From Capitol Hill to Maryland Research Farm: Greek Envoy Crosses Five States to Build Bridge to WGES Global Athens 2026

WGES Global hosts working tour connecting agriculture research/tech, healthy buildings and investment ahead of October 6-8 WGES Global Symposium in Athens.

WASHINGTON DC, PA, UNITED STATES, September 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Well before international leaders gather in Athens for the WGES Global™ International Symposium & Expo, October 6–8, 2026, the WGES Global platform is already generating the kind of cross-border engagement the Symposium is designed to accelerate. Dr. Konstantine (Kostas) Mastorakis, DVM, traveled to the United States for a WGES Global-hosted five-state working mission focused on U.S.–Greece collaboration in sustainable agriculture, healthy and high-performance buildings, advanced construction, investment, innovation and economic development.

The mission moved through Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, connecting Greek initiatives with U.S. institutions, technical experts, businesses, investors and potential project partners. Substantive project discussions began before the Athens Symposium itself, demonstrating how WGES Global uses its international network to connect participants, expertise and opportunities and build a foundation for outcomes.

“What impressed me most during this U.S. visit was that WGES Global did not simply arrange meetings — we sat directly with people who have the expertise, institutional experience and ability to help move projects forward,” said Dr. Mastorakis, Vice President of Nationale Piloti, President of Safe-Drive, WGES Global Athens 2026 Ambassador and Co-Host of the WGES Global NOVA Awards. “From sustainable agriculture and healthy buildings to advanced construction, investment and government engagement, I saw firsthand the strength of the relationships WGES Global has built in the United States. Greece has an important opportunity to connect with this network in Athens.”

A major component of the mission was a visit to the University of the District of Columbia College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (UDC CAUSES) Firebird Research Farm in Maryland. Hosted by Dr. Sabine O'Hara, Distinguished Professor and founding Dean of UDC CAUSES, discussions focused on sustainable agriculture, food systems, environmental stewardship, eco-development and potential applied collaboration. The University of West Attica (UNIWA) in Athens, Greece serves as the WGES Global 2026 Academic Coordinator.

The Washington program also included a special visit to the United States Capitol, arranged through the office of Pennsylvania U.S. Senator, covering update on discussion with Firebird Research Farm and broader initiatives.

Dr. Mastorakis met with leading U.S. experts in healthy and high-performance buildings, including Kevin Kampschroer, whose nearly five decades of federal service included leadership as Chief Sustainability Officer and in the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Federal High-Performance Buildings, and Kinga Hydras, an ASHRAE Fellow with extensive federal experience in building modernization and energy efficiency. Both are scheduled to participate in WGES Global Athens 2026.

Additional sessions explored advanced construction technologies, housing and redevelopment applications, and U.S.–Greece investment and development opportunities. “This is exactly why WGES Global was created,” said Professor Robert J. Gallagher, President and Executive Chairman of WGES Global, Inc. “Our objective has always been to bring the right expertise together around real challenges and opportunities and provide an environment where knowledge can move toward action. The fact that substantive U.S.–Greece project discussions are already occurring before Athens symposium demonstrates the potential of this platform.”

WGES Global's role is to convene and facilitate, while respecting established governmental, institutional, trade and regulatory protocols, bringing appropriate trade experts, agencies, technical leaders, academic institutions, businesses and decision-making leadership together so opportunities can be evaluated and advanced through proper channels.

Alongside the working meetings, WGES Global organized a cultural program introducing Dr. Mastorakis to American landmarks and communities, including the U.S. Capitol, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the National Mall and Smithsonian museums in Washington; Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Benjamin Franklin Museum in Philadelphia; and the Financial District, Midtown Manhattan, Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. Greek Chef Maria Loi, restaurateur and Global Ambassador of Greek Gastronomy, hosted Dr. Mastorakis and WGES Global leadership at her “Loi Estiatorio” Manhattan restaurant. He also met with Loula Loi Alafoyiannis, Founder and President of the Euro-American Women's Council (EAWC).

Founded in the United States in 2009, WGES Global is a nonpartisan educational and collaborative platform with an established record of convening government, academia, industry and international leadership. Across its U.S. consecutive programs, WGES has engaged White House and federal leadership, governors, ambassadors and representatives from agencies including the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Commerce/U.S. Commercial Service and U.S. General Services Administration.

Corporate and academic participation has included Dow, Siemens, IBM, GE, Johnson Controls, AECOM, SAIC, BAE Systems, the University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School, Drexel University, Temple University, the University of the District of Columbia and CUNY.

WGES Global™ International Symposium & Expo – Athens 2026 will take place October 6–8 in Athens, bringing together government, academia, industry, science, technology, finance and international leadership. The Executive Leadership Forums and Master Class Series span six integrated areas: Sustainable & Healthy Buildings; Clean Energy, Energy Security & Blue Economy; Geospatial Intelligence, Climate Resilience & Disaster Preparedness; Public Health, Digital Health & Healthy Communities; Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems; and Circular Economy, Urban Sustainability & Economic Development. On the evening of October 7, the WGES Global™ NOVA Awards will recognize distinguished leadership and measurable achievement in sustainability, innovation, public health, education and international collaboration.

“Since 2009, WGES Global has remained a nonpartisan platform dedicated to educational and collaborative exchange with a focus on outcomes,” said Daisy Gallagher, Executive Lead, U.S.–Greece Organizing Team, WGES Global, Inc. “An important part of that mission is respecting established institutional and governmental protocols and bringing the appropriate trade experts, agencies, technical leaders and decision-makers to the table. Athens 2026 continues that approach, with the goal of turning meaningful dialogue into partnerships, projects and measurable results.”
For companies, universities, public institutions, innovators, investors and international organizations, Athens 2026 offers an opportunity to enter a cross-sector network where relationships can begin before the event and continue well beyond it. WGES Global Registration, exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities are open now. For the latest program, speakers, participation opportunities and tickets, visit www.wgesglobal.com.

B. Aponte, Gallagher & Gallagher Worldwide, Inc.
On behalf of WGES Global, Inc
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