Athens, Greece is hosting the highly anticipated 2024 FIRST Global Challenge, an international robotics competition, this weekend. This prestigious event brings together students from over 190 countries to compete against their peers from around the world.
The event is taking place from September 26th to 29th and hosts young innovators who collaborate and compete in a series of challenges around the theme “Feeding the Future.”
The FIRST Global Challenge in Greece’s capital city of Athens began in the Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF) in Piraeus, where teams put their robots to the test in a simulated world that shows their innovation and techniques.
What is this event?
The organizers of the FIRST Global Challenge in Athens, Greece state that “by making science and technology as exciting as any other sport, we can inspire the world’s two billion [young people] to pursue STEM fields and be the leaders who collectively solve our planet’s most pressing problems.”
They also added that they “seek to bring together youth from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences and inspire and motivate them to become the leaders and innovators of the future, working together to build a better world.”
The “Feeding the Future” theme of the FIRST Global Challenge 2024 in Athens, Greece is particularly relevant to today’s global robotics stage, as participants are tasked with developing innovative solutions to create a more resilient food system.
“Components of the season will highlight the need to simultaneously improve economic, social, and environmental impacts in order to create a truly sustainable food system,” the organizers note.
Government supports the FIRST Global Challenge event in Athens, Greece
The FIRST Global Challenge Athens, Greece has gained enthusiastic support from the Greek government and local scientific organizations in Greece. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the event on Saturday.
Entering the stadium, the Greek Prime Minister welcomed the contestants. “It is a great honor to host you here,” Mitsotakis said.
“There is so much positive energy on this stage. 193 countries are represented here—a special round of applause to each of you,” he stated.
Mitsotakis also made a comment about the United Nations General Assembly that he had visited only a few hours earlier.
“I just came back from the United Nations General Assembly, and as I entered the stadium I thought: what a different mindset, our generation is struggling against all the problems but you are sending us a message about how to work together to solve the problems of tomorrow,” the Greek leader noted.
Then, he added “I have tremendous confidence in your generation. Your [minds] will help us solve the complex problems of tomorrow. Therefore, I [hope] have a good time, enjoy this competition, and enjoy Athens.”
