The most important and creative phase of the Med-RESET project unfolded in November 2024 with a series of actions on Ios island, centered around the construction of 50 stone weirs. The coordination and implementation of these actions were handled by the project’s partner “Boulouki | Itinerant Workshop on traditional Building Techniques” bringing together experienced stonemasonry tutors, apprentices, and participants with diverse backgrounds and a shared interest in stone weirs. This took place through a set of activities under the title “Souvales”. Among the participants was the coordinator of the European project CARDIMED (MedINA) and the coordinator of the project NATALIE (WWF), making the site a hub for collaboration to boost climate resilience on Greek islands.
The network of 50 stone weirs was constructed in the Mavroudi stream in Kambos, Ios, near the accessible archaeological site of Skarkos. The construction, based on the traditional technique of dry-stone construction, was carried out in a participatory manner, through a dual educational programme (apprenticeship and workshop), with the assistance of numerous volunteers from the local community, other regions of Greece, and abroad.
Four young artisans apprenticed for three weeks alongside two experienced stonemasonry tutors who, as instructors, guided the work and all stages of construction—from gathering the raw materials and transporting them, to the foundation and completion of each weir.
Meanwhile, 15 participants from Greece and abroad attended a five-day experiential workshop, which involved participation in the construction process, as well as a series of parallel educational actions, tours, and open events on the island of Ios.
To activate and involve the local community, actions for the public were organised, such as visits to the construction site, walking tours in the Chora of Ios and rural sites of the island, with a focus on water management infrastructures.
At the same time, 23 students from the Ios High School, accompanied by five teachers, visited the Med-RESET project site with an important mission: to shoot a documentary! Prior to their visit, they had participated in a workshop on the construction of the weirs and the role that traditional knowledge can play in addressing the water-related challenges faced by Ios (with the support of the Boulouki team), as well as a series of documentary filmmaking lessons (with the support of MedINA, Save Ios, and filmmaker Joachim Jung). The students’ visit filled the Mavroudi stream with children’s voices! Their mission involved a lot of work and even more organisation: they filmed the construction of the weirs and interviewed the teams working on the open construction site. The creation of the film is progressing with the artistic editing of the filmmaker and will be screened soon at the project’s completion event, as well as through other communication channels.
The series of actions culminated with a large celebration at the welcoming Papapetrou Hall of the Town Hall. The enthusiastic participation of both children and adults emphasised that Ios is an island that shows the way towards sustainability, highlighting the value of traditional knowledge and the urgent need to spread this message worldwide!
Featured image: Stone weir built in Ios © Anastasia Karadimitri/Sustainablecyclades.gr