On Friday, February 27, 2026, the High School Grade 2 Humanities Orientation students from Athens College and Psychico College had the opportunity to participate in an intellectually enriching experience by welcoming and conversing with world-renowned classicist Edith Hall.

The meeting unfolded into a dynamic dialogue in which the teenagers' questions engaged with the timeless wisdom of classical texts.

Edith Hall, Professor of Classics and Ancient History at Durham University and Member of the British Academy, is considered one of the most distinguished scholars of Greek literature internationally. With an academic career that includes posts at leading institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge, Hall is widely known for her ability to make antiquity accessible to the general public.

Her works, such as the international bestseller "The Ancient Greeks: Ten Ways They Shaped The Modern World" and the widely read "Aristotle's Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life," which has also been translated into Greek, have become reference points for understanding how ancient knowledge can illuminate modern life.

Hall's presence sparked the keen interest of the students, who actively participated in a discussion that touched on several themes:

• Ancient Tragedy: As a means of exploring human experience and moral dilemmas.
• Aristotelian Ethics: As a practical guide for decision-making and the pursuit of "eudaimonia."
• The Value of Classical Texts: With particular emphasis on her recent work on the Iliad and its relevance to contemporary ecological concerns.

The students responded with great enthusiasm. Through her insight and direct approach, the professor demonstrated that Classics is not a static discipline but a living force that fosters critical thinking. The students left with a sense of fulfillment, having discovered that antiquity still has much to teach us and that culture remains one of the most powerful tools for understanding the present.

Edith Hall was introduced by the President of Athens College, Professor Spiro N. Pollalis, and Mr. Michael Moschos, Director of the International Hellenic Prize. The event was attended by Mr. Panagiotis Giannoulatos, Co-Director of Psychico College; Mr. Georgios Karampatis, Deputy Director of Athens College High School; Ms. Anastasia Papakostopoulou, Director of the President's Office; and Mr. Sokratis Kougeas, Senior Advisor to the President.