Greece is the land of the twelve Olympian Gods, the cradle of the Western civilisation, the birthplace of democracy, the origin of drama, history, philosophy and sciences. Most modern sciences such as medicine, history, philosophy, geography, astronomy, physics, mathematics, as well as art such as poetry and sculpture took their first steps in Greece. Greece has inherited a sophisticated culture and a language that has been documented for almost three millennia. The language of Pericles in the 5th century BC and the present-day Greek language are recognisably the same. Very few languages and cultures can demonstrate such continuity.
Greeks take great pride in their cultural heritage and the notion of the unbroken continuity between ancient and modern. Greece covers 130,000 square kilometers and is located in the southeastern portion of Europe. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea on the south, the Ionian Sea on the west, the Aegean Sea on the east, and the north by Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Macedonia. The country also includes a great number of islands.

Today Greece is a modern country. The present style of government has been around since the war of independence with the Ottoman's in 1830. Due to its geographic location in southern Europe, in the Mediterranean, the climate at the coast is mild in winter and hot in summer. Consequently, apart from visitors interested in Greek culture, many tourists flood the numerous resorts, most of them on some of the over 2000 islands. Located in southern Europe, Greece forms an irregular-shaped peninsula in the Mediterranean with two additional large peninsulas projecting from it: the Chalcidice and the Peloponnese. The Greek Islands are generally subdivided into two groups, according to location: the Ionian Islands west of the mainland and the Aegean Islands to the east and south. North-central Greece, Epirus, and western Macedonia are all mountainous. The main chain of the Pindus Mountains extends from northwest Greece to the Peloponnese. Mount Olympus, rising to 9,570 ft, is the highest point in the country. Greece is famous for its natural beauty. The land is mountainous and rugged, but Greece is relatively poor in natural resources. Although a small country, Greece has a very diverse topography. The most important divisions of the country are the central mountains; the damp, mountainous regions in the west; the dry, sunny plains and lower mountain ranges in eastern Thessaly, Macedonia, and Thraki; Central Greece, the southeastern "point" of the mainland that cradled the city-states of the country, the mountainous regions of Peloponnisos; and the islands, most of which are in the Aegean Sea. The central mountain area, the Pindus Mountains, which extends from a northern to a southern direction, is one of the most rugged, isolated, and sparsely populated parts of the country.

Mount Olympus, Greece's highest peak, was considered in ancient times to be home to the 12 gods. The climate of Greece is similar to that of other Mediterranean regions. In the lowlands the summers are hot and dry with clear, cloudless skies. The winters are relatively mild, but rainy. The mountainous regions are much cooler, with considerable rain during the summer months. Frost, sleet, ice or snow is rare in the lowlands, but most mountains are covered with snow in the winter. For thousands of years Greece has been the gate connecting the east and the west. Today, it is a modern, fast developing European country.
As a member of the European Union, Greece implements the model of economic development, social organisation and governmental functioning applied in the other member states. Greece is moving dynamically into the new millennium with more than 300 important infrastructures and urban projects being undergone as well as investment programmes in telecommunications and information technology which will allow the country to face the global challenges of the twenty first century and to upgrade the services provided to the 10 million visitors who annually enjoy its unique climate and lifestyle. The ancient tradition still vivid to our days, together with the ancient monuments scattered throughout and combined with the golden sun, the long tourist experience, the unique hospitality, the natural beauty, the upgraded services provided and the possibility to be found at the place where the first congresses were organized to make Greece and especially Athens, a particularly attractive destination for high level delegates.