AynRandCon is an annual conference where the best young minds come together to explore Ayn Rand’s ideas.
Whether you’ve just finished The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged or torn through Rand’s fiction and nonfiction, AynRandCon is the best place to deepen your understanding of the challenging and inspiring ideas embodied by Rand’s heroes — ideas like the supremacy of reason, the virtue of selfishness, the meaning of freedom, and the morality of capitalism.
Whether you’re a student new to Ayn Rand’s ideas coming to explore them deeply for the first time, or a long-time Ayn Rand fan looking to make new integrations and to meet up with others interested in Objectivism, this year’s conference in Athens, Greece, has something for you. And given its location in the very city where Plato and Aristotle lived and taught, we will also be exploring the connections between Rand’s ideas and Ancient Greek philosophy.
Learn about “The Literary Esthetics of Aristotle and Ayn Rand” from Robert Mayhew, an expert on Rand and on Aristotle and author or editor of nine books on ancient philosophy. Hear Greg Salmieri, co-editor of the forthcoming Aristotle and Ayn Rand, speak on Aristotle’s ethics and Rand’s ethics — most likely within sight of Aristotle’s Lyceum (pending approval by the Greek archeological authorities).
Because this location is uniquely meaningful, we’ve expanded the conference to three days. You also have the option to turn your conference into a spirit-revitalizing retreat by adding three special tours, which include a sunset tour of The Temple of Poseidon — an incredible way to continue the discussion of ideas begun at the conference and celebrate new and long-time friendships.
Meet the Experts
Dr. Onkar Ghate
Chief Philosophy Officer,
Ayn Rand Institute
Dr. Ghate has spent two decades leading ARI’s efforts to educate students in Ayn Rand’s philosophy.
Dr. Robert Mayhew
Professor of Philosophy,
Seton Hall University
Dr. Mayhew is the author or editor of nine books in his area of specialization, ancient philosophy (for instance, his recent Aristotle’s Lost "Homeric Problems"), and author or editor of ten books related to Ayn Rand and Objectivism.
Dr. Gregory Salmieri
Senior Scholar of Philosophy,
Salem Center
Dr. Salmieri is the co-editor of A Companion to Ayn Rand (2016), Foundations of a Free Society (2019), and Aristotle and Ayn Rand (forthcoming). He has published and lectured on many aspects of Objectivism and on Aristotle’s ethics and epistemology.
Dr. Tara Smith
Professor of Philosophy,
University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Smith is a professor of philosophy who has written and lectured extensively on Ayn Rand’s ethics and the political and legal implications of her philosophy.
Dr. Nikos Sotirakopoulos
Director,Ayn Rand Institute Europe
Dr. Sotirakopoulos is a social scientist who helps students understand the history of today’s most influential political ideas, such as Critical Race Theory.
Tal Tsfany
CEO, Ayn Rand Institute
Mr. Tsfany, a former entrepreneur, oversees all of ARI’s activities and helps people use Ayn Rand’s philosophy to achieve success and happiness.
Venue
Excursions
3 Tours Plus Farewell Dinner
April 9–11, 2023
From the Zappeion in Athens, we’ll travel by air-conditioned coach down the beautiful south coast of Attica to Cape Sounion, the southernmost tip of the Attic peninsula. Here, we’ll watch the sun set in view of the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon, a temple built from 444 to 440 BC on the ruins of a previous Archaic temple.
Your excursions ticket includes this tour as well as two other tours (details forthcoming), plus an elegant farewell dinner.
HOTELS
Group rates for AynRandCon-Europe 2023 start at €130, including breakfast and most taxes.
Rooms are available April 4–13, 2023. Please note that the hotel system allows you to book only one room at a time. The room block closes on March 5, 2023.
If you’d like to explore other lodging options, we recommend the following, all within 10—15 minutes’ walking distance from the Zappeion:
SPONSOR STUDENTS
Registration
April 7–10, 2023
Ticket to 3-day conference. Opening reception on Friday, all talks and panels at the Zappeion, including special sessions at offsite locations (pending approval from the Greek archeological authorities), and Saturday and Sunday lunches.
Student Ticket
$50.00
Young Adult Ticket*
$250.00
Adult Ticket
$690.00
*Age 25 and under on April 5, 2023
April 9–11, 2023
Three specially prepared tours and one elegant dinner on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
Young Adult
$450.00
Adult
$450.00
April 7–11, 2023
All-inclusive access to the conference and excursions.
If you’re a student who’s on scholarship, excursion attendance will not be covered by your scholarship. If you’ve applied for a scholarship and would like to attend the excursions in addition to the conference, purchase a Student Combo ticket.
Student Combo
$425.00
Young Adult Combo
$590.00
Adult Combo
$990.00
FAQ
We designed the content to appeal to young, serious students who’ve read some of Ayn Rand’s fiction and are interested in learning more about her ideas, but people at all levels of familiarity with Ayn Rand are welcome to attend and enjoy the conference. Given this year’s location in Athens, there will also be some content on the connections between Rand’s ideas and those of the Ancient Greek thinkers.
Yes! In addition to taking questions during their sessions, AynRandCon speakers are happy to make themselves available for discussion whenever there is a break in the conference programming. We encourage you to interact with speakers during breaks, receptions, and meals.
Day passes will not be sold, but you can choose whether to join us for the main conference portion, the add-on excursions portion, or both. To ensure scholarship funds are put to their full use, we require attendees receiving a scholarship to attend all lectures and events included in their scholarship package.
Our system currently accepts only one registration at a time for tickets. Head to the registration section and choose your ticket type. Proceed through your registration; once you finish registration for the first individual, you’ll have the opportunity to add another.
The registration fee will be refunded for cancellations made by March 31st. Please contact us at [email protected] if you are no longer able to attend the conference.
The main way to interact with attendees before the conference is to join the AynRandCon-Europe Facebook group. There, you can meet other attendees and chat about plans for the conference.
Post a message on the AynRandCon – Europe Facebook group to connect with other attendees concerning rooms and travel.
The conference includes a Friday-night reception with light fare, as well as Saturday and Sunday lunches. The excursions on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday include food. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have further questions about meals.
We’ll open the conference with a reception in the evening on Friday, April 7, at 7:30 PM. The reception will include light food.
The conference ends on Monday evening at 5:30 PM. Excursions end on Tuesday with the excursion to the Temple of Poseidon. Expect to be back in Athens around 10 PM.
No private audio or video recording is allowed. ARI may record conference events and make them available later through our YouTube Channel and other outlets. However, you are encouraged to take photos and tweet (#AynRandCon)! We only ask that you refrain from using flash photography during talks so as not to disturb the speakers and other attendees.
We will not be livestreaming AynRandCon-Europe 2023.
Send us an email at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help.
