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Where do ancient knowledge, medicine, humanities, spirituality and art meet? How can we collectively create an ecological civilization?
In the framework of 2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture, the groundbreaking international symposium titled “How to Change Our Mind, to Change the World” takes place on 27, 28 & 29 September in the old IRIS factory, with the participation of distinguished speakers, researchers and artists from all over the world.
The central theme deals with the different ways of evolving, both on an individual and social level, towards a higher level of consciousness, in order to address contemporary global challenges and contribute to the protection of life on our planet. In parallel, the audience has the chance to participate in exciting discussions, experiential workshops and artistic activities.
The event is organized by the World Human Forum and is the first in a series of annual meetings aiming to re-establish Elefsina as a point of reference on a global scale in matters of consciousness, self-development and connection with the self, with others and with nature.
We’re very excited to be co-sponsoring the symposium and working closely with the World Human Forum's inspirational members!
Helidoni behind the scenes – “The purpose of life is a life of purpose”
Dimitris Georgakopoulos, our Foundation’s President and Co-founder, was invited by the Innovative Greeks to tell his personal story, from his journey to the U.S. 25 years ago until his return to Greece.
In episode 16 of the Innovative Greeks Talks, Dimitris recounts his life milestones & learnings, his values and life perspective, the reasons why him and his wife, Sarah, decided to found Helidoni.
💻Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBvTYsKkdcI
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Pdc7cY
After 7 months of ongoing activities, InCommOn's “Close the Food Cycle” project at the Municipality of Papagou-Holargos came to its end.
During this time, the InCommOn crew has been spreading the message of organic waste behavioral change through a series of actions, such as: workshops, awareness actions and campaigns, community building activities at neighborhoods & playgrounds, meetings with businesses, and more.
The project involved all parties of the local community (citizens/households, businesses, schools, Municipality) and its objectives were to:
♻ inform and engage the community about organic food waste and the correct use of the brown bin.
♻ develop tools so that the Municipality can continue the project and adapt it to other streams of recycling or increase the intensity of actions in the field of organic food waste.
♻ create a pilot system that can then be adapted and implemented in other Municipalities.
Another wonderful partnership for our Foundation! This time with The American College of Greece (ACG), where we support them on the kick-start of the following project.
ACG joins forces with Healing Lesvos and the University of the Aegean to implement the "Lesvos Mission Blue Project" (LMBP); a research initiative that engages science and society to protect, preserve, and revitalize the Aegean Sea. It will focus on promoting the conservation of the Mission Blue Avlaki Hope Spot in Lesvos and on establishing Mission Blue as a lighthouse of education, sustainable development, and social impact. Additionally, the first Citizen Science Hub in the North Aegean will be created.
A team of ACG students and professors visited Lesvos as part of field activities. During their stay they:
✔explored and made a first attempt of mapping the biodiversity of the island, namely: environmental and ecosystem services mapping, coastal plant identification, geological exploration, birdwatching, testing underwater equipment for the monitoring of fish populations.
✔established contacts and collaboration with the Department of Oceanography and Marine Research of the University regarding the future steps of the LMBP.
✔worked closely with Eleni Atsikbatsis, founder of Healing Lesvos and of the LMBP.
✔interacted on coastal monitoring activities with students of the Lyceum of Petra, where they also organized an educational activity on the SDGs with an emphasis on the most relevant to the project.
✔linked social and humanitarian issues with ecosystems of the island through exploring the migration pathways that bring birds and humans in the island of Lesvos.
Counting 1.5 years of being operational, Ecogenia has thus far achieved many of its key milestones, a fact that validates our primary intuition that this team is a winning team which can make great things happen! After the successful completion of the first two pilots in 2022 (Ecotourism in Dorida & Education in Chania), it’s time for the second iteration of the Ecotourism program;
as we speak, the new cohort members –"the fantastic 8️"– have already received 55 hours of training and they are now on the field, cleaning and opening trails. Last year, 7 cohorts –Ecogenia’s first trailblazers– managed to revitalize 5.5km of trail. This year, the aim is to not only maintain that piece of trail but also to add 10 more kilometers.
On top, cohorts & Ecogenia plan a Community Volunteer Day for June 17, will host 20 students from Tulane University for a media project, and much more! It’s worth mentioning Ecogenia’s long-term commitment to Dorida region which involves the revitalization of 60km of trail network, connecting several villages and stimulating a small ecotourism economy for the locals.
