Events

On 24/07/2025, Prof. Phoebe Koundouri contributed to the Closing Plenary Session of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS) @65 Conference. The session reflected on the key lessons emerging from this milestone gathering and considered the Academy’s future role in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.

In her remarks, Prof. Koundouri emphasized that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a science‑based, integrated roadmap to address today’s “multicrisis”—the interconnected climate, ecological, social, and economic crises. While 190 countries have adopted SDG strategies, no goal is currently on track globally. She highlighted the contrast between progress in East and South Asia and the persistent fiscal constraints in low‑income countries. These challenges, she noted, require urgent reform of the Global Financial Architecture to unlock and redirect the world’s $30 trillion in savings toward emerging and developing economies (EMDEs).

Prof. Koundouri also underscored the importance of the Seville Commitment, adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), which presents a bold, consensus‑driven framework for global financial reform.

The session was moderated by Janani Ramanathan, Secretary General of WAAS, and featured distinguished speakers including:

• Ketan Patel, Executive Director and Trustee of WAAS; Chair of Force for Good; CEO & Co‑Founder of Greater Pacific Capital

• Mila Popovich, Founder of EVOLving Leadership; Director General for Interculturalism, Government of Montenegro

• Garry Jacobs, President & CEO of WAAS

Watch the session here