The Hellenic Initiative Canada is partnering with the Delphi Economic Forum of Greece for the inaugural Toronto Economic Forum, a conference that will bring together government and business representatives from Greece and Canada. The conference will take place on October 17-18 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel in Toronto, Canada.
The Toronto Economic Forum is the latest addition to the line-up of international conferences organized by the Delphi Economic Forum. It aims to become an annual institution. Its goal is to promote Greek – Canadian trade and investment ties.
The forum is the product of a partnership between the Delphi Economic Forum and The Hellenic Initiative Canada, in collaboration with the Hellenic Canadian Board of Trade and the Hellenic Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and with the support of Enterprise Greece and Greece’s diplomatic authorities in Canada.
Strengthening Greek – Canadian ties
The Toronto Economic Forum will host discussions on strengthening Greek – Canadian economic ties. They will give special focus to foreign investments and trade partnerships.
The speakers will discuss potential collaborations and business opportunities in both Canada and Greece, especially in the fields of tourism, pharmaceuticals, technology, renewable energy and the mineral resources sectors.
Keynote speakers include Nikos Papathanasis, a dual citizen and Alternate Minister for Investments and Development of the Hellenic Republic, François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada and Prem Watsa, President and CEO of FairFax Financial Holdings Limited.
The forum will be attended by leaders from the Greek and Canadian Governments, the business sector, and representatives of both countries as well as the Greek-Canadian community.
The Hellenic Initiative Canada will also be hosting a networking reception as part of the Toronto Forum. The “THI Canada Connecting and Connected” is sponsored by Peter and Paul’s hospitality group at the Petros 82 venue.
It will provide the opportunity to exchange ideas between participants and panelists.
Depicting the potential of Greek economy for future growth
The conference will also serve as the backdrop of important discussions on the participation of Greece in the international financial market.
According to the Alternate Minister for Investments and Development Nikos Papathanasis: “The Toronto Economic Forum is a great opportunity to promote business and other relationships between [Greece and Canada].”
”It also serves as a point of reference for a series of business connections operating bilaterally to provide opportunities within business circles to exchange ideas.”
He adds: ”at the same time, the forum will present the great advances that the Greek economy has achieved over the past three years in direct foreign investment, the decrease in unemployment, and economic development, as well as its many positive prospects for future growth.”
The Hellenic Initiative Canada’s co-President, John Sotos calls attention to the the importance of forming a promising future for Greece-Canada relations:
“We have brought together an impressive array of leaders from the Greek and Canadian governments and businesses to promote mutually advantageous relations between the two countries.
”As the first of many, we expect that the forum will foster valuable relationships that will form the nucleus of future cooperation between Greece and Canada.”
The perfect time for Greece – Canada relations to flourish
Speaking about the forum to GreekReporter, Panagiotis Antonatos, Consulate General of Greece in Toronto, emphasizes that the forum will present an excellent opportunity to highlight the new business landscape emerging in Greece.
”Thanks to numerous reforms, such as the modernization of the tax regime, the digitization of public services, or the considerable incentives for foreign investments, to name but a few, more and more foreign companies are discovering great business opportunities in the Greek market.”
”The forum that we are holding will go a long way in getting the Canadian public acquainted with these opportunities.”
Antonatos notes that this couldn’t be a better time for Greek – Canadian relations to flourish: ”In light of the latest international developments – the Russian invasion in Ukraine being chief among them – Greece’s geopolitical location makes it a valuable partner both in the political and the economic field. More and more foreign governments share this consideration, as well as by big multinational companies.
He adds: ”We invite Canada to follow the same trend.”
Energy can take Greece-Canada cooperation forward
Speaking about the topics that the Toronto Economic Forum will cover, Antonatos has particularly distinguished energy as significant.
”I am convinced that energy, high technology and industrial real estate bear significant importance and can take the cooperation between the two countries forward. The Greek government is moving fast to turn the country into a regional energy hub, which will cover part of the growing needs of an energy – starved Europe.”
Antonatos notes that Greece is transforming the energy landscape of Eastern Europe:
”No less than four new gas terminals are going to be operational in the coming years. Together with the existing ones as as well as the TAP and IGB pipelines, these are transforming the energy landscape of the whole Southeastern and Eastern Europe.”
”This infrastructure allows us to supply a big number of countries with natural gas, having Greece as an entry point. In practical terms, we have practically reversed the flow and eliminated Russian gas.”
”At the same time, more than 10 billion Euros worth of investments are being placed on Renewable Sources of Energy in Greece.
”Greek companies seek partnerships with Canadian firms to jointly explore the opportunities in the market.”
Digital giants are rediscovering Greece
Antonatos has also distinguished digital technology as an important aspect of the forum.
”In the post – COVID economic environment, it is becoming essential to upgrade and expand the existing infrastructure to store and transmit big data across the globe. This is why digital giants like Microsoft, Google or Amazon Web Services are re-discovering Greece, where they are setting up new data centers.”
”I’m happy to see that the Canadian Fiera Infrastructure is also jumping on the train by developing a new fiber optic network. The network aims at digitally connecting more than 1.5 million households. I hope this will set the pace for more Canadian companies to land in the Greek market. ”
The Hellenic Initiative Canada
The Hellenic Initiative Canada is the latest addition to The Hellenic Initiative Worldwide.
It was founded in the summer of 2016 in order to add Canada’s contribution to this urgent need for help. It aims to marshall the well known generosity of Canadians to help families, including the elderly, in times of crisis.
The charity collaborates with SOS Villages Greece and has also worked with Prolepsis Diatrofi to provide meals to impoverished students. It also collaborates with the Giannitsa and St. George temple Soup Kitchen and the Doctors of the World.
The focus of several of their programs is on providing access to healthcare services for vulnerable groups.
Delphi Economic Forum
The Delphi Economic Forum engages political, economic, business, academic, and other thought leaders in an effort to address emerging challenges. It also aims to influence the national and regional agendas. Additionally, it promotes sustainable and socially responsible growth policies for Europe, the wider Eastern Mediterranean and Greece.
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