The “Greek Panorama” magazine arrived this summer with an extensive and highly interesting tribute to the Aoos-Vjosa River, accompanied by rich photographic material. Through the pages of the magazine, the river’s history unfolds, its identity is revealed, and the dangers stemming from the lack of institutional protection are highlighted.
Ioli Christopoulou, Partner and Policy Director at the Green Tank, Alexandra Pappa, Freshwater Programme Manager at MedINA and Tonia Galani, Programme Coordinator at Pindos Perivallontiki, co-authored the original text featured in the Greek Panorama, dedicated to the Greek side of the Aoos River basin. The text is accompanied by the magnificent photographs of MedINA’s photographer, S. Abatis.
The authors document the uniqueness of Europe’s last free-flowing river, analyzing the parameters upon which its conservation depends. They also refer to the coordinated efforts of local and environmental organizations and their crucial role in declaring the Vjosa River as the first National Wild River Park on the Albanian side of the borders. Additionally, they analyze the role of the international alliance “Save the Blue Heart of Europe” and how its actions contribute to the positive development of protecting the entire Aoos River.
In the following pages of the tribute, Kyriakos Papageorgiou traverses the Aoos-Vjosa, observes its course and describes the landscape and the surroundings, with a parallel narrative of his journey in both Greek and Albanian territories.
The institutional protection of Aoos/Vjosa is of utmost importance for nature, the environment, biodiversity, local communities and people. By conserving the river, we protect many endangered wildlife species and strive to prevent the abandonment of surrounding areas, while also strengthening communities for a sustainable future.
We would like to extend a warm thank you to the Greek Panorama magazine for the hospitality and cooperation!
