We had an interesting weekend on the island of Samos where Greek and Turkish organizations were invited by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Foundation to exchange views and ideas on the common environmental challenges we face in the Aegean and beyond.
Those two days turned out to be effective and promising while the participants found that the problems are common just like the need for innovative solutions. The participants also showed great interest in the Blue Municipalities Network, created and coordinated by our organization, as one of the issues examined was the cooperation of civil society with the local government.
The two-day event ended with the development of specific proposals on synergies between Greek and Turkish organizations. In this context, the proposal of Aegean Rebreath for the establishment of the first Marine Litter Collection Station or fishing gear collection point in Turkey, and, in particular, in the region of Izmir, in cooperation with local and academic authorities, was particularly welcomed. Of course, the relevant proposal was submitted on the basis of discussions that preceded the first day of the meeting. In any case, the next period will prove whether such a proposal can take flesh and blood.
