Jul 4, 20182 min read

International meeting in Ai-Stratis

Hosting Tandem Europe’s Interim Meeting in AiStratis focusing on social innovation through cross-sectoral collaborations, commons, urban and rural regeneration.

Why Ai Stratis: Tandem Europe II thematic focus is on culture and social innovation through cross-sector collaboration. The interest of this second round is in exploring the topics of commons, urban and rural regeneration.

This small community of 170 people and its active and energetic leadership were eager to promote the island’s cultural and natural heritage, to build new cross-border relations and develop alternative tourism.

The Municipality of Ai Stratis built a tandem with Associação Domínio Vale do Mondego from Portugal and together, they developed and worked on their project, the international “I Sea Art Festival” that focus on art projects that deal with the inclusion of the local community and natural environment.

(*The 1st “I Sea Art Festival” will take place on the island of Agios Efstratios between 20-27 August 2018.)

20 local collaborations

35 participants

Meeting’s focus:

_ Explore social innovation, cross-sectoral collaborations and rural regeneration within the relevant context of the island of Agios Efstratios. _Deepen understanding of a small scale community where local community identifies with the local authorities. _Facilitate the inclusiveness and engagement of all local businesses (guest houses, rentals, taverns, bar, mini markets), local stakeholders (local school, museum, teachers, fishermen, etc.) and members of the local community in hosting an international meeting, support and work along with Tandem team to find together creative ways to collaborate and overcome practical organizational barriers. _Organize shared activities and dinners with the local community in order to work and be together with the participants of the meeting, overcoming the barrier of language. _Empower the Municipality to activate local stakeholders and community to work all together for the upcoming festival (2 months after our meeting).

The local fishermen association prepared a community lunch for all participants and members of the local community

Background: The Interim Meeting is one of the 4 program meetings (Partners Forum, Kick-off, Interim, Final) of Tandem Europe.

Results: - Collaboration with the local school administration to host the meeting in the kindergarten, primary school and high school classrooms. - Collaborate with the local democracy museum to introduce the history of the island to the participants. - Collaborate with the fishermen of the island and the local portal authorities in order to have a boat tour around the island. - Painting the local playground. - We were hosted by all the business of the island (guesthouses, taverns, minimarkets, etc.). - Activation of the local community for the upcoming festival.

Impact:

“Investing in the local community on a remote island while building european links“

Tandem Europe participant Stella Spanou, member of the Municipal Board of Agios Efstratios, sits with Maria Chatzopoulou, co-founder of COMM'ON, to answer questions about the Interim meeting that took place on the remote Greek island Agios Efstratios, eager to promote its cultural and natural heritage, to build new cross-border relations and develop alternative tourism. Interview about the impact of the meeting read more here...