From 16th to 18th February, we conducted our first visit to the island of Skiathos as part of the implementation of the ‘SMILE’ project, a sub-project of the Pathways2Resilience (P2R) Programme (Horizon Europe), following our visit to Ithaca island.
Our visit included meetings with the Mayor of Skiathos, Mr. Theodoros Tzouma and members of the municipal council, and the organisation of the first interactive workshop of the programme titled: “Resilience to Climate Change: Principles and Tools for Effective Action”. During the meetings, the Mayor gave us a full report on the implemented and ongoing projects and actions in Skiathos and the future plans of the Municipality. On that basis, we had the opportunity to assess the needs that emerged from the workshop, in order to design a resilience strategy tailor made for Skiathos.
The first interactive workshop of the programme titled: “Resilience to Climate Change: Principles and Tools for Effective Action”
The design and implementation of the workshop were carried out by the Climate Change Hub and ELIAMEP, with the support of the Resilient Cities Catalyst. The contribution of the Municipality of Skiathos was significant, as prior to the workshop, the mayor sent a preparatory questionnaire to explore the views of Skiathos residents regarding the needs for improving their daily lives on the island. The responses collected provided valuable material for the design of the workshop and for an initial understanding of the needs of the island’s residents.
The workshop took place at the Municipal Council Chamber of Skiathos, with the active participation of a significant number of representatives from the Municipality and local organisations as well as stakeholders. The Mayor, Mr. Theodoros Tzoumas, announced the opening of the workshop by referring to the reasons behind the Municipality’s decision to participate in the Pathways2Resilience programme and he presented an example of a crisis where the Municipality responded successfully. Specifically, he stated regarding the participation of Skiathos in the Pathways2Resilience programme: “Our goal is to create a resilience strategy together covering the society.” During the workshop, targeted exercises were conducted to introduce participants to methods and tools for understanding the concept of resilience and to lay the foundations for a holistic assessment of the current situation in Skiathos.
The aim of this first workshop was to engage participants in contributing with their views to the creation of a resilience strategy for their island, gradually and interactively forming a common language and a shared understanding of the key issues at stake and looking for possible solutions. The next steps of the programme are the development of a resilience strategy through a participatory process, along with an investment plan corresponding to that strategy.
Pathways2Resilience (P2R) programme at a glance
Overall, the 18-month Pathways2Resilience (P2R) programme aims to shape resilience strategies and develop long-term planning skills in 100 regions and municipalities across Europe. To achieve this, it provides, among other things, access to a wide range of technical tools for the creation of climate resilience strategies, action plans, and investments.
—- Pathways2Resilience is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement number 101093942. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
