Mr D. Mitsatsos, Director General of HELMEPA
HELMEPA’s “Educational Community and Public Awareness Campaign on the Marine Environment, Shipping and Sciences”, which is supported by Lloyd’s Register Foundation (the Foundation) *, was launched yesterday, Monday 26 September 2016, on Skiathos with the opening of the Campaign’s environmental Exhibition. The Campaign on Skiathos is carried out in cooperation with the Cultural Association of Skiathos, while the Exhibition titled “Marine Environment-Shipping-Sciences” is hosted by the Municipality of Skiathos at the “Boutrtzi” CulturalCenter.
Present at the opening were the Vice-Mayor of Skiathos Mr. C. Gianitsis, the Port Captain, Lt. Commander (HCG) N. Katsambas, the Chairman of the Cultural Association of Skiathos, Mr. Th. Tzoumas, representatives of local stakeholders and associations as well as 20 children-members of the “HELMEPA Junior” Program, accompanied by their teacher, Ms E Dimopoulou and their parents.’s “Educational Community and Public Awareness Campaign on the Marine Environment, Shipping and Sciences”, which is supported by Lloyd’s Register Foundation (the Foundation) *, was launched yesterday, Monday 26 September 2016, on Skiathos with the opening of the Campaign’s environmental Exhibition. The Campaign on Skiathos is carried out in cooperation with the Cultural Association of Skiathos, while the Exhibition titled “Marine Environment-Shipping-Sciences” is hosted by the Municipality of Skiathos at the “Boutrtzi” CulturalCenter.
Welcoming the guests, Mr. D. Mitsatsos, HELMEPA’s Director General thanked the local Municipality, the Cultural Association of Skiathos, the HELLENIC SEAWAYS company for offering a discount price for the transport to the Exhibitions of students and teachers from the nearby islands of Skopelos and Alonissos and the “Efstathiou” travel agency for the free-of-charge transport of schoolchildren to the beach of Asselinos, where they will conduct a beach cleanup.
The Vice Mayor thanked HELMEPA for the visit of the Campaign to Skiathos stressing the importance of environmental protection as “an innovative tool for the economic development of Skiathos”. He then referred to the economic benefits from tourism and the industry’s ecological footprint on Skiathos, which handles 6,500 tons of garbage every year through a contemporary recycling network.
The Chairman of the Cultural Association of Skiathos expressed the satisfaction of its members for the fact that HELMEPA included Skiathos in the Campaign’s 14 project areas and for the 4 year-long cooperation through the implementation of the “HELMEPA Junior” Program in the island’s Primary Schools, thus mobilizing the educational community of Skiathos.
The Port Captain of Skiathos presented the environmental initiatives of the Port Authority towards combating marine pollution, the continuous training of officers, the implementation of a plan of regular exercises with the participation of local stakeholders and citizens, as well as the information it provides to Elementary Schools on maritime safety and the prevention of accidents.
The volunteer teacher from the 1st Kindergarten of Skiathos thanked HELMEPA because, as she mentioned, through their participation in the “HELMEPA Junior” Program, kids are informed about the environment, carry-out activities and learn how to adopt an environmentally positive outlook and conduct.
The event came to a close with a song by the kindergarten pupils inspired from the island’s recycling program and the awarding of commemorative gifts by HELMEPA.
The Exhibition will be visited by 800 elementary and secondary students of Skiathos and 120 students from High Schools of Skopelos and Alonissos. Also, in the framework of the Campaign, the teachers of Skiathos are invited to a “train-the-trainer” seminar titled “The marine environment and us: ensuring a sustainable future”, on Thursday 29 September, in cooperation with the Primary and Secondary Education Departments of the Region of Magnesia.
* Note to the Editors:
Lloyd’s Register Foundation (LRF) helps to protect life and property by supporting engineering-related education, public engagement and the application of research.
http://www.lrfoundation.org.uk/
