The Athens Alitheia Forum conference has officially begun. Organized under the auspices of Greece’s General Secretariat for Communication and Information (GGEE), the event marks a new national initiative aimed at tackling the growing challenge of fake news.
‘A Crisis of Misinformation’
Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis opened the forum with a strong statement, emphasizing that the Athens Alitheia Forum was not created by chance. ‘It was established because all of us experience daily the consequences of a new reality — one defined by misinformation,’ he said. ‘We now live in the age of disinformation. We are no longer facing just a problem — as I often say — but a full-blown crisis of misinformation.’
Marinakis highlighted how rapidly information spreads today — faster than ever before — but stressed that falsehoods travel just as quickly, often even faster. ‘A false article can reach millions of people within minutes,’ he warned.
Undermining Public Trust
He went on to describe how disinformation fuels tension, suspicion, and confusion — eroding the public discourse and, in many cases, serving as the main driver behind the spread of fake news. ‘This climate forces us to spend enormous amounts of time and energy — not on policymaking or constructive debate — but on debunking falsehoods,’ he explained. ‘From the most blatant fabrications to carefully engineered narratives designed to mislead citizens, provoke anger, and undermine trust in institutions.’
A New Annual Institution
Marinakis outlined the forum’s long-term vision: to become an annual institution — a space where difficult questions are raised, concrete proposals are submitted, and meaningful conclusions are drawn. ‘Democracy doesn’t need grand speeches; it needs action,’ he said. ‘Our goal is to create the conditions for real change — strengthening journalists, protecting freedom of expression, and advancing policies and initiatives that promote transparency, safeguard citizens, and defend truth and public dialogue.’
View the conference live.