entrepreneurship, and others are “on the menu” at BEYOND.

On Friday 26 and Saturday 27 April, BEYOND will also welcome Sophia the Robot, which TIF-HELEXPO and the Region of Central Macedonia will introduce to the audience. In fact, Sophia will participate in a discussion on 26 April at 11:30 in the presence of the Regional Governor of Central Macedonia, Mr Apostolos Tzitzikostas, and Director of Computing | Research Scientist, MIT Media Lab – Head of the National Cybersecurity Authority, Dr Michalis Bletsas, while it will also attend the Artificial Intelligence Conference in the framework of BEYOND.

BEYOND is being organised by TIF-HELEXPO, Be-Best, and Industry Disruptors Game Changers (IDGC), and the co-organisers comprise of the Ministry of Digital Governance, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), and the Municipality of Thessaloniki. It is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior (Sector of Macedonia-Thrace), the Ministry of Tourism, and the ‘Kleisthenis’ Panhellenic Union of General Secretaries of Local Government. BEYOND will be inaugurated by the Minister of Digital Governance, Mr Dimitris Papastergiou.

The Gold Sponsors of the event are INTRACOM TELECOM and OKTABIT, and the Sponsors are MYTILINEOS, AVOKADO, POLITIS TECHNOLOGIES, AI LABS BY UBITECH, and QUEST GROUP.

BEYOND is supported by SEPE (Federation of Hellenic ICT Enterprises), SEPVE (Association of Information Technology Companies of Northern Greece), and SEKEE (Hellenic Association of Innovative Applications Companies), HETIA (Hellenic Emerging Technologies Industry Association), AIC, SOFTONE, and AXAPTA MASTERS.

Today’s Press conference

The President of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Tasos Tzikas, characterised BEYOND as a communication platform for all players in the new tech sector from Greece, south-eastern Europe, and around the world, which supports the goal of transforming Greece into a hub of technology and innovation, and Thessaloniki into a tech pioneer, while he also called it a major international exhibition.

This year’s BEYOND has exceeded organisers’ expectations, according to TIF-HELEXPO CEO, Dr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, who presented its content in its detail.

Visitors to this year’s BEYOND – enterprise and state organisation executives – will find all the answers on how to carry out a digital

transformation and how they can be competitive, according to Be-Best’s CEO, Mr Vangelis Charalambous.

The qualitative and quantitative characteristics of BEYOND are changing, while the business community of Thessaloniki is supporting the exhibition and global tech trend-setters will be here, stressed the founder of Industry Disruptors Game Changers, Mr Michalis Stagos.

The Deputy Governor for Digital Governance of the Region of Central Macedonia, Mr Nikolaos Tzollas, characterised BEYOND as a landmark exhibition for Central Greece and Thessaloniki, while he stated it is a leading modern innovation institution. He made particular reference to Sophia’s presence in the Region’s stand.

Mr Kosmas Vamvalis, spokesperson of the 11th Technology Forum, stated that the Forum will be organised on 25 April in the context of BEYOND, while he underlined certain sections, such as the keynote speakers, the two round tables with 11 heads of regional agencies, and the Innovation Challenges that have been set by ten companies.

Mr Toli Lerios, one of the founders of the Technology Forum with many years of experience in entrepreneurship and the first Greek to receive an award at the International Olympiad in Computer Programming, stated he was impressed by this year’s BEYOND.

This year’s BEYOND event has become the foundation on which the exhibition will build in the coming years, as it is the first to be held as it should be, noted BEYOND Project Manager, Ms Sevi Kaffa.

“It is our pleasure to support a promising exhibition such as this. We believe in it”, said Mr Dimitris Papaioannou, CEO of BEYOND Gold Sponsor OKTABIT.

Mr Alexandros Tarnaris, Director of the Marketing & Communications Department of BEYOND’s other Gold Sponsor, INTRACOM TELECOM, stressed that with this year’s event, BEYOND is following in the footsteps of MWC Barcelona.

The Vice-President of the ‘Kleisthenis’ Panhellenic Union of General Secretaries of Local Government, Mr Athanasios Papageorgiou, referred to the two-day scientific conference being organised by the Union on April 25 and 26, which is addressed to local government executives, elected officials, and technocrats, on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Administration of Local Authorities.

Director of the ETE-Innovation Greece 5.0 network, Ms Glykeria Melidoniotis, spoke on the organisation of the Innovation Northern Greece 5.0 conference, which is taking place on 25 and 26 April on ‘Innovation in Northern Greece and the institutions that support it’, making reference to its 24 panels, 200 speakers, and 10 workshops.

Lastly, the Marketing Officer of Mytilineos Energy & Metals – sponsor of BEYOND – Ms Zoe Kotronia, described the exhibition as a meeting point for very important companies and brilliant minds, while she said that Mytiineos is participating with AVOKADO and SMART CITIES, its tech flagships.

BEYOND’s working hours are 10:00-19:00 on all three days. BEYOND TV powered by LIVEMEDIA will also be operating in the context of the exhibition.

30/04/2024 – 13:51

The wealth and many dimensions of the business, economic, and cultural content of the 88th TIF (September 7-15th), with an emphasis on the highly anticipated participation of Germany as the Honoured Country, was presented today by TIF-HELEXPO to representatives of the diplomatic corps at an event in the hall of the old Athens Exchange, which was organised jointly with the German Embassy in Greece.

The German participation, with more than 100 German exhibitors, is being coordinated by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, while Leipziger Messe International is responsible for organising and presenting German businesses in a 6000-square metre area in pavilion 13. The German participation will be inaugurated by Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Dr Robert Habeck, while it was also announced that surprises will include a concert by a leading German band on the TIF’s outdoor stage on 9 September.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Konstantinos Fragogiannis issued a call to those attending the event, an audience consisting of foreign embassy representatives in Greece, journalists, and Greek-German businesses, for collaboration, so that the TIF can become an open and international event with the support of important countries such as Germany.

In fact, referring to Germany, Mr Fragogiannis stressed that its participation in an impressive pavilion, where it will present innovation in important fields such as education, research, renewable energy sources, digitisation, and nutrition, will provide valuable information and networking opportunities. He also noted that in recent years Germany has been one of Greece’s top trading partners – ranked among the main destinations of Greek exports in 2023 and evolving into one of our country’s largest suppliers – and one of the main countries of origin of Direct Foreign Investment in Greece, especially in green development. Lastly, he conveyed his conviction that the participation of Germany, a steadfast friend and strategic ally, as Honoured Country at the 88th TIF will strengthen the open and international nature of the national exhibition body.

In turn, the Deputy Minister of Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), Mr Stathis Konstantinidis, spoke of enthusiasm, satisfaction, and impatience for an event that will attract a lot of interest, while highlighting Germany’s broad and high-level delegation in the context of its participation as Honoured Country at the 88th TIF. He expressed his conviction that it will be an occasion for numerous contacts and meetings that will help develop bilateral trade and cooperation, while he estimated that the government will announce the reconstruction of the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre very soon, opening new horizons for the Fair, the city, and the broader region.

In turn, the German Ambassador to Greece, Mr Andreas Kindl, stressed: “The huge interest of more than 100 German exhibitors from all 16 Federal States is indicative of how Greece and Germany are resisting the politically and economically turbulent times, and shaping the future together. The participation of Germany as the Honoured Country in the 88th TIF offers a first-class opportunity for the two countries to take their bilateral relations in the fields of economy, politics, culture, and science to a new level. Hallo Greece, hallo Thessaloniki, we are looking forward to September!”

TIF-HELEXPO President, Mr Tasos Tzikas, characterised Germany’s participation in 88th TIF as being of strategic interest and historic in nature. “We are very pleased, because Germany, a friend for Greece and a strategic partner, is coming to the 88th TIF with a significant number of businesses and is emphasising new technologies and energy, fields that concern the future,” he said.

For his part, the President of the Hellenic-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Vassilios Gounaris, noted that the Chamber is cooperating with all relevant bodies, so that the presence of Germany at this year’s TIF exceeds all expectations, and, above all, reflects the momentum indicated to global economy by the concept “made in Germany”. “The 88th TIF will be a new opportunity for the two countries, the two economies, to come even closer together,” he said, and he announced that the Hellenic-German Chamber is planning a series of events during the TIF.

Germany’s participation in the 88th TIF will focus on the fields of logistics and transport, health and medical technology, renewable energy sources, environmental technology, sustainability and disaster prevention, education and research, digital economy and data economy, as well as startups, according to TIF-HELEXPO CEO Mr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, who presented the content of this year’s event. Mr Pozrikidis also referred to the thematic events of the 88th TIF, which will present the most dynamic and important sectors of the Greek economy, from circular economy and energy to education. He also stressed that the TIF will offer a platform for B2B meetings between Greek and foreign companies, as well as Honoured Country exhibitors, which will be the ideal stage for networking and business partnerships.

He also referred to the international character of the event, with the presence of different products, tastes, and cultures, as well as to its entertainment character, focusing on music events. He looked back over the exhibition organisation’s past, approximately 100 years of operation, as well as at the present and its dynamism as an organiser of exhibitions and other events.

22/04/2024 – 12:12

Food & Drinks International Expo by Detrop, which will take place from 1 to 3 November 2024 at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre, will reflect the present and future of food and drinks, and the most modern trends in the sector.

With the Golden Olive, Meat & Fish, Herbs & Honey, Free From, Dairy, Drinks & Wine by Oenos, all about Café, Pack & Tech, and Global & Local thematic salons, Food & Drinks International Expo by Detrop will provide its exhibitors with the opportunity of targeted promotion and attracting trade visitors from the international market.

The only certified international food and beverage exhibition in Greece that meets the standards of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), Food & Drinks International Expo by Detrop will incorporate the most advanced exhibition presentation tools to make the best use of the exhibition space for the benefit of exhibitors and visitors.

Taking advantage of TIF-HELEXPO’s extensive knowhow in food and beverage exhibitions and framed by a topical programme with a wealth of side events, Food & Drinks International Expo by Detrop will offer a new experience by serving domestic and global industry innovations.

18/04/2024 – 12:19

The FRESKON International Trade Show for Fruit & Vegetables, held from 11 to 13 April, achieved its highest visitor numbers ever. The total number of visitors increased by 58% compared to the previous event, while the number of international visitors increased by 37.5%. In fact, the exhibitor report on their contacts during the exhibition was particularly positive, resulting in their expressing an interest in participating once again in FRESKON 2025.

At this year’s FRESKON, where Poland was the Honoured Country with a participation of 15 companies, more than 2600 business meetings were held, while there was also a hosted buyers programme, with 121 individuals from 34 countries and two group delegations of commercial visitors from Bulgaria and North Macedonia that raised the total number to 250.

Contacts between fresh fruit and vegetable sector professionals and buyers from 14 supermarket chains from Greece, Bulgaria, Belarus, Ukraine, Cyprus, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and North Macedonia proved to be very productive. The meetings were held in the context of FRESKON’s FreshConmarket 2024, which was organised by TIF-HELEXPO and the FROUTONEA magazine for the eighth year.

Cooperatives, producers, fruit and vegetable wholesalers, importers/exporters, retailers, Greek and international supermarket chains, and logistics, consulting, and certification companies made their presence felt during FRESKON, while six Regions of Greece participated with their local products.

In total, 267 direct and indirect exhibitors from 28 countries participated in the FRESKON International Trade Show for Fruit & Vegetables.

The scheduled side events included FRESKON’s International Congress, dedicated to the production and trade of apricots, which became a pole of attraction as it raised a number of significant issues for producers. At the same time, the kiwifruit forum provided answers for many of the industry’s questions, attracting a large number of participants.

The LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTS THESSALONIKI EXPO was held alongside FRESKON, welcoming 100 exhibitors at its first event, including large numbers from the Balkans and south-eastern Europe. This exhibition event was organised by O.MIND CREATIVES in the context its partnership with TIF-HELEXPO.

16/04/2024 – 14:32

BEYOND 2024 is the largest meeting for digital transformation, technology and innovation in Greece, with the participation of world leaders in the technology and innovation, the largest AI congress in Greece, numerous business meetings, career days, and a wealth of conferences, colloquiums, and workshops.

Leading technology companies, startups and scaleups, research centres, academic institutions, as well as AI thought-leaders and pioneers, will meet at BEYOND in Thessaloniki from 25 to 27 April 2024.

This year’s event will focus on the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution and the ways in which it is transforming every aspect of our lives.

What does BEYOND 2024 include:

• Leading digital transformation, technology, and innovation companies
• Leading research centres and academic institutions
• Dynamic startups and scaleups
• Cutting-edge solutions in computerisation, cybersecurity, cloud services, data centres, and smart cities
• Workshops on the digital work card and the linking of cash registers with POS terminals and the IAPR, among others
• The largest congress on artificial intelligence in Greece with more than 55 speakers and internationally distinguished keynote speakers
• The 11th Technology Forum
• Career days
• Hundreds of scheduled B2B and B2G meetings
• Side events on topical issues that concern, among others, digital challenges in south-eastern Europe, good practices for the digital transition of businesses, the digital administration of local authorities, as well as the exploitation of AI in health, agriculture, the cultural and creative industries, responsible gambling, and female entrepreneurship.

About BEYOND

BEYOND is an international digital transformation, technology, and innovation exhibition held in Thessaloniki every year. It is a meeting place of the most brilliant minds in the region, the most innovative companies, as well as cutting-edge technologies, aiming to become the leading event of its kind in south-eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

From artificial intelligence to virtual reality, the exhibition serves as a hub for networking, knowledge sharing, and hands-on experience with pioneering innovations. BEYOND’s goal is to promote collaboration and the exchange of knowledge and ideas among participants, and to foster the development of innovative technologies and business opportunities.

At the heart of this year’s event, which will be held on April 25-27, is the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution and the ways in which it is transforming every aspect of our lives.

BEYOND is being organised by TIF-HELEXPO, Be-Best, and Industry Disruptors Game Changers (IDGC), and the co-organisers comprise of the Ministry of Digital Governance, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), and the Municipality of Thessaloniki. It is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of the Interior (Sector of Macedonia-Thrace), the Ministry of Tourism, and the ‘Kleisthenis’ Panhellenic Union of General Secretaries of Local Government. The Gold Sponsors of the event are INTRACOM TELECOM and OKTABIT, and the Sponsors are MYTILINEOS, AVOKADO, POLITIS TECHNOLOGIES, AI LABS BY UBITECH, and QUEST GROUP.

BEYOND is supported by SEPE (Federation of Hellenic ICT Enterprises), SEPVE (Association of Information Technology Companies of Northern Greece), and SEKEE (Hellenic Association of Innovative Applications Companies), HETIA (Hellenic Emerging Technologies Industry Association), AIC, SOFTONE, and AXAPTA MASTERS.

16/04/2024 – 14:28

Proposal submission to highlight the Andean Community as an Honoured Region in one of the upcoming TIFs

MoU between TIF-HELEXPO and the Exporters Association of Peru

 

TIF-HELEXPO opened a channel of communication with Latin America, especially the Andean states, during the visit of TIF-HELEXPO President, Mr Tassos Tzikas, to Peru last week, on the occasion of which a proposal was submitted by the company for the Andean Community to be the ‘Honoured Region’ in one of the upcoming TIFs. During the visit – which was supported by the Greek Embassy in Peru and the Greek Ambassador, Ms Eleni Lianidou – Mr Tzikas had a series of meetings with Peruvian bodies, as well as the Andean Community (Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia), with a view to promoting trade and economic cooperation.

More specifically, the President of TIF-HELEXPO met with the Secretary-General of the Andean Community, Ambassador Gonzalo Gutiérrez, at the Community’s headquarters in Lima, where potential collaborations on an exhibition, economic, and trade level were discussed.

Furthermore, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between TIF-HELEXPO and the Exporters Association of Peru (ADEX) by Mr Tassos Tzikas and the President of ADEX Mr Julio Pérez Alván, in the presence of the Community’s Board of Directors.

The MoU provides for, among other things, regular contact between the two bodies for the exchange of economic and business information on Peru and Greece, the promotion of participation in local or international exhibitions organised by the two sides, and the discussion of new actions and opportunities to strengthen economic, trade, and investment relations between Greece and Peru.

In 2023, trade between Greece and Peru came to $41.3 million, while Greece ranked 68th as a Peruvian product importer, figures that indicate the wide margin for further strengthening trade relations.

“This Memorandum is the beginning of a productive collaboration that will allow us to promote the goods and services of Peru and Greece,” stated Mr Julio Pérez Alván, President of ADEX, during the signing of the MoU. TIF-HELEXPO President Mr Tassos Tzikas and the Greek Ambassador to Peru, Ms Eleni Lianidou, underlined the dynamic prospects of the two countries and agreed that the Memorandum will pave the path for the exploitation of existing opportunities. “We want TIF-HELEXPO, both through the Memorandum and the Honoured Region proposal we have submitted, as well as through the more general contacts we have made, to act as a bridge for the exploitation of the great potential of an unexplored market for Greece, in which many Greek communities are active in business,” Mr Tzikas stressed.

During his visit to Peru, the President of TIF-HELEXPO also met with the diplomatic adviser of the country’s President and future Ambassador of Peru to Greece, Mr Arturo Arcinega Calderón, with the Deputy Ministers of Tourism and Foreign Trade, Ms Madeleine Rosa Maria Burns Vidaurrazaga and Ms Terésa Mera Gomez, with the Board of Directors of the Greek Chamber of the Andes, with TIF-HELEXPO becoming an honorary member, and with the

President of the Organisation of Promotion of Peru (Prom Perú), Ms Angélica Graciela Matsuda Matayoshi.

The meetings received significant publicity from widely circulated newspapers, news agencies, and electronic media in Peru.

The president of TIF-HELEXPO also participated in the celebration of the Greek national holiday of 25 March in the Latin American country.

15/04/2024 – 11:25

More than 2600 business meetings

Also held at the same time, LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTATION THESSALONIKI EXPO with 100 exhibitors

Two exhibitions focused on the primary sector and logistics, two very closely linked fields, FRESKON, with 267 direct and indirect exhibitors, and LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTS THESSALONIKI EXPO, with 100 exhibitors, will be held from 11 to 13 April at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre.

More specifically, at the FRESKON International Trade Show for Fruit & Vegetables, which is being organised by TIF-HELEXPO, 201 direct exhibitors are participating from 15 countries (Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Turkey, Bulgaria, N. Zealand, China, Burundi, Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, Moldova, Poland, and Greece), while there are a total of 267 direct and indirect exhibitors from 28 countries.

Poland is the honoured country at this year’s FRESKON, and it is coming to Thessaloniki with a participation of 15 fresh fruit and vegetable companies that will set up in Pavilion 13. Furthermore, a programme is also in place, in the context of the event, with 121 individual full hosted buyers from 34 countries, while including trade visitor delegations from Bulgaria and North Macedonia, the total number of international trade visitors comes to 250.

More than 2600 business meetings have been scheduled between exhibitors and trade visitors.

Participants at this year’s FRESKON include cooperatives, producers, fruit and vegetable wholesalers, importers/exporters, retailers, Greek and international supermarket chains, and logistics, consulting, and certification companies. In addition, six Regions and their local products will be represented.

Meanwhile, TIF-HELEXPO in partnership with Froutonea magazine is organising FRESKON FreshConMarket 2024 for the eighth year on 11 and 12 April, bringing together fresh fruit and vegetable industry professionals with buyers from 14 supermarket chains from Greece, Bulgaria, Belarus, Ukraine, Cyprus, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and North Macedonia.

The well-established FRESKON International Congress will be held on April 11 in the context of the side events. This year’s Congress is dedicated to the production and trade of apricots and will attract expert speakers from Greece and abroad. The side events also include the kiwifruit forum on April 13, with the participation of experts from the most important European kiwifruit-producing countries, such as Italy and Greece. The exhibition’s other side events will present stone fruit forecasts for this season, potato cultivation techniques, supply chain system management, and so on. FRESKON will take over pavilions 13,14, and 15.

Hundreds have pre-registered for LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTS THESSALONIKI EXPO, which is being organised by O.MIND CREATIVES, consisting of businesses from the Balkans and the broader region of south-eastern Europe. The EXPO is being held under the auspices of three ministries, with the active participation of FING, SEVE, and Thessaloniki Chambers of Commerce, and it is being sponsored by TPA SA and will cover pavilions 8,9,10 and outdoor spaces. It is also being supported by the LOGI.C Conferences.

Today’s Press conference

FRESKON has also been an international exhibition since day one, as noted at today’s press conference by TIF-HELEXPO president, Mr Tasos Tzikas, who underlined that it is the great platform of the fruit and vegetable sector in Greece and the Balkans.

TIF-HELEXPO CEO Dr Kyriakos Pozrikidis highlighted the importance placed on the primary sector by TIF-HELEXPO through its exhibitions, while he also made special reference to the

Honoured Country, Poland. Furthermore, referring to the LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTS THESSALONIKI EXPO, he stressed that the exhibition agency is also in close cooperation with the private sector.

The President of the Hellenic-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Investment, Mr Kyros Lazaridis, spoke about Poland’s importance as a producer of agricultural products in the European Union, its excellent relations with Greece, as well as the significant flow of Polish tourists to our country. He also expressed the hope that Poland would be present in other TIF-HELEXPO exhibitions.

For years the market had been calling for a separate event to be held on transport and logistics focused on Northern Greece and the prospects of the Balkans, according to the CEO of O.MIND CREATIVES, organiser of LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTS THESSALONIKI EXPO, Mr Theodoros Dimitriadis. He underlined the excellent strategic partnership with TIF-HELEXPO and FRESKON.

LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTS THESSALONIKI EXPO wants to contribute to the development of the trade routes of Northern Greece with the Balkans and south-eastern Europe, according to the statements made by the commercial director of O.MIND CREATIVES, Mr Antonis Moschonidis, who also announced that the exhibition has attracted more than 100 exhibitors.

LOGI.C Conferences Organising Director Ms Mary Efthymiatou referred to the conference and its seven themes, while she stressed that although it has been held in Thessaloniki in the past, this time it is taking place in the context of an inter-Balkan exhibition event.

The role of FRESKON in strengthening sector exports was highlighted by publisher and director of FROUTONEA magazine, Mr Panagiotis Orfanos, who presented the problems faced by the Greek and European fruit and vegetable markets.

The event’s Project Manager, Ms Tonia Nikolaidou, stressed that after 8 years of events, FRESKON is its own brand, and it has value and all the features necessary to attract visitors and exhibitors, now and in the future, while she also mentioned that visitors from 50 countries have registered so far.

Lastly, the general director of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Alexis Tsaxirlis, noted that FRESKON will provide answers to the issues facing the sector.

FRESKON’s will be open: Thursday-Friday from 10:00 to 19:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 17:00.

LOGISTICS & TRANSPORTS THESSALONIKI EXPO will be open: Thursday-Friday from 10:00 to 19:00 and Saturday 10:00 to 18:00.

10/04/2024 – 16:40

The largest AI conference in Greece will be hosted by BEYOND 2024, the international digital transformation, technology and innovation exhibition, which will take place in Thessaloniki, Greece, from 25 to 27 April. With more than 55 distinguished speakers, this year’s event will focus on the AI revolution, and its role and impact on our daily lives.

The AI Forum, which will take place on 26 & 27 April, will bring together important figures from politics, business and technology leaders, and internationally distinguished speakers and academics.

What the AI Forum schedule includes

The opening of the conference will take place on Friday 26 April at 17:00. The organisers of the exhibition and Minister of Digital Governance Mr Dimitris Papastergiou will address a brief greeting and introduce the conference’s topics, while through a discussion with Michalis Bletsas, Director of Computing | Research Scientist, MIT Media Lab, USA, they will shed light on the main developments of AI and their impact.

On Saturday 27 April the proceedings of the conference will start at 10:00 with the presence of important figures, such as internationally renowned Alvin Graylin, Global VP of Corporate Development, HTC, and Apostolos Lerios, Mentor Entrepreneur & Engineer, who, together with Konstantinos Kyranakis, Deputy Minister of Digital Governance, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Governor of Central

Macedonia, and Nikos Chardalias, Governor of Attica, will participate in discussions and questions regarding the role of AI in public governance.

Keynote speeches will follow by industry experts such as Dimitris Alexandrou of UBITECH, Dimosthenis Anagnostopoulos, Secretary General for Information Systems and Digital Governance, and Athanasios Kyriazis, General Secretary for Research and Innovation, who will describe the future of AI integration into government sectors.

Greece’s AI Seedbed is the subject of the round table with representatives of Microsoft and Google, while executives of Spotify, Rythmisis, Girls in tech, CoreGroup, and Futurecats will speak about The Next Best.

The panels to follow will cover a wide range of topics, including the AI global business landscape, redefining entrepreneurship, ethical issues regarding its development, and the future of work.

Distinguished speakers and academics such as Theodoros Eugenios, Professor at INSEAD, Christos Rizos, Data Analytics, AI & Orchestration Manager at INTRACOM TELECOM, Vassilis Nikolopoulos, CTO & Co-Founder of AVOKADO, Dimitris Batzis, Head of Greece, Cyprus, and Malta, and ESG Representative for Germany, Austria, and CEEMED, Mihalis Kritikos, Researcher, Law and Ethics of Technology, Artificial Intelligence Governance/Digital Sector, Directorate General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, and many others, will share their expertise and vision for the exploitation of AI to promote innovation and growth, the revitalisation of industrial activity, and the reshaping of the investment landscape and the future of work in the tech sector.

It should be noted that the results of the primary research from GenAI Greece 2030, Dialectica, and PwC will be presented during the conference proceedings.

The conference will be completed with a discussion on accelerating innovation through cloud-based AI services by expert speakers on the subject.

About BEYOND

BEYOND is an international digital transformation, technology, and innovation exhibition held in Thessaloniki every year. It is a meeting place of the most brilliant minds in the region, the most innovative companies, as well as cutting-edge technologies, aiming to become the leading event of its kind in south-eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

From artificial intelligence to virtual reality, the exhibition serves as a hub for networking, knowledge sharing, and hands-on experience with pioneering innovations. BEYOND’s goal is to promote collaboration and the exchange of knowledge and ideas among participants, and to foster the development of innovative technologies and business opportunities.

At the heart of this year’s event, which will be held on April 25-27, is the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution and the ways in which it is transforming every aspect of our lives.

BEYOND is being organised by TIF-HELEXPO, Be-Best, and Industry Disruptors Game Changers (IDGC), and the co-organisers comprise of the Ministry of Digital Governance, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE), and the Municipality of Thessaloniki. It is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and the ‘Kleisthenis’ Panhellenic Union of General Secretaries of Local Government. The Golden Sponsors of the event are INTRACOM TELECOM and OKTABIT, and the Sponsors are MYTILINEOS SMART CITIES, AVOKADO, POLITIS TECHNOLOGIES, and AI LABS BY UBITECH.

BEYOND is supported by SEPE (Federation of Hellenic ICT Enterprises), SEPVE (Association of Information Technology Companies of Northern Greece), and SEKEE (Hellenic Association

of Innovative Applications Companies), HETIA (Hellenic Emerging Technologies Industry Association), AIC, SOFTONE, and AXAPTA MASTERS.

09/04/2024 – 17:16