Greek islands show green ambitions through joining the CIVITAS Network Forum
Astypalea, Agios Dimitrios, Alonnisos, Andros, Chios-Greece, Folegandros, Kalymnos, Kos, Lesvos, Lipsi, Milos, Mykonos, Patmos, Penteli, Perama, Platanis, and Sifnos joined the CIVITAS Forum Network in the period from December 2016 to January 2017.
The Greek municipalities of Astypalea, Agios Dimitrios, Alonnisos, Andros, Chios-Greece, Folegandros, Kalymnos, Kos, Lesvos, Lipsi, Milos, Mykonos, Patmos, Penteli, Perama, Platanis, and Sifnos joined the CIVITAS Forum Network in a period of two months (December 2016-January 2017). These are cities of various sizes located around the Aegean Sea. For instance, Lesbos has 86,436 inhabitants while only 763 people live in Folegandros. Interestingly, these nineteen municipalities all are members of the DAFNI Network of Sustainable Greek Islands: a non-profit organization that was founded in 2006. This network seeks to create opportunities and support initiatives towards the sustainable development of Greek islands. One of the key focus areas for building a sustainable future on these islands is the sustainable mobility sector.
Dr. Ifigenia Psarra, DAFNI mobility expert, shared information about the CIVITAS Forum Network among all 42 members of DAFNI network and almost a half of the members showed an interest to join the network. These municipalities signed the English and Greek versions of the CIVITAS Forum declarations and sent them to the CIVITAS Secretariat in Szentendre, Hungary. All of them received CIVITAS Certificates signed by the PAC Chair, Steen Moller. Currently, the new city pages for Greek municipalities are under development and will be on the CIVITAS website in the nearest future.
The high interest of Greek municipalities in the CIVITAS Initiative could lead to the establishment of the CIVINET Greece in 2017. The CIVITAS Secretariat will support this initiative through all available means.
