Fotoessa is pleased to announce the launch of the project “Guardians of the Coasts”, an Erasmus+ KA210-ADU Adult Education & Capacity Building initiative. In collaboration with Associação Aequalitas, this project unites Greece and Portugal in a joint effort to:
- Train and sensitize citizens regarding the protection of the coastal environment and the right of all to free, public and sustainable spaces
- Highlight alternative approaches and realistic solutions, focusing on participatory decision-making, transparency and the sustainable management of coastal ecosystems
- Ensure equal access to the sea for everyone
The Challenge
For years, a critical and intensifying issue has been unfolding in Greek society concerning free access to the coastline and the citizens’ right to the sea. This right is explicitly guaranteed by the Constitution of Greece and the current legal framework regarding the seashore and the beach, which defines coasts as a public common good.
Despite this institutional safeguard, the reality on the ground often deviates significantly from legal provisions. Pressure from mass tourism, large-scale tourist investments, private business activities and the commercialization of coastal space has, in many cases, led to the restriction or indirect abolition of free public access to the sea. Phenomena such as the unauthorized occupation of beaches, the extensive placement of recreational equipment, fencing, or the blocking of access points -combined with the tolerance or inaction of competent audit mechanisms- have become almost the “norm” in many parts of the country. The conflict between public interest and private exploitation of coastal space has sparked intense social reactions.
What is at Stake
In recent years, citizen movements, local collectives, and initiatives have emerged across Greece, demanding the protection of coasts as a common good and the enforcement of the law. Protests, legal appeals, and public interventions bring to the forefront the need for substantial oversight, transparency, and citizen participation in decisions affecting coastal areas.
The debate has intensified due to legislative changes, beach concession proposals, and major development projects. The issue is not just about legal compliance; it touches upon deeper questions regarding the development model the country chooses, how “public interest” is defined, and which natural and social goods are considered negotiable in the name of economic growth.
The Program
The initiatives and actions within the “Guardians of the Coasts” project will serve as a tool for information, awareness and the empowerment of civil society. The goal is to strengthen public dialogue, influence policy choices and support the collective effort of citizens to defend a fundamental constitutional right: the right of all to free access to the sea and the coasts.
The “Guardians of the Coasts” program is a dynamic, multi-dimensional effort that will include:
- Research on the legal framework and best practices for coastal protection and management
- Skill development and training for citizens on rights advocacy and sustainable development
- Exchange of innovative practices between Greece and Portugal
- Dialogue on overtourism, public space, environmental protection, and sustainable coastal management
Program Actions:
- Training workshops for citizens, intergenerational communication, cultural animation and social empowerment
- Awareness and information campaigns led by scientists and experts
- Educational material and digital tools
- Updates on joint Greece-Portugal actions
Our Vision
Our coasts are not just about natural beauty. They are living ecosystems, cultural capital and a shared social good. Protecting them from risks is not just about the present but also the future: how we imagine them in twenty years, which natural landscapes we want to preserve and what relationship we want future generations to have with the marine and coastal environment.
The “Guardians of the Coasts” program invites citizens, volunteers, activists, educators, scientists, entrepreneurs and local community stakeholders to participate in a transnational effort of cooperation, solidarity and respect for our common natural asset: our coasts.
Become a “Guardian of the Coasts” today!
A common good. A common responsibility. A common future.