How does the European Landscape Convention (ELC) apply in Greece? What are the sectoral policies involved and how has the ELC been integrated in the implementation of these policies in practice? How are citizens involved in these processes?
MedINA, through the Landscape Public Participations Tools – LPPT project, aims to showcase the need for increased citizens’ participation at different levels of decision-making in policies that affect our daily landscapes. To this end, we seek dialogue with institutional authorities on the implementation of participatory processes in policies affecting the landscape. In this context, on Friday May 12, a workshop was held with representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Energy as well as the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
Initially, Thymios Dimopoulos, LPPT Project Manager, presented the objectives and activities of the project and the methodological framework of the landscape study conducted in the Municipality of Prespa and in Western Messinia, referring to the steps and results of the study in the two areas.
Subsequently, Vivi Roumeliotou, Policy Coordinator at the Society for Protection of Prespa (SPP), presented the quality objectives and policy guidelines for the landscapes of the Municipality of Prespa, referring to the participatory processes that took place for their definition.
The presentations were concluded by George Dimitropoulos from MedINA, who presented the results of the report currently being prepared on the implementation of the European Landscape Convention and the participation of citizens in policies affecting the landscape.
Then, the attending representatives of the Directorates from the Ministries of Environment and Energy, and Culture and Sports took the floor, presenting their experience regarding the implementation of the ELC, the difficulties they face when trying to incorporate the landscape in their field of competence and the ways public consultation procedures are integrated in issues related to their responsibilities.
MedINA’s proposals on the implementation of the European Landscape Convention and public participation in policies affecting the landscape will be finalized in the near future and will be shared with the Directorates of the Ministries related to these policies.
The workshop was organized in the framework of the project “Landscape Public Participation Tools – LPPT” implemented under the Active citizens fund in Greece by MedINA and its partner SPP, in collaboration with Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation.
The Active citizens fund in Greece is supported through a € 13.5 m grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as part of the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The programme aims to develop the sustainability and capacity of the civil society sector in Greece, and to strengthen its role in promoting and safeguarding democratic procedures, active citizenship and human rights. The Fund Operator for the Active citizens fund in Greece is Bodossaki Foundation in consortium with SolidarityNow. More information: www.activecitizensfund.gr/en/.