The first Philosophy Masterclass of 2026 took place on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, in the packed IC Hall of the Alexandra Martinos Building at the College of Athens. The event was organized by the Philosophy-Governance-Economics Laboratory (PPE Lab) of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in collaboration with the Athens College Junior High School.

The Philosophy Masterclass is an innovative program created by the PPE Lab that aims to introduce 9th grade students to philosophical thinking and emphasize the importance of philosophy in today's world.

Professors from the University of Athens and researchers, all members of the PPE Lab, identified four main themes connecting philosophy to everyday life, science, social and political issues, and the rapid changes occurring in the age of artificial intelligence.

Specifically, these issues were discussed by George N. Politis, Professor of Social Philosophy; Ioannis Kalogerakos, Professor of Ancient Greek Philosophy; Giota Vassi, PhD in Philosophy; and Alkis Gounaris, PhD in Philosophy, all four from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The students of Athens College showed great interest, actively participated in the dialogue, and asked questions with exceptional depth and originality.

The students of Athens College showed strong interest, actively engaged in the discussion, and asked questions of remarkable depth and originality.