The Aristotle-Confucius Symposium 2026 will be held from 2 to 4 November in Varanasi, India, featuring scholars, institutional representatives and leaders who will discuss about philosophical traditions, the ethical governance and emerging technologies. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be invited to address and inaugurate the event while Adani Foundation Founder and Chairperson Priti Adani will make a speech on November 2.
Officials say Priti Adani will speak at 9 am on the first day. The symposium will foster a dialogue between plural philosophies as well as look at some of their current significance in the global arena of problems.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is all set to register his observations on unblemished civilisational legacy of Hinduism, which has since more than five thousand years, and the values of Saanatan Dharma, which have remained same ever since. He is likely to outline the traditions of philosophy and culture in India that give its identity.
The symposium will include a focus on similarities and differences between the Aristotelian and Confucian/ Hindu/ Buddhist/ Jain/ Catholic/ Muslim philosophies. Dialogue will be mainly concerned with virtue ethics, the responsibility, governance, power and trans-cultural understanding.
According to the organisers, the core values and ethical principles of responsible development should be a complement and not a barrier to technical solutions to the challenges facing humanity, including geopolitical tensions, ecological crises and the rapid transformation of technologies.
Mercer is also planned to include elements of advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable dialogue across languages and cultures at the 2026 symposium. New technologies for possibilities of engaging with philosophical ideas and wisdom traditions will be discussed.
The main conference days will be on November 2 and November 3 with keynote speeches, thematic sessions and discussions on global governance and peace.
The city of Varanasi, the place of religious significance in India, has been chosen for its historical and religious importance as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. As a city along the Ganges, it has long been a hub of learning, pilgrimage, and contemplation.
The 4th November will be spent immersed in culture and visiting sites such as the Ganges ghats, evening Ganga Aarti ceremonies, major temple complexes and Sarnath. This is an opportunity for the participants to meet the magnificent cultural and philosophical heritage of the region.