Faces of DiEM is about the less well known stories of our activists

It’s about the stories of those that came across DiEM, were inspired by the movement’s message, and got engaged with the project as activists on the ground. It’s about meeting these people and how their activism has instructed their own lives.

This episode features Andreas Andreopoulos, an activist in Greece who is fighting to protect Zagori due to the cultural and natural significance of the region. His campaign was selected in the first round of the Campaign Accelerator project. Along with moderator Erik Edman, they speak about the difference that a classification as a world heritage site could make for the region and how the future of Greece depends on sustainable development.

Watch the episode!

Highlights

„The ones who want to invest in all these mountains, it’s easy to use because nobody protects them (…) This is a very interesting moment, a very crucial moment, to have this weapon with us — that means a UNESCO nomination.“ — Andreas Andreopoulos

„What we are trying to introduce as a new element is not just [a UNESCO nomination], but to enhance it with some projects which are already promoted by the UN and UNESCO and UNFCCC which give the region the properties of sustainable development. These are two projects; one for integrating sustainable development elements in the area under mild implementation and the other one is a training on professional orientation of the local creation on sustainable development principles. These are the new elements that we want to persuade the local population about, and they have already welcomed this effort, and from the other part to persuade the central government and more specifically the ministry of culture, to get these elements and incorporate them in the documentation.“ — Andreas Andreopoulos

„We are grateful for DiEM25’s support from the very beginning and now we have already elaborated on a second level strategy. We are in contact with local entities that have been enthusiastically joining the initiative Zagori x UNESCO and now we are together; there is a committee (…) which incorporates many interesting entities of the area. (…) We are developing a very good series of actions to make our own initiative known to all — not only Zagori — and at the same time make familiar the responsible personalities / entities.“ — Andreas Andreopoulos

Photo Source: Michał Kowalski on Flickr.

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