The entire spectrum of German economy and industry at the Honoured Country Pavilion

With complete coverage of the available 6000 square metres of Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre’ pavilion 13 of the, Germany, under the brand name ‘made in Germany’ and with the slogan ‘hallo Greece’, will present a World EXPO level pavilion, which will capture a current and representative image of modern Germany.

The companies participating in the German pavilion come from the most important sectors of the largest European economy, such as industry, manufacturing, high technology, energy, transports-logistics, the financial sector, the pharmaceutical industry, agricultural technology, and food technology (the entire list of German exhibitors is available here).

Germany will participate this year at the 88th TIF (7-15/9/2024) with one of the largest Honoured Country participations in the history of the Thessaloniki International Fair, with 120 companies and institutions from the entire spectrum of its economy, culture and education, housed in its pavilion.

At the same time, German institutions are active in diverse fields such as culture, education, economy, trade, etc.

The exhibition participation of the Honoured Country will be accompanied by a broad programme of thematic days with interesting lectures, symposia, and B2B meetings, which will highlight, among other things, the sectors of logistics-transports, the health-medical technology-pharmaceutical industry, renewable energy-environmental technology-sustainability, education-research, and digital economy-start-ups.

Educational activities, networking events, and corporate presentations, as well as a cultural programme with events in Thessaloniki, will frame the Honoured Country participation in the 88th TIF.

Furthermore, special events will be held on the two weekends of the exhibition on tourism, food and agriculture, disaster control, and urban development, while art and cultural events, an integral part of the Honoured Country programme, will take place throughout the duration of the TIF.

In fact, one of the Music Events’ days of the 88th TIF will be dedicated to Germany, with the participation of a popular band.

The German participation is being organised with a high level of supervision by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs & Climate Action, while the construction and preparation of the exhibition pavilion has been undertaken by the Leipzig Exhibition Organisation (Leipzig Messe International).

08/07/2024 – 12:22

The leaders of the exhibition industry of Central Europe at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre

Thessaloniki and its International Exhibition Centre were chosen by the Central European Fair Alliance (CEFA) to hold its annual general meeting on 21 June 2024. This important event, which will be hosted by TIF-HELEXPO, will bring together leaders and important players of the exhibition sector in Thessaloniki, who will discuss issues that concern and impact the exhibition industry.

The meeting of the CEFA members will begin with an official welcome dinner on the evening of 20 June, followed by a full day of meetings on June 21.

The general meeting has a full agenda. It includes information on CEFA activities, with reference to its key initiatives, achievements, and future plans, the election of its new president, a fiscal review with an examination of last year’s budget, and an overview of the upcoming budget to ensure fiscal transparency and accountability, as well as discussion aimed at promoting partnerships and the expansion of its network. Furthermore, during the general meeting a market report by CEFA will be presented, with vital data to be used for informed decision-making and adapting to market changes, while the strategic planning of the Alliance and its future direction will be discussed in an open dialogue. Lastly, responsible and sustainable practices in the exhibition sector will be discussed, focusing on ESG criteria.

The decision to hold the CEFA general assembly in Thessaloniki was unanimous and was taken during the previous general assembly in Novi Sad. The Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre has hosted the CEFA General Assembly once before, in June 2016. This choice highlights the importance of TIF-HELEXPO, as well as the internationally recognised exhibition character of Thessaloniki, while it is a continuation of the company’s intense activity in international networking.

CEFA, which TIF- HELEXPO has been a member of since 2013, is an important network of fair organisers from Central and South-eastern Europe. It was founded in 1995 to promote the region into a powerful gateway for exhibitions of international significance, that would exceed the physical borders of its members. CEFA’s mission is to help its members provide enterprises with high-quality access to the developing markets of Central and Southeastern Europe.

20/06/2024 – 10:49

The decision was announced today during the works of this year’s International Conference of UFI in Zurich

TIF-HELEXPO has secured the hosting of the European Conference of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry-UFI in Thessaloniki on 4 to 6 June 2025. This development is a major success for the exhibition organisation and the city. In fact, UFI will organise a European Event Week for the first time during that period, with events for the international exhibition industry, which will include the European Conference.

The decision of the UFI to choose Thessaloniki for this important event was announced today, at this year’s European Conference in Zurich, and it is a vote of confidence by the leading exhibition association for TIF-HELEXPO. It marks the return of major exhibition organisations to Thessaloniki and, in fact, coincides with the 100th anniversary since the establishment of TIF-HELEXPO (1925-2025). UFI was founded the same year as TIF-HELEXPO, 1925, while it started its international journey with its first founding members, 20 European international trade fairs. Thus, this is an excellent opportunity to start the events for the centenary of the establishment of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry in Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki’s nomination, which was accepted unanimously and with great enthusiasm, was presented in Zurich by the CEO of TIF-HELEXPO, Dr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, who is a member of the board of the UFI.

TIF-HELEXPO — which has invested in its international networking, actively participating in the institutions of the international exhibition community — has been a member of the

UFI since 1927, with Thessaloniki having hosted similar events of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry in 1958, 1972, and 2008.

The mission of the UFI — which has 865 members in 88 countries around the world — is to represent, promote, and support the business interests of its members and the exhibition industry internationally.

13/06/2024 – 15:32

The 7th Art Thessaloniki Fair has the great pleasure and honor in this year’s event to welcome in Thessaloniki the most important exhibition of Greek artists of diaspora, part of the collection of the impressive Foundation of Mr. Vassilis Kalogiratos, HELLENIC DIASPORA FOUNDATION, located in Patras.

With a multitude of works by outstanding artists, the exhibition titled “OUT OF ORDER, BEYOND THE BORDER” curated by the Art History professor Mr. Manos Stefanidis, comes with a surprising presence at the 7th Art Thessaloniki Fair to remind the dynamic Greek presence in artistic events. 

The exhibition hosts works by: Baziotes, Cryssa, Makos, Philolaos, Samaras, Stamos, Takis, Voulkos and Xceron, which are “stations” in contemporary art and form a unique exhibition that no one should miss!

25/05/2024 – 18:12

80 galleries and projects from around the world

Internationally acclaimed OPY ZOUNI is this year’s Honoured Artist

Thessaloniki is marching to the beat of the 7th Art Thessaloniki from May 23-26, with the exhibition being dynamically present for yet another year in the arts world of Greece and the broader region.

Art Thessaloniki is being organised by TIF-HELEXPO, with Mr Pantelis Tsatsis as the Artistic Director, and with the participation of 80 galleries and projects from around the world (Greece, Europe, Asia, and the USA).

The cultural aspect of art is being promoted at Art Thessaloniki with the prominent participation of the Hellenic Diaspora Foundation, which is bringing to the exhibition works by Lucas Samaras, Chrysa, Takis, Lynda Benglis, Philolaos, Peter Voulkos, Stamos, Yiannis Bouteas, and William Baziotes.

Furthermore, the Municipal Art Gallery of the Municipality of Thessaloniki and ‘Konstantinos Xenakis’ Museum of the Municipality of Serres are also participating.

This year’s honoured artist is the internationally acclaimed OPY ZOUNI.

At the same time, for the 4th consecutive year and in partnership with the Cultural Association of entrepreneurs of Northern Greece, Art Thessaloniki presents the MATAROA awards for young artists up to 33 years old, while for the 2nd year independent artists are being given the opportunity to participate in the exhibition with their projects.

Today’s Press conference

“TIF-HELEXPO has always stood by culture with its actions, and it could not fail to support this different exhibition, which started a few years ago as an ambitious project and has now become an institution for the city of Thessaloniki, while it is also the best communication platform for galleries, artists, collectors, art books publishers, prominent museum collections, and other cultural institutions,” noted the President of TIF-HELEXPO, Mr Tasos Tzikas, in a video message.

The Head of the Advertising, Press & Social Media of TIF-HELEXPO Ms Lena Ypsilantou, characterised Art Thessaloniki as a point of reference for art in the broader region of Southeast Europe, which provides art lovers and industry professionals with the opportunity to seek out their own interests.

The Artistic Director of Art Thessaloniki, Mr Pantelis Tsatsis, was particularly focused on the excellent collaboration that there is with TIF-HELEXPO in order to make the exhibition a reality every year, while noting that Art Thessaloniki is an important opportunity for meetings and communication for the artists.

Art History Professor Manos Stefanidis described Art Thessaloniki as equal and equitable with respective major foreign art fairs, while he stressed that the Hellenic Diaspora Foundation will be participating with 70 works by Greeks of the Diaspora as part of the relevant museum exhibition within Art Thessaloniki.

On her part, Art Historian Nikolena Kalaitzaki highlighted the work of OPY ZOUNI, who is the Honoured Artist of 7th Art Thessaloniki.

Artist Myrsini Kontou referred to the first tapestry exhibition in Greece, which will be hosted at Art Thessaloniki, while she highlighted that carpets can also tell the stories of political events.

The 7th Art Thessaloniki, aiming to enhance the investment and artistic activity of galleries and artists, is being held in pavilions 8, 9, and 10 of TIF-HELEXPO, and its opening hours are: Thursday 23 May, 16:00-22:00, Friday 24 May, 14:00-21:00, and on the weekend of 25 & 26 May, 11:00-21:00.

27/05/2024 – 16:30

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