About
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance Confucius
551 – 479 BC
Founded in Australia, Agora Dialogue is a not-for-profit, non-partisan, independent organisation. Since 2016 the organisation’s main operations are carried out in Europe, in particular in Cyprus.
Agora Dialogue is motivated by the simple but important observation that the practical wisdom that humanity has achieved over the centuries trickles down into our real world practices with great difficulty, if at all. This disconnect can of course be explained by the fact that our everyday lives are subject to pressures which make contemplation and deep reasoning luxuries. Still, it is a regrettable state of affairs because it can lead to inconsistent decisions across time and therefore increased cost, irresolvable disagreements and conflict, and the loss of an organisation’s distinctive character.
Agora Dialogue is designed to encourage deeper reflection and reasoning. It doesn’t do so in a didactic, academic manner but rather by nudging people to engage with the relevant literature, by helping them to sharpen their analytical and critical skills, and by empowering them to bridge the gap between theory and practice and draw the relevance of abstract ideas to everyday activities.
By reintroducing to the ground and reinvigorating ideas such as justice, democracy, sustainability, fairness, equality, liberty, Agora Dialogue acts as a fulcrum for the development of a more attentive, sustainable and enriched society.
The aim is achieved through a number of valuable services:
- Residential leadership colloquia and symposia, whereby attendees engage in intensive guided discussions based on the custom-designed Agora Dialogue curriculum of readings.
- An interactive website aimed at promoting new ideas, challenging preconceived ideas and patterns of thought, and encouraging readers to engage in open discussion and consider alternative opinions and attitudes to their own.
- Short courses, conferences and special events designed to introduce participants to the core philosophy of Agora Dialogue and inspire them to make positive change within their respective fields.
Our people
Our team consists of inspirational people from various backgrounds. They are business people, policy-makers, professionals, academics, artists, thinkers, with a wealth of knowledge and experience, who share the Agora Dialogue vision.
Patrons
George Bizos – South Africa
Julian Burnside AO QC – Australia
Kate Durham – Australia
Jose Ramos-Horta – Timor Leste
Jennifer Webb – Australia
Directors
Yiotis Christoforou – Republic of Cyprus
Artemis Hadjivarnava – Republic of Cyprus
Artemis Orphanou – Republic of Cyprus
Celia Pavlaki – Republic of Cyprus
Hara Savvidou – Republic of Cyprus
Dinos Toumazos – Australia
Ambassadors
Stella Axarlis AM – Australia
Jamie Doughney – Australia
Anna Galanopoulos – Australia
Moya Mills – Australia
Evelyn Tadros – Australia
Jessie Taylor – Australia
Paul Toumazos – Australia
George Veis – Greece
Nic Vrodos – Australia
Brian Walters AM QC – Australia
Sally Webster – Australia
Stephanie Woollard – Australia
Arnold Zable – Australia
Mary Lou Jelbart – Australia
Moderators
Emmanuel Melissaris – United Kingdom
Michael Wright – Australia
Spencer Zifcak – Australia
Treasurer
Alexandros Ierides – Republic of Cyprus
Contributors
Uzay Bulut – Turkey
- Columnist – Researcher
Maria Dikaiou – Australia
- Forum Support Manager
Sevim Dogan Ozkan – Turkey
Theodora Galanis – Australia
Eva Ieridou – Cyprus
- Partner Manager and Event Manager
Oz Karahan – Turkey
- Political analyst and columnist
Stefanos Kouratzis – Greece
- Visual Storyteller, multidisciplinary photographer and writer
Paul Patiniott – Australia
Emma Riggs – Australia
Zafiria Stamboulidis – Australia
- Civil Liberties and Digital Operations Consultant
Dimitris Tsalavos – Republic of Cyprus
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