How can artificial intelligence redefine human creativity? What happens when Nobel laureate economists and Ukrainian philosophers debate freedom under fire? Where do we find hope in a world of collapsing systems?

The countdown to ZEG Fest, Coda's flagship annual storytelling festival has begun and we're thrilled to reveal more details about the upcoming festival, returning for its 5th edition on June 13-15, 2025 in Tbilisi, Georgia.

As an organization committed to connecting dots in a fragmented world, Coda Story is proud to co-host this gathering of global thought leaders that embodies our mission of providing context where it's needed most. The festival serves as a physical manifestation of Coda's cross-disciplinary approach to storytelling: bringing together journalists, artists, technologists, and changemakers to reveal the patterns behind today's most pressing challenges.

Many of Coda's investigative stories will jump from page to stage, with our award-winning reporting transformed into immersive exhibits, performances, and interactive experiences.

This year's festival dives deeper than ever into the narratives shaping our collective future, bringing Tbilisi into conversation with global thought leaders across disciplines for three days of boundary-breaking dialogue, creative exploration, and meaningful connection. The audience itself has become increasingly international, with nearly 1,000 participants: including speakers, journalists, artists, and engaged citizens from dozens of countries converging to create a truly global conversation.

Building on Coda's ongoing investigation into AI as a New Religion, visionary thinkers will gather to explore The Future of AI and Creativity, examining how artificial intelligence is reshaping artistic expression and human innovation. Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz will join Ukrainian philosopher Volodymyr Yermolenko for Freedom Under Fire: What Liberty Means in Times of Crisis. Continuing our work on The Playbook, which traces how authoritarian tactics move across borders, the festival will examine how fundamental rights are redefined during turbulent times.

Across three days, the festival will bring together actors, musicians, filmmakers, and cross-disciplinary innovators in conversations that transcend traditional boundaries. From exploring The Future Is DIY: Rethinking Learning in a Disrupted World with education pioneers Marie Lou Papazian and Aaron Rasmussen, to exclusive masterclasses from some of the world's most renowned storytellers: including satirist Armando Iannucci (creator of Veep and The Death of Stalin), legendary photographer Platon, and The New Yorker's Susan Morrison.

The festival puts special focus on Coda's core themes of resistance, democratic resilience, and information integrity. Sessions like Lessons of Resistance and BETRAYAL: A User's Guide bring together key Ukrainian voices including philosopher Volodymyr Yermolenko and creators from the frontlines around the world, examining how civil society confronts authoritarianism and what it truly takes to maintain democratic values under extreme pressure.

The festival confronts our most pressing global challenges through sessions that move beyond headlines. Drawing Ukraine: Art as Witness in War and Sketches from the Front: The Middle East explore how visual storytelling captures truth when words fall short. Acclaimed Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena will share insights in Solving Big Problems: Architect's Lessons, while The Architecture of Power examines how physical spaces embody and reinforce authority structures that shape our daily lives.

At a time of profound disruption to global systems, the festival brings urgent focus to The Future of Aid, gathering some of the most innovative thinkers in the humanitarian field to explore what happens when safety nets collapse. The Museum of Stolen History brings to life stories of colonial theft and cultural repatriation, while Oligarch's Playbook: How the Super-Rich Bend the Rules examines the global mechanisms that enable wealth to reshape democracy itself.

This year's program brings together an unprecedented geographical range of voices – from Bangladesh to South Africa, Uganda to Taiwan, and across Western and Southern Europe to the United States. This global perspective is essential to the festival's mission of creating new centers of understanding that transcend traditional power structures and challenge center-based narratives.

"ZEG is more than a festival – it's a living experiment in the kind of cross-disciplinary collaboration we need to make sense of our fractured world," says Natalia Antelava, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Coda Media. "By bringing together voices that are rarely in the same room, we create entirely new frameworks for understanding the complex patterns shaping our future. We've designed ZEG as a space where unexpected connections lead to genuine insights."

Elene Jvania, Director of ZEG Fest and Head of Strategic Initiatives at Coda Media, adds: "What makes ZEG special is the chemistry between our speakers and our audience. Unlike traditional festivals where audiences passively consume content, ZEG creates a community where hierarchies dissolve and everyone contributes to the conversation. We're particularly excited about the growing international attendance, which transforms Tbilisi into a global crossroads of ideas for these three days."

The festival brings diverse disciplines together through immersive film screenings, hands-on workshops, expert-led walking tours, and unforgettable performances throughout historic Tbilisi – creating a living laboratory for cross-disciplinary understanding.

Part of Coda's expanding ZEG Network & Production Studio initiative, the festival creates space for the unexpected: insights that challenge assumptions, perspective shifts that inspire action, and connections that transcend borders. In Georgian, "zeg" means "the day after tomorrow": embodying both the festival's and Coda's shared commitment to looking beyond immediate horizons and crafting narratives that matter for our collective future.

While tickets for the festival are available to the public, Coda has launched a new membership program offering exclusive benefits including priority access to all ZEG events and special opportunities to engage with speakers. Coda members at higher tiers receive complimentary festival tickets and invitations to intimate gatherings like the legendary ZEG Supra dinner – a traditional Georgian feast where food, wine, and conversation flow for hours among global thought leaders. Membership supports Coda's cross-border journalism that connects dots others miss while giving participants a voice in shaping what stories get told and how. You can join the membership program here. 

We are enormously grateful to our partners including TBC Concept, UN Women, European Cultural Foundation, Coca-Cola, Setanta Sports and Luminate among others. 

And our biggest gratitude goes to the approximately 800 individuals who attend ZEG and make it the extraordinary, dynamic gathering it has become – creating a unique space where ideas flow freely and unexpected connections flourish.

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