#OLLD26
Chairholder, UNESCO Chair on Futures Research
Epaminondas Christophilopoulos is the chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Futures Research, hosted at the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH) and the Executive President of the Management Board of the Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki (MOMUS). He is an Onassis Foundation Fellow and holds a PhD in Strategic Foresight, while his academic profile also includes studies in Physics (BSc), Environment (MSc), and International Relations. He has been working in the field of futures research since 2010, designing and implementing a variety of projects while he has served as the Chief Scientific Officer for Foresight in the Prime Minister’s Office. He has published monographs and peer-reviewed articles in several journals and curated two books published in Greece. He has been the Chairman of the Foresight Europe Network and he is currently the Chairman of the Greek node of the Millennium Project. Finally, Epaminondas has been a member of ESIR, a high-level expert group that provides evidence-based policy advice to the European Commission on how to develop a forward-looking and transformative research and innovation policy.
This keynote explores the value of Foresight in addressing current and emerging challenges, showing how change can be transformed from a source of anxiety into a source of creativity. In a world shaped by uncertainty, disruption, and rapid transformation, Foresight offers ways to anticipate, question, and reframe what lies ahead.
The session will also examine the shifts taking place in societal values and invite participants to reflect on how these values may evolve in the future. By connecting futures thinking with the changing beliefs, priorities, and expectations that shape our societies, the keynote will encourage a deeper conversation not only about the futures we expect, but also about the values we want to guide them.
Key message: Foresight helps organisations transform uncertainty into agency and rethink the values that will define the years ahead.
We invite you to take an active role in building a dynamic and impactful OLLD26 programme.
As part of OpenLivingLab Days 2026, a selection of field visits will be organized on 2 October, offering participants the opportunity to experience Living Labs in practice. Hosted by Belgian ENoLL members, these visits will provide an immersive look into real-life environments where innovation is co-created and tested.
Conference Ticket
Conference Ticket
Conference Ticket
The 2026 edition of OpenLivingLab Days will start in Brussels, with a Policy Event held on 29 September that will foster high-level dialogue between EU institutions and the Living Lab community.
The OpenLivingLab Days conference will continue in Antwerp, at "A Room With A ZOO", on 30 September and 1 October, with panels, workshops, and presentation of research papers.
The conference will conclude with a day of field visits to innovation spaces in different locations in Belgium on 2 October.
