June, 2022
Event Details
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | CIRCULAR ECONOMY | ZERO WASTE FASHION
A fashion show “Greece: A Circular Fashion Future” by Deree students will follow.
When: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 | 09:30-14:30
Where: ACG Events Hall & ACG Library Front Patio
Organized by: The American College of Greece & Chatzigakis Foundation
In collaboration with: Office of Public Affairs, ACG & Office of Advancement, ACG
Under the the auspices of: Ministry of Environment & Energy
Supported by:
Center of Excellence in Sustainability, ACG
ACG Sustainability Leaders
Deree Fashion Club
This is a hybrid event.
Free participation and open to the public.
You can watch the event online here.
About the event
In celebration of the World Environment Day, let’s discuss sustainable development, circularity, and zero waste fashion, aiming to sensitize, raise awareness and promote best practices on these matters. This event is organized by the American College of Greece and Chatzigakis Foundation, collaborating with the Office of Public Affairs and the Office of Advancement, supported also by the Center of Excellence in Sustainability, the ACG Sustainability Leaders and the Deree Fashion Club. The forum is directly co-related with the overall sustainability efforts of ACG and will welcome a variety of guest speakers who will engage in panel discussions with the audience. Since fashion plays a major role in the global economy, with annual revenues totaling over $1 trillion, representatives from the Hellenic fashion industry will address the audience and explain how they incorporate sustainable practices into their operations, as this sector is also one of the most resource-intensive in the world. This highly interactive initiative will be concluded with a fashion show, powered by Deree students in the models’ role.
Agenda
09:30 – 10:00 | Registration Eventora – Welcome coffee
10:00 – 10:20 | Opening Remarks
10:20 – 11:20 | Panel A – Sustainability: A Spherical Discussion
11:20 – 12:20 | Panel B – Circular Economy & Turning “Circular”
12:20 – 12:50 | Coffee Break
12:50 – 13:50 | Panel C – Zero Waste in the Fashion Industry
14:00 – 14:30 | Fashion Show – Greece: A Circular Fashion Future
Bios of the Speakers
Adipas Venediktos
Creative Director, Maison Faliakos
Venediktos Adipas started his artistic journey from his early childhood. Until the age of 18, he had created murals, paintings and thousands of hours inside artist studios. After studying fashion in Athens he explored designer studios as Junior designer and Royal Academie of Arts in Antwerp. Today is the creative mind of Maison Faliakos.
Apostolaki Stella
Executive Director of the Centre of Excellence in Sustainability at the American College of Greece (ACG), Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Environmental Studies Program, ACG
Stella Apostolaki, is Executive Director of the Centre of Excellence in Sustainability at the American College of Greece (ACG), Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Environmental Studies Program, Department of Science and Mathematics, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She teaches environmental science courses in the Environmental Studies, in the Biomedical Sciences and in the International Honours programs.
She has a wide research experience, she is expert evaluator of Calls for Proposals for European Commission, has worked as a researcher in collaboration with universities and authorities in Greece and in the U.K., and has participated in numerous EU funded projects. Her main research interests include: integrated water and storm water management, sustainable development and innovation, climate change, conservation of biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, public education, green urban planning with emphasis on amenity and biodiversity and implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Assariotaki Rania
Senior Manager for Sustainability, Office of Public Affairs, The American College of Greece
Rania Assariotaki joined The American College of Greece in 2008. She currently holds the position of Senior Manager for Sustainability, Office Public Affairs. She has previously occupied the position of the first Sustainability Manager at ACG. Before joining ACG, she has served in the field of customer service. She holds an MSc in Marketing from ALBA at The American College of Greece. Since December 2020, serves as an ex-officio member in the Academic Advisory Board of the ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability. Under her coordination, in 2020, ACG was awarded the STARS Gold rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Since September 2020 she participates as a mentor for sustainability issues in the mentorship program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Starting January 2022, she serves as an elected member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Board of Directors. The purpose of the Board is to advise, govern, oversee policy and direction, and assist with the general promotion of AASHE. In February 2021, she was appointed by AASHE to serve as a member of the AASHE Advisory Council for her constant commitment and support to promoting sustainability best practices and culture on and off campus. The Advisory Council is an advisory body whose input often has a significant impact on staff and board decisions of AASHE. In February 2020 became a member of the Corporate Responsibility Committee of the American – Hellenic Chamber of Commerce. In 2015 she was certified as a GRI G4 reporter and in July 2016 received her certification as a Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner approved by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). Also, she has received certifications in: Carbon Reduction Strategy, Sustainability Reporting, Social Impact Assessment & SROI. In August 2019, she was certified as a Sustainability Management professional and on High Impact Leadership from the Institute for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge.
Athanasopoulos Yiorgos
Journalist, founder of monopeto.gr
Born in Athens, studied journalism and worked for many daily and weekly newspapers. For the last 14 years I, am an editor for the Sunday newspaper “Realnews”. Since 2019 I have founded monopeto.gr the only digital magazine in Greece devoted to men’s classic style.
Chatzigakis Elisabeth S.
General Secretary & Communications Advisor, Chatzigakis Foundation
Elisabeth S. Chatzigakis has demonstrated a history of contributing from a wide range of positions in the fields of Communication, PR and Marketing in Greece and abroad. In recent years, Elisabeth serves as the board’s General Secretary and as Communications Advisor in Chatzigakis Foundation. In her role, she is focusing on running cultural and humanitarian programs all over Greece, with emphasis on education and children, combining her skills in team management, project coordination, fundraising, special events planning and social media management.
Her devotion to social causes and community service derived from her volunteering years, an integral part in her adolescent and early adult life, where her active support extended towards a plethora of NGOs such as Alma Zois, Friends of Merimna, Estia, Kea-Hara, Mater Filia. She spearheaded her very first fundraising campaign at age 17, raising substantial funding and material support to ameliorate the lives of immigrant single mothers and children of NGO Mater Filia.
In 2017, she received the highest distinction for a college graduate, the College Life Leadership Award, presented to her by President David G. Horner of Deree – The American College of Greece. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons in Communication) focused in Communication and PR, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Deree – the American College of Greece. In 2012, she graduated from Moraitis School and she received the Community Service Award, a recognition of her valuable contribution to the community via her efforts with NGO Mater Filia.
Efmorfidi Emma
EF93 Founder
Emma is a true citizen of the world. Growing up in a bicultural home opened her world from a young age to the importance of diversity, language, and cross-cultural competency. Before the age of 18 she and her family lived in various countries in Europe which only sparked her interest to explore the world around her, learn different languages, and integrate with local cultures. Her experiences taught her a lot, but two themes that have become her values are sustainability and inclusivity. Emma’s love for the world and the people in it meshed with her passion for fashion inspired her to create the sustainable sandal company, EF93. The company was founded during the lock-down of 2021 when the need to take care of our planet became ever more prominent. EF93’s sandals celebrate the repurposing of materials to reduce waste and rethink green fashion. The EF93 workshop in Likovrisi, Athens is more than a production house and showroom, it is a space that continues to teach and learn about sustainability, diversity, and manual creation.
Iliopoulos John
CEO and Co-founder, We4all
John Iliopoulos is the CEO and Co-founder of the non profit Environmental Organization We4all. His educational background is in business administration and marketing. His career as an entrepreneur and business strategist took a sudden turn after the destructive events of Mati in 2018, when he decided to become the change that he wanted to see in the world and founded We4all along with Antonis Bogdanos. Since that time his sole focus and vision is the realization of the We4all Mission: “To help Earth heal and to remind people this planet is our home”.
Parascha Stylianee
President of Fashion Revolution Luxembourg
Stylianee Parascha is the President of Fashion Revolution Luxembourg and a Sustainable Fashion and Communications Consultant. She has conducted research on how fashion is interrelated to pressing social issues as well as on how Immigration and Fashion are interconnected and can benefit from each other. She has been animating Upcycling workshops, organising slow fashion events, and preaching a sustainable and fashionable lifestyle in Luxembourg and beyond. She holds an MSc in Cultural Management and an MA in Sustainability in Fashion and the Creative Industries. She is experimenting with conscious design concepts through her brand What.Eve.Wears and promotes fashion Made in Greece on every occasion.
Pastras Sotiris
Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility Manager of APIVITA
Sotiris Pastras is the Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility Manager of APIVITA since 2016. Throughout these years he has delivered two Corporate Sustainability Reports (GRI Standards), the B Corp Certification, the BREEAM In-Use building sustainability assessment, the ECOVADIS sustainability rating certification and the “Save the Bees”, APIVITA’s Global Environmental Responsibility Program.
He was born in Volos, Greece. He studied at the National Kapodistrian University of Athens graduating from the Communication & Mass Media Department. He also completed his Master of Science degree in Human Recourses Management (Athens University of Economics and Business) emphasizing in Business Ethics and Corporate Responsibility.
As a swimmer and member of the Greek National Team, he participated in two Olympic Games in Athens (2004) and Beijing (2008). He founded the swimming team “Pastra Cretonaxiosa” the first Greek team ever to cross the English Channel (2016). He is also founding member and general secretary of the NGO “ExcellenSeas” which supports students from Greek borderline islands to their academic studies.
Petridis Christos
Chief Creative Office, Maison Faliakos
Christos Petridis studied fashion design and at the age of 23 became the right-hand man of legendary fashion designer Costis Faliakos. He immediately stands out for his sharp technique in Haute Couture and his eye for detail. In 2003, he takes the reins of Maison Faliakos after the death of Costis Faliakos and within 12 years under his management, the House introduces for the first time Pret-a-Porter collections and high-end Bridal services. Today, he continues his creative journey in the role of Chief Creative Officer together with Creative Director Venediktos Adipas.
Pitsaki Garyfalia P.
Co-founder, 3QUARTERS
Garyfalia is an Architect, involved in architectural and art projects that reshape the understanding of the urban living and space. In her design projects she explores the link moment between architectural design, technology and crafting in a bottom-up urban engagement. After living and working for several years in the Netherlands, she brings back to Athens the dutch creativity and optimism of startups. In 2015 she founded together with her brother John, photographer and web-designer, the upcycled luxurious accessories brand, 3QUARTERS. A brother and sister duet with a common love for design, sustainability and handcrafts, we promote local, engaging and ethically sourced and made design.
Revach Alvertos
Founder & Investments Director, Humble Holdings (Luxembourg).
Born in Athens, Greece, Alvertos Revach attended the Moraitis School and then went on to receive a BA degree in Marketing and International Business from Georgetown University, in Washington DC. Between 1997 and 2015 he co-directed his family business, Amvyx S.A., the largest independent alcoholic beverages distribution company in Greece. In 2016, Amvyx moved to non-family, professional management, and Alvertos moved to Luxembourg to pursue something closer to his heart, Impact Investing, where profit, people and planet are balanced in the investment decisions. He founded Humble Holdings and Humble Investments, two investment vehicles which invest in ideas and companies that are “Good for You, Good for People and Good for the Planet”, aiming to make the world a better place, for all, human and animal, through his investment strategy.
Tsompanidis Stavros
Founder & Managing Partner – PHEE
Stavros Tsompanidis is a Forbes 30 U 30 Europe 2018 serial entrepreneur. By the age of 22,parallel with his studies in the University of Piraeus, he founded two companies and organized prestigious events (Pioneers Athens) and start-up competitions (StartupBus, CruiseINN) in an effort to engage his peers in entrepreneurship. A speech in a TED Conference six years back created the spark for Stavros to conceive PHEE . Ever since, he committed to dispose of Posidonia Oceanica in the market, and not in landfills using a circular approach!
Inspired by the nature and abundance of wasted seagrass along the Greek coastline he founded PHEE with a clear vision; to give a second life to natural resources that until today had been considered as waste by creating unique sustainable biocomposite materials.
Stavros believes in the values of the circular economy and his main goal is to solve big problems, create impact and bring new innovations to the market! That’s why he works on building strong long lasting partnerships with businesses with similar values and vision both domestically and abroad.
Valli Argini
Hair Cluster Marketing Manager Balkans, AVEDA
Argini Valli (Deree, 2008) holds two Bachelor’s degrees on Integrated Marketing Communication as well as on Food Technology. During her tenure she was awarded with the President’s Award for being involved in multiple clubs and societies including Student Government (Secretary), Deree College Ambassadors (Chairperson of Operations and Finance), Yearbook Team, Marketing Society, Orientation Leaders and SERF Team. To this day, Argini, is still an active member of the ACG alumni Association and has acted as Secretary General and Social Media Coordinator (2013-2017). She has a 10 year experience in the FMGC industry, specializing in the luxury beauty category. For the last 5 years Argini leads Aveda’s marketing team an Estée Lauder Companies brand, having contributed in establishing it in the Greek market. Aveda, is a high-performance, vegan hair care brand with a mission to care for the world all with sustainability at heart since its launch in 1978.
Vikas Giannis
Researcher – Expert in the field of Sustainability and Social Economy / Course Instructor at Deree – The American College of Greece
Dr. Vikas is a part-time faculty member at Deree-ACG since 2021, teaching the courses Social Economy and Entrepreneurship, and Sustainable Finance and Investing. He has a long professional experience in various research and consulting projects and has collaborated with organizations as the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education and the Development Agency of Athens. He is the Chief Editor at the Social Economy Journal of the Greek Institute of Cooperative Studies. His research interests include sustainability, entrepreneurship and social economy and his work has been published in international peer reviewed journals and conferences
Xirou Hara
Head of South East Europe Office – Eunomia
Hara Xirou, a native Greek speaker, is the Head of South-East Europe Office, based in Athens with over 15 years of experience in the resource efficiency and waste management sector. Hara joined Eunomia in July 2014 and has recently been leading projects and providing technical expertise on: ‘Circular Economy potential in Greece’ for SEPAN (ΣΕΠΑΝ) in 2020, ‘Developing Guidelines for UNEP/MAP on Phasing Out Single-use Plastics in the Mediterranean’ for SCP/RAC (June 2020 – March 2021), providing ‘Technical support for the development of EPR on textiles and mattresses in Greece’ for GIZ/MoEE (Nov 2020 – Feb 2021) and ‘Development of Waste Composition Analysis Protocol for Greece’ for GIZ/MoEE (Nov 2020 – January 2021) as well as participating as a technical expert in GIZ/YΠΕΝ – ‘Market of Alternative Fuels in Greece’ and for the European Commission (DG ENV) -‘Towards an EU Product Policy Framework supportive of Circular Economy’ in 2018-2019. Through this latter study, our project team, led by Hara, supported the upcoming Commission Communication on Circular Economy to understand what policies it might put in place to stimulate circular economy growth around product groups identified as having high untapped circular potential. The product groups, for which greater circularity promises environmental, economic and social gains, are: energy related products, construction products, chemicals, textiles, furniture, transport/automotive products and toys.
Prior to this, Hara was assigned a country analyst for Greece and Cyprus under the ‘Early Warning System’ project (2017 – 2018). Hara was part of the project team in the ‘Waste Assessment in the South East of Europe: assessing the Solid Waste Management situation and providing recommendations and roadmaps for 8 Member States’. In 2016 – 2017 she completed a scoping Study on “Processes Relevant to the Implementation of the OSPAR and HELCOM Regional Action Plans on Marine Litter”. She had previously worked with Tetra Pak International in Brussels on the coordination and monitoring of EU environmental policy activities in the packaging sector. She has also worked as a project manager at ACR+ (Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling and Sustainable Resource Management) in Brussels and as an environmental senior consultant for 5 years at LRS Consultancy in London, managing 5 members of staff. Between 2010 and 2012, Hara participated in the development of a European Horizon 2020 programme ‘Tackling Marine litter in Europe’. Hara holds an MSc on Environmental Science and Technology from Imperial College and is a LEAD Fellow of the LEAD International Network.
Featured brands:
Snacks and beverages by
Coffee by
Hair Care (goodie bags) by
