• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Who we are
    • What we think
      • Positions
      • Members’ and friends’ contributions
    • What we do
      • Past-Campaigns
      • Upcoming Events
      • Annual Event
      • Past Events
        • General Assembly
      • Environmental Observatory
      • “PAROS 2020” & Tourism Survey
        • Paros Tourism Survey 2012
        • Paros Tourism Survey 2013
  • The Bulletins
    • 2022
      • E-Bulletin Issue 24 – Spring 2022
      • E-Bulletin Ιανουάριος/January/Janvier 2022
    • 2021
      • E-Bulletin Issue 23 – Autumn 2021
      • E-Bulletin Issue 22 – Summer 2021
    • 2020
      • Issue 21 – Year 2020
    • 2019
      • E-Bulletin Winter 2020
      • Issue 20 – Summer 2019
      • Issue 19 – Spring 2019
    • 2018
      • Issue 18 – Winter 2018
      • Issue 17 – Summer 2018
      • Issue 16 – Spring 2018
        • articles en francais
        • articles in english
    • 2017
      • Issue 15 – Winter 2017-18
        • articles en Français
        • articles in English
      • Issue 14 – Summer 2017
        • articles en Français
        • articles in English
      • Issue 13 – Spring 2017
        • articles en Français
        • articles in English
    • 2016
      • Issue 12 – Winter 2016-17
        • articles en Français
        • articles in English
      • Issue 11 – Summer 2016
        • articles en Français
        • articles in English
      • Issue 10 – Winter-Spring 2016
        • articles en Français
        • articles in English
    • 2015
      • Issue 09 – Summer 2015
        • articles en Français
        • articles in English
    • 2014
      • Issue 08 – Summer 2014
        • articles en Français
        • articles in English
    • 2013
      • Issue 07 – Summer 2013
        • articles in English
        • articles en Francais
    • 2012
      • Issue 06 – Summer 2012
      • Issue 05 – Spring 2012
    • 2011
      • Issue 04 – Summer 2011
    • 2010
      • Issue 03 – Autumn 2010
      • Issue 02 – Summer 2010
      • Issue 01 – Winter 2009-10
  • Workshops
    • Health on Paros / Υγεία στην Πάρο / Santé à Paros
      • Workshop on Health – 14.12.2019
      • Atelier sur la Santé – 14.12.2019
      • Ημερίδα για την Υγεία – 14.12.2019
    • Ancient Quarries Workshop
      • Conclusions
      • Conclusions (français)
      • Ομιλίες / Interventions
  • Current Issues
    • Airport
    • Marathi Quarries
    • Sustainable Tourism
      • “PAROS 2020” & Tourism Survey 2012-2014
        • Paros Tourism Survey 2012
        • Paros Tourism Survey 2013
    • Wind Parks
  • Events

Friends of Paros & Antiparos Φίλοι της Πάρου & Αντιπάρου Amis de Paros & Antiparos

Sustainable development for Paros & Antiparos Islands

friends of paros & antiparos
  • Ελληνικα >>
  • Ποιοι Ειμαστε
    • Τι πιστευουμε
      • Θέσεις
      • Συμβολή μελών και φίλων
    • Τι κάνουμε
      • Ετήσιες Τελετές
    • Καμπάνιες
  • Τα “Bulletins”
    • 2022
      • Τεύχος 24 – 2022 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • E-Bulletin Ιανουάριος 2022
    • 2021
      • Τεύχος 23 – 2021 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 22 – 2021 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2020
      • Τεύχος 21 – Έτος 2020 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2019
      • Χειμώνας 2019-20 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 20 – Καλοκαίρι 2019 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 19 – Άνοιξη 2019 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2018
      • Τεύχος 18 – Χειμωνάς 2018 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 17 – Καλοκαίρι 2018 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 16 – Άνοιξη 2018 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2017
      • Τεύχος 15 – Χειμώνας 2017-2018 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 14 – Καλοκαίρι 2017- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 13 – Άνοιξη 2017- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2016
      • Τεύχος 12 – Χειμωνας 2016-17- αρθρα στα ελληνικα
      • Τεύχος 11 – Καλοκαίρι 2016- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 10 – Χειμώνας-Άνοιξη 2016- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2015
      • Τεύχος 9 – Καλοκαίρι 2015- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2014
      • Τεύχος 8 – Καλοκαίρι 2014- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2013
      • Τεύχος 7 – Καλοκαίρι 2013- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2012
      • Τεύχος 6 – Καλοκαίρι 2012- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 5 – Άνοιξη 2012- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2011
      • Τεύχος 4 – Καλοκαίρι 2011- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
    • 2010
      • Τεύχος 3 – Φθινόπωρο 2010- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 2 – Καλοκαίρι 2010- άρθρα στα ελληνικά
      • Τεύχος 1 – Χειμώνας 2009-10 – άρθρα στα ελληνικά
  • Contact FoP
    • Membership application or renewal
    • Register to contribute / Inscrivez-vous pour contribuer / Εγγραφείτε για να συμβάλετε
    • Login
  • Ημεριδες
    • Ημερίδα για την Υγεία – 14.12.2019
    • Ημερίδα για τα Αρχαία Λατομεία
      • Ομιλίες / Interventions
      • Τα συμπεράσματα της ημερίδας – Δελτίο Τύπου
  • Τρεχοντα ζητηματα
What we do » "PAROS 2020" & Tourism Survey » Voluntary Initiatives and their Contribution

Voluntary Initiatives and their Contribution

1 June 2013, by Haris Martinos - Add a Comment

A sound tradition

Voluntary activities are well established in Paros and widely recognised. The FoP awarded distinctions to several local organisations during their annual event in August 2009. Many of these provide community services on their own or complement the services of the statutory authorities, as amply demonstrated during the crisis by the solidarity activities of the island’s women’s associations. Additionally, a multitude of associations are active in cultural activities with “Archilochos” the most prominent (see HERE).

In this short article we look into how some new voluntary initiatives have taken this tradition further and are contributing to the bigger picture of the identity and development of the island.

Showing the way

The  Friends of Paros reflecting on the growing concern at the threats to the character of the island, went beyond the usual spasmodic actions of the local authorities, and acting as a local “think-tank” launched “Paros 2020” as a vision and strategic plan for the longer-term development of the island, prepared through a participative and inclusive process. Aiming for a “Cycladic, Hospitable and Prosperous Paros”, it marked a new start for putting the future of Paros on a sustainable basis and tackling the new employment, economic and social problems associated with the financial and economic crisis.

There is a dearth of reliable information available to, or shared between local stakeholders about key aspects of the development of the island, including tourism, water resources, and renewable energy. The FoP took the initiative and carried out voluntarily and with own expenses two surveys of visitors to Paros in the summers of 2012 and 2013. They disseminated widely the results of these studies, including to the island’s hoteliers and other tourism businesses, as well as the municipality of Paros.

Soft power

Information in the public domain, shared and used freely by the citizens, feeds a healthy civil society and represents soft power to be used for the common good. The Friends of Paros, working jointly with Archilochos and the local committee of ELLET, have developed the Environmental Observatory of Paros. This is an online tool that allows anyone who lives or visits Paros to report developments with a positive or negative impact on the natural and built environment and character of the island. Reports (text, photos, videos, etc) are submitted to the site of the observatory (http://paratiritirio.paros-island.com) and are published after validation.

The Observatory has a great potential as a means of alerting individual citizens and local associations to take action and the statutory authorities to enforce the law. It is also becoming a resource for sensitising residents and visitors on issues concerning the environment and character of Paros, for educational activities and as a database for use in planning and other purposes.

Great potential

There are many opportunities for taking things further and, in a way, moving from isolated actions or “think-tank” type efforts towards a “think-and-do” model. The great success of the Marpissa Festival (see HERE) which was started and is run by volunteers is a case of a bottom-up initiative which displays a degree of inspiration and organisational capacity undreamed of among the official bodies of the island.

This experience reveals that in Paros the civil society can provide much needed leadership for the development of the island in a way that will be compatible with its unique Cycladic character and indigenous resources. This is a bottom-up approach that the European Union is actively promoting in all 28 Member States known as “Community-led Local Development”. EU regulations on funding support in the 2014-2020 period provide for all EU funds to be made available to local partnerships as block allocations, to be managed on the basis of locally prepared development strategies by local partnerships with a majority of voluntary and private sector members. This is something of great value for local development and Paros should not miss out.

 


Filed Under: "PAROS 2020" & Tourism Survey, English, Issue 08 - Summer 2014, Positions, What we do, What we think Tagged With: civil society, proposal, public debate, sustainable development by Haris Martinos No Comments

Please don't forget to renew your membership
While 100% of donations are devoted to the cause for which they were donated, membership fees must cover the running costs of the association. We urge you not to delay yours!
~~~~~
N'oubliez pas de renouveler votre adhésion
Alors que 100% des donations sont consacrées à la cause pour laquelle elles ont été données, les cotisations des membres doivent assurer les frais de fonctionnement de l’association. Nous vous exhortons à ne pas retarder la vôtre !
~~~~~
Μην ξεχάσετε να ανανεώσετε τη συνδρομή σας
Ενώ το 100% των δωρεών αφιερώνεται στον σκοπό για τον οποίο δόθηκαν, οι συνδρομές των μελών πρέπει να καλύψουν τα τρέχοντα έξοδα του συλλόγου. Σας παροτρύνουμε να μην καθυστερείτε τη δική σας!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • E-mail
  • Facebook

Membership

Friends of Paros

Membership application or renewal

While 100% of donations are devoted to the cause for which they were donated, membership fees must cover the running costs of the ... Continue reading

Upcoming Events

No event found!

recent comments

  • Mathey on Où en sommes-nous, où allons-nous
  • Jono on Where we are, where we are going
  • Isabelle on Où en sommes-nous, où allons-nous
  • Dr M. on Where we are, where we are going
  • Dora Rogan on Πού είμαστε, που πάμε

Our articles talk about:

agrokipio airport animal welfare archaeology artists arts civil society collaboration cultural heritage ecology education entrepreneurship environment french monument fund raising campaigns gastronomy health history literature Marathi Quarries meeting with the mayor monasteries municipality open studios parian marble paros impressions photography poetry proposal public debate quality of life recipes refugees RES sailing spatial plan sustainable development sustainable tourism theatre tourism traditional festivities underwater unique cycladic character walking routes wind turbines

Footer

About this e-bulletin

The e-bulletin of the Friends of Paros, in addition to announcements and news about the FoP’s activities, is a collection of all-types of articles about Paros.
It is aiming to share views, impressions, positions and proposals to an enlarged audience and to initiate a useful public debate around the many issues encountered on Paros.
You are encouraged to comment on articles and also to contribute with your own, a selection of which will be included in the printed version of the Bulletin of the FoP.
English, Greek and/or French is used and we have chosen not to have separate language versions to express our support for multiculturalism.
To become a contributor you need to register to the website.
Authors of existing articles can also register and acquire ownership of their articles for edits or improvements.
We would love to have your feedback and suggestions about the website!

Search

Categories

Tags

agrokipio airport animal welfare archaeology artists arts civil society collaboration cultural heritage ecology education entrepreneurship environment french monument fund raising campaigns gastronomy health history literature Marathi Quarries meeting with the mayor monasteries municipality open studios parian marble paros impressions photography poetry proposal public debate quality of life recipes refugees RES sailing spatial plan sustainable development sustainable tourism theatre tourism traditional festivities underwater unique cycladic character walking routes wind turbines

Friends of Paros© 2009–2023 Friends of Paros · This site is licensed to the public under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license Creative Commons License
PO Box 6183 · Naoussa, Paros 84401, Greece · Email: ·Tel: +30 6956181919, +32 475 753 100
Πάρος · Paros Greece · Powered & maintained by Parosweb
Log in