The special insert issue of the Greek daily newspaper EFSYN on sustainability, features the «Nisyros Dialogues;» A significant institution for green development

The «Nisyros Dialogues»: A Significant Institution for Green Development

In 2021, «Georgios M. Mihalos Foundation - Sustainability of Nisyros» NPO established the «Nisyros Dialogues - Bridging the East Med»; a forum held annually on the remote island of Nisyros – a small volcano island in the Southeastern Mediterranean region. The  institution consistently fuels public dialogue on issues of Eastern Mediterranean Geopolitics, Energy and Security, Environment, Climate Change, Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Regional Development, and Insularity. Speakers at the «Dialogues» include representatives from the governments, political field and Civil Society, diplomats, academics, technocrats, high-ranking executives, and entrepreneurs from Greece and abroad, as well as journalists with a long-standing presence in national and international media. In recent years, it has become a significant event, attracting numerous visitors annually (high-profile guests and speakers from Greece, Europe, the USA, and the Eastern Mediterranean region), thereby contributing to the enhancement and extroversion of Nisyros island.

The «Nisyros Dialogues 2024»

The «Dialogues» promote ideas and solutions on issues of geopolitics, energy, sustainable development, and insularity, with a main focus on the protection and promotion of the natural and cultural heritage of remote areas. The «Dialogues» venue – particularly the "Stefanos" crater – offers a unique experience as participants and visitors come into contact with the unique energy, nature, and history of the volcano. This is one of the main reasons that the institution is considered a prime example of thematic and Geotourism tourism. This year, the "Nisyros Dialogues" take place from July 4 to 7, with the central theme "Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean: Geopolitics, Energy, Insularity". The «Dialogues» will cover four thematic fields:

1. Geopolitical Developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and Energy Security
2. Climate Change: Sustainability of Islands and Coastal Greece
3. GR-eco and Smart Islands: Paradigms and Prospects
4. Tourism and Overtourism: Limits, Management, and Ecotourism

The Georgios M. Mihalos Foundation NPO

It is worth noting that the «Georgios M. Mihalos Foundation - Sustainability of Nisyros» NPO aims, through strategic partnerships, to highlight and protect the unique characteristics of Greece's remote areas, both island and mountainous, which currently are under pressure in an era of continuous crises. Collaborating with recognized esteemed institutions such as the National Technical University of Athens, the National Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency, and others from the fields of Science, Education, and Civil Society, the Foundation designs and implements actions aimed at promoting sustainable proposals and solutions for protecting the natural environment, respecting the unique island and mountainous characteristics, always linked to the well-being of the inhabitants. In this context, the Georgios M. Mihalos Foundation and SPAY signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on the sidelines of the «Nisyros Dialogues 2023», joining forces to create Island and Inter-Island Trail Networks. With the primary goal of protecting Greek forests and their flora, they engaged in a voluntary cleaning and care action on Hymettus (the country's first "Zero Waste Mountain") and created the «Nisyros Dialogues  - Georgios M. Mihalos Foundation» Trail, which is part of the first Zero Plastic Route on Hymettus. Symbolically, the trail is 300 meters long, the same length as the diameter of the "Stefanos" Crater where the «Nisyros Dialogues» are held annually. The «Nisyros Dialogues - Georgios M. Mihalos Foundation» Trail will be presented on Friday, June 14, at 10:00 a.m." This event will send a significant awareness message for environmental protection and the restoration of our ecosystem, where we live, and enjoy its beauties daily. With the aim of preserving and highlighting green areas of unparalleled beauty and high historical value, similar actions will follow on remote islands, with the first to take place in Nisyros during the «Nisyros Dialogues 2024».