News

The Athena Research Center had the honor of welcoming the Consul General of France in Thessaloniki, Mr. Jean-Luc Lavaud, to its premises at the Kimmeria University Campus in Xanthi on Tuesday, 25 November 2025.

 

The visit took place with the aim of introducing the Consul General to the research activities and innovative initiatives developed by Athena in the region, as well as the collaborations established with French institutions and organizations.

 

Mr. Lavaud was welcomed by  Dr. George Pavlidis, Research Director and Head of the Xanthi Branch, who, after greeting the Consul General, provided a brief presentation of the main research areas and activities of the Athena Research Center, as well as the work carried out by the Institute for Language and Speech Processing (ILSP) and the Environmental and Network Technologies and Applications Unit (ENTA), at the Center’s auditorium.

 

A tour of the research premises and laboratories followed, during which the Consul General was presented with technology demonstrations and engaged in discussions with the research teams.

 

The visit highlighted the shared interest in strengthening Greek-French cooperation in the fields of research, technology, and innovation, as well as the significant contribution of Athena to the research and innovation ecosystem of Northern Greece.

 

At the conclusion of the visit, Dr. George Pavlidis stated:

“The visit of the Consul General is both an honor and a recognition of the work carried out by Athena in Xanthi. It opens new avenues for joint initiatives with French academic/research institutions and the French private sector in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital heritage, language technologies and environmental monitoring.”

 

The Consul General of France, Mr. Jean-Luc Lavaud, said:

«I thank Dr. Pavlidis for his warm welcome. I was really impressed by the quality of the research programs that are developed by the teams and their various practical applications. I was also particularly sensitive to the fact that the majority of the researchers are from the region. Athena also contributes to local development and regional outreach »

 

The meeting concluded in a warm and constructive atmosphere, with both sides expressing their intention to explore concrete collaboration opportunities in the near future.