Arena* 2022
Crete

18 May
19:00 – 24:00

Day 1-As we gather on the Cretan coastline, we will set the tone for the days to come. With live music as our backdrop, this is an invitation to keep the circle open.

19:00 – 20:30
Opening Ceremony & Well-Being Session by the Sea
Steph Cusack, My Inner Health Club
Suso Sáiz, Musician

21:00 – 24:00
Welcome Reception & Beach Party
The Zenmenn, Band
Zakia, DJ

19 May
9:00 – open end

Day 2-A day of inspiring panel conversations, keynote talks, and moments for connection, ending with a lively village dinner beneath the stars.

07:00 – 08:00
Well-Being Session (optional)
Anchored Movement by Julia Kupke / tær

07:00 – 09:00
Breakfast

09:00 – 09:20
Opening Performance
Marina Satti, Musician

09:20 – 09:45
Opening Notes
Jenni Benzaquen & Ksenia Starikova, Design Hotels

09:45 – 10:15
“The Times They Are a-Changin,” Says Nature
Lucas De Man, Founder and CEO, New Heroes

10:15 – 11:00
Can Biodesign Solve Climate Change? New Materials Innovations
Henna Burney, Project Manager & Material Designer, Atelier LUMA
Lucas De Man, Founder and CEO, New Heroes
Nienke Hoogvliet, Founder, Studio Nienke Hoogvliet
Suzanna Laskaridis, Founder & Director, BlueCycle
Katie Treggiden, Journalist, Author & Founder of Making Design Circular

Break

11:30 – 12:00
Innovation Through the Lens of Ancient Cultures
Julia Watson, Designer, Activist, Academic, & Author

12:00 – 12:40
Old Wisdom and Practices as Inspiration for Regenerative Design
Stephen Burks, Designer & Artist
Fernando Laposse, Designer & Artist
Julia Watson, Designer, Activist, Academic, & Author
Clara Le Fort, Lifestyle Editor & Luxury and Sustainability Expert

12:40 – 13:00
Design Against Extinction: How to Save Our Biodiversity
Mitchell Joachim, Cofounder, Terreform ONE

13:00 – 14:30
Lunch on the Beach

14:30 – 14:45
Musical Performance
Adalou, Band

14:45 – 15:15
Commercial Update from Design Hotels
Christian Malcher, Design Hotels

15:15 – 16:15
Big Picture Hospitality: What Is A Sustainable Hotel? A Holistic Approach to a Conscious Hotel
Evguenia Ivara, Cap Karoso
Tara Medina, MUSA
Paul Salmon, Rockhouse Hotel
Agapi Sbokou, Cretan Malia Park
Juliet Kinsman, Sustainability Editor, Condé Nast Traveller

Break

16:45 – 17:15
Technology Outlook: A Post-COVID World for Hospitality and Travel
David Rowan, Founding UK Editor-in-Chief, WIRED

17:15 – 18:00
Making It Real: Tangible Solutions from Impact-Driven Start-Ups
Dorothée Schiesser-Peyrouzet, Founder & President, SapoCycle
Naomi MacKenzie, Cofounder, KITRO
Hannes Schoenegger, Cofounder & CEO, QWSTION & Bananatex®
Rodrigo García González, Cofounder & Co-CEO, Notpla
Karlijn Sibbel, Design Director, Notpla

19:30
Traditional Cretan Village Dinner & Party
Adalou, Band
Omilos Vrakoforon Kritis, Cretan Dance Group
Brass Classe, Band
Veleyle, DJ

20 May
9:30 – 16:00

Day 3-Guests are welcome to choose from a diverse lineup of interactive sessions on-site and with local communities throughout the island.

07:30 – 09:30
Breakfast

08:00 – 09:00
Well-Being Session (optional)
Anchored Meditation by Catherine Pfisterer, tær

09:30 – 09:45
Contemporary Dance Premiere
Escapades by Markella Manoliadi

09:45 – 10:10
Circle Forward: New Member Hotels

10:30 – 14:30
Breakout Sessions On-Site and Off-Site

On-Site
The Future of Well-Being
Why Go Zero-Waste? An Interactive Sustainability Session
Innovation Through Hotel Technology
What’s Next for Digital and PR?

Off-Site
Antonis Farsaris’s Bakery
Kritsa Women’s Cooperative
Phāea Farmers
Sculpture Garden at Minos Beach Art Hotel

Read more about Breakout Sessions

14:30 – 16:00
Farewell Lunch