News

Is there a future for small-scale coastal fishing in the Aegean? In this short documentary by the Journalism Initiative, we travel to Amorgos where the Aegean Sea shapes the daily life of a fishing family that has earned a living in the waters near the coastline for three generations. Ιt is a way of life that has to contend with the growing pressures of overfishing, climate change, and mass tourism. The recent initiative by the fishermen of Amorgos to annually suspend their activities in the crucial months of April and May, the reproductive season of many of the marine species they depend upon, is indicative of the severity of the situation. The sea continues to provide, but its bounty is not infinite. The Roussos family is striving to keep alive a tradition that is at risk of disappearing. ...

In Filoti, the pastoral heart of Naxos, nestled at the foot of Mount Zas, the highest peak in the Cyclades (also known as the “Mountain of Zeus”), people are struggling to keep centuries-old traditions alive. Shepherding, the traditional mitata (stone shepherd huts), cheesemaking, farming, and the deep bond between people, nature, and their animals have always been a way of life, tying the community to its land and to each other. ...

Journalism Initiative is participating, within the framework of a cross-border investigation funded by Journalismfund, in an international project that examines the phenomenon of marine mucilage in the Mediterranean. The investigation focuses on the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the spread of the phenomenon in three vulnerable regions: the Sea of Marmara in Turkey, the Northern Aegean in Greece, and the Adriatic in Italy. At the same time, it highlights the solutions being proposed or implemented for the restoration of marine ecosystems, such as the protection of seagrass meadows and the reintroduction of the nearly extinct species Pinna nobilis. ...

Journalism Initiative, as part of its activities in the framework of the “Sustainable Cyclades” programme, has undertaken the creation of four short, stand-alone documentaries with the aim of highlighting some of the major problems created by the unchecked touristic development in the Cyclades and contribute to capturing the uniqueness of Cycladic life. The topics of the documentaries have been selected to address issues that can foster a conversation about the sustainability of the islands and give a voice to the lead “actors” and the local community, providing them with a platform to present their views. The topics include sustainable fishing, cheesemaking and tourism, as well as what life is like on the islands after the end of the tourist season. ...

(Press Release - excerpts) Can the Cyclades combine prosperity with the preservation of the traditions that make them unique? How can the infrastructure on the islands cope with the increased demand for services - and at what point should a limit be placed on this demand? What regulations will allow for a balanced development of construction in respect of the natural environment and Cycladic architecture? These and other questions will be addressed by the “Sustainable Cyclades” programme of the “Journalism Initiative”. It is a new journalistic project with an 18-month horizon that focuses on critical aspects of sustainable development, environmental protection and carrying capacity in the South Aegean island cluster under the pressure of over-tourism. ...