With great solemnity and the active participation of students and professors from universities in Greece and abroad, the opening ceremony of the Hippocratic Week – Hippocratic School 2025 took place. This international institution highlights the timeless values of Hippocrates, the Father of Western Medicine.
The event has become an established annual tradition, co-organized by the Global Doctrs’ Hippocratic Institute, the International Hippocratic Foundation of Kos, and other collaborating organizations, with the longstanding support of the Athens Medical Association (ISA). Its purpose is to promote the Hippocratic philosophy, ethics, and excellence in the field of medicine.
The Hippocratic Week is an international initiative of the Global Doctrs’ Hippocratic Institute and was first announced by its President, Dr. George Patoulis, at the University of Melbourne Medical School during the First Congress of Greek Diaspora Physicians in October 2022.
This year’s opening was marked by a large turnout of medical students and faculty from universities in Greece, the United States, Argentina, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Austria, Oman, Tunisia, Cyprus, and India. Participants had the opportunity to visit the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, engaging with the heritage of ancient Greek philosophy and science.
The day culminated with a visit to the Hellenic Parliament, where a special conference was held in honor of the World Bioethics Day. The event was organized by the Standing Committee on Social Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament, chaired by Mr. George Stylios, and attended by Members of Parliament from various political parties. The Deputy Minister of Health, Mr. Marios Themistokleous, addressed the assembly, praising the continuous efforts of ISA President Dr. Patoulis and emphasizing that the Oath of Hippocrates is more relevant than ever, as it embodies the physician’s profound commitment to the patient and serves as a bridge connecting the past and the present, illuminating the future of medicine.
Distinguished figures from the global academic and medical community delivered keynote addresses, contributing meaningfully to the ongoing dialogue on contemporary bioethical issues.
During the session, the President of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Professor Nikolaos Arkadopoulos, referred to Hippocrates as the founder of Western medical thought and ethics. Mr. Massimo Maria Caneva, Head of the Health and Diplomacy Program at Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital of Rome, underscored the importance of international cooperation in medical education and highlighted the role of global peace and diplomacy in addressing medical and social challenges. Professor T. Mohsin Al Lawati, Vice President of the Medical Association of Oman, reflected on the Hippocratic Oath through the lens of medical ethics, while Ms. E. Johnson, Chair of the School of Medicine at the European University Cyprus, emphasized the critical role of medical education in a globalized world.
The President of the Global Doctrs’ Hippocratic Institute and the Athens Medical Association, Dr. George Patoulis, stated:
“We must honor and uphold the principles and the Oath of Hippocrates, the Father of Western Medicine. Greece—of science and culture—continues to maintain an active and substantial presence on the international stage, leaving its indelible mark in a timeless and creative manner. Guided by excellence, collaboration, and the universal values embodied by Hippocrates, our country unites peoples, scientists, and cultures through collective efforts serving the good of humanity. Artificial Intelligence today can become a valuable ally to the medical world, provided it operates under human guidance—with transparency, respect, and compassion. Through the Hippocratic Week, we highlight the philosophy, ethics, and values of excellence that form the foundation of Medicine and its mission in the service of humankind.”
The first day of the Hippocratic School concluded with a visit by students and young doctors to the headquarters of the Athens Medical Association. They were welcomed by the Association’s President, Dr. Patoulis, who guided them through the facilities and presented the mission, work, and initiatives of the Association, while emphasizing the vital role of young physicians in contemporary society.
The Hippocratic Week 2025 aims to transfer educational, cultural, and scientific experience to young doctors and medical students, while further strengthening Greece’s position as a Global Center of Science and Well-being.
The key pillars of the event include:
the promotion of Hippocratic philosophy and its timeless values of ethics and excellence in medicine;
the education of students and young physicians through interactive conferences, workshops, and scientific tours;
the exchange of knowledge and experience among diverse healthcare systems through collaborations with medical schools in Greece and abroad;
and the projection of Greece as a country of rich history, culture, and heritage, where science meets humanism.
The opening events were attended by Members of the Hellenic Parliament, ambassadors, academics, presidents of Greek and Cypriot medical associations of the diaspora, presidents of Greek and Cypriot communities abroad, the boards of the World Hippocratic Institute of Physicians and the International Hippocratic Foundation of Kos, as well as 40 medical students from universities around the world.
The Hippocratic Week 2025 continues with a series of events, scientific presentations, and educational visits to the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), the School of Health Sciences of the University of Thessaly, and finally to the island of Kos, where students and young physicians will take the authentic Hippocratic Oath. This ceremony will symbolically convey the spirit and values of Hippocrates across the globe, reminding all that medicine—beyond being a science—is, above all, an act of humanity.
