The American University of Iraq in Slemani held its first annual “Strategic Innovation and Leadership Forum”, bringing together international, regional, and local experts to explore transformative leadership and the role of innovation in shaping our community. Speakers included Dr. Vasileios Syros (Cambridge Fellow at Clare Hall), Dr. Nawzad Hama Faraj (Kurdish Institute for Strategic Studies), Dr Michail Theodosius (National Kapodistrian University of Athens), Dr. Hemin Latif (AI Expert at AUIS), and Dr. Randi Rahbar (Professor of Entrepreneurship at AUIS). Dr Theodosiadis had the chance to speak about Socrates’ views on the ‘philosopher king’ and to outline philosophical perspectives on power, wisdom, leadership and ethics.