A group of 10 students from C Gymnasium participated in Teens for Democracy 2026, as part of the Athens Democracy Forum, held from 1 to 3 October at the Athens Conservatoire under the auspices of The New York Times. With this year’s central theme, “Building Order out of Chaos”, the Athens Democracy Forum highlighted key challenges democracy is facing in the modern world, while also providing a platform for young people’s voices to be heard.

As part of Teens for Democracy, our students actively engaged in discussions and deliberations on misinformation, the importance of truth and reliable information, and the need to develop digital literacy. Through dialogue, they reflected on how to critically evaluate the information they encounter every day in the digital world.

They also explored the relationship between financial literacy and democracy, examining the role that knowledge, access to information, and the ability to make informed decisions play in active civic participation.

A particularly memorable moment for our school was the selection of two students, Fotini Vrentzou and Lefteris Vallianatos, to present the outcomes of the teenagers’ deliberations to the full conference. The two students shared young people’s views and proposals with a wider audience, representing the student community’s voice in an important public dialogue about the future of democracy.

Our students’ participation in Teens for Democracy was a meaningful educational experience that strengthened their critical thinking, dialogue, responsible engagement with information, and active citizenship. It gave them the opportunity not only to discuss democracy but also to participate in it in a tangible way.

The students were prepared for their participation in Teens for Democracy by Fay Samata, Head of the English Department.