British comedy icon John Cleese is headlining the 2026 edition of SNF Nostos at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in southern Athens next month.
Cleese, best known as a founding member of the Monty Python comedu troupe, will appear June 26 at the Stavros Niarchos Hall. The evening event, titled “Not Dead Yet!,” will begin with a screening of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” marking the film’s 50th anniversary, followed by a live conversation and audience Q&A with Cleese.
Earlier the same day, Cleese will join a panel discussion titled “The Miracle of Life, Magic and Artificial Intelligence,” alongside chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov, robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks, AI ethics expert Francesca Rossi and magician Mark Mitton. The discussion will explore the links between life, illusion and artificial intelligence.
Admission to all events is free of charge, though registration is required for the morning discussion through the SNF Nostos 2026 platform. Online registration for “Not Dead Yet!” has closed, but additional seats will be available at the venue on a first-come, first-served basis.
SNF Nostos is a weeklong festival organized by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation that combines talks, concerts, performances, art, sports and public discussions around major global themes such as mental health, democracy, technology, education and culture. It was launched in 2017 and has featured major international figures, including Barack Obama, Stevie Wonder, Renzo Piano and Jane Goodall.
