Prime Minister Announces Nisyros' Inclusion in «GR-eco Islands» at the «Nisyros Dialogues 2024»

The «Nisyros Dialogues 2024» commenced with significant messages and heightened interest on Saturday, July 5, at the crater of the volcano on Nisyros, under the auspices of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

The official opening of the Dialogues took place on Thursday, July 4, with the arrival of speakers and distinguished guests on the remote island of the Dodecanese, where they were welcomed by the President of the Foundation, Mr. Panagiotis G. Michalos. The Dialogues have established themselves as an institution that consistently fuels public discourse on the geopolitical issues of the Eastern Mediterranean, the environment, and insularity, with an emphasis on energy and security in conjunction with peripheral and regional development.

With the theme "Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean: Geopolitics, Energy, Insularity," the first day's proceedings were opened by the General Coordinator of the Dialogues, journalist Alexia Tasouli.

The President of the Foundation, Mr. Panagiotis Mihalos, welcomed all attendees, noting that "the Nisyros Dialogues aim to serve rational discourse, focusing on developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the challenges of modern times".

Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in a recorded message, announced Nisyros' inclusion in the "GR-eco Islands" initiative, as a policy choice to combine insularity with actions promoting development in harmony with the environment.

Greetings were also delivered by Metropolitan Nathanael of Kos and Nisyros, Archimandrite Ioustinianos, and Christofis Koronaios, Mayor of Nisyros island.

In the first Dialogue on "Geopolitical Developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and Energy Security," participants included:

Thodoros Skylakakis, Greek Minister of Environment and Energy
Daniel B. Smith, former U.S. Ambassador to Greece, and former Acting U.S. Secretary of State
Giannis Maniatis, former Greek Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate Change
Dimitrios Paraskevopoulos, former General Secretary of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dr. Sotirios Serbos, Associate Professor of International Politics at Democritus University of Thrace

Moderated by journalist Athanasios Ellis, Director of the English edition of Kathimerini, the Dialogue featured lively discussions with intriguing views and proposals on issues such as the importance of the Decarbonization Fund as a tool for the green transition of the islands, Greece's opportunity to become an energy hub, and the country's crucial role as a stability provider and reliable security producer.

Minister Skylakakis announced that the Decarbonization Fund would also address water scarcity, which had severely impacted the islands this year. He emphasized that renewable sources "create an energy self-sufficiency mix that Greece unfortunately lacked throughout its modern development history." When asked if the green development timeline is overly ambitious, he noted that transitioning in sectors like industry, aviation, shipping, and heating/cooling requires more time and resources, stressing the need for realism and cost-awareness.

Giannis Maniatis, Vice President of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament, highlighted Greece's chance to become an energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean. He stated that the region, with Greece at its center, could become a new energy supply source for the EU, securing energy independence and combating energy poverty affecting 55-60 million Europeans.

Dimitrios Paraskevopoulos focused on Greece's role as a security provider, noting the country's increased strategic importance and stability. He emphasized the need for continued stability as many parties, including those across the Atlantic and in the Middle East and Europe, have high expectations from Greece.

Dr. Sotirios Serbos analyzed why Greece is a key factor in regional balance, stressing the importance of maintaining a proactive and outward-looking approach, taking initiatives at both regional and Euro-Atlantic levels to serve national interests.

Daniel B. Smith discussed the vast potential of renewable energy sources in Greece, highlighting not only solar and wind energy but also geothermal energy, exemplified by the location of the conference at the Nisyros volcano crater. He stated that Greece could meet many of its own and Europe's energy needs through its green energy potential, with U.S. support for such developments, though acknowledging the significant investments required.

The second Dialogue, "Digitalization and Smart Islands: Paradigms and Prospects", was moderated by ANT1 journalist Maria Sarafoglou and featured:

Dimitris Papastergiou, Greek Minister of Digital Governance
Ioannis K. Chatzigeorgiou, Rector of the National Technical University of Athens
Pavlos Chatzidimitriou, Director of Public Sector Greece, Cyprus, Malta at Amazon Web Services
Konstantinos Antonopoulos, President & CEO of Inspiring Earth SA

Minister Papastergiou announced that Greece had signed a contract for the first seven of fifteen new micro-satellites, which will assist the islands by contributing to civil protection and early prevention of extreme phenomena. Following the Prime Minister's announcement of Nisyros' inclusion in GR-eco islands, he mentioned €230 million from the EU Structural Funds and €90 million from the Recovery Fund for smart municipalities, emphasizing the need for investments in broadband infrastructure, electrical connections, and data centers.

Rector Chatzigeorgiou spoke about the "Daphne" Network, which can enhance the potential and prospects for creating Smart Islands, benefiting the socio-economic development of both the islands and the entire country. He highlighted opportunities for smart agriculture, floating wind turbines, electrical connections, smart ports, and drone use for transporting medicines, stressing the need for maritime spatial planning to implement these initiatives.

Pavlos Chatzidimitriou discussed Amazon's initiatives on Naxos Island to use cloud digital technologies to improve the quality of life for residents and tourists, such as smart parking, smart electric mobility, fire detection, marina management, digital citizen upgrades, and appointment management services. He suggested that Nisyros could also become a smart island.

Konstantinos Antonopoulos emphasized how islands could attract digital nomads, noting that technology is a cost-effective investment compared to other infrastructure. He highlighted the importance of health and education services for both digital nomads and retirees from Central Europe who might choose to live on the islands, focusing on the utilization of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).