How do active citizens emerge? How do people become the individuals who take initiative, care for their communities and inspire others to participate?

These questions were at the heart of a meeting organised by FOTOESSA within the framework of the Erasmus+ project “Guardians of the Coasts”, bringing together the Portuguese partners Rita Sousa from Aequalitas and Rafaela Fortunato and Beatriz Pereira from Impactrip with Anastasia Ioannidou, educator, volunteer coordinator, founder of Young Volunteers in Action and of the Antonios Ioannidis Public Library of Saronida, as well as an official supporter of the project.

With more than three decades of continuous community service, Ms. Ioannidou has dedicated her work to strengthening local communities through volunteering, education, environmental awareness and social solidarity. The initiatives she coordinates encompass a wide range of environmental, educational and social activities, including beach and forest clean-up campaigns, tree planting initiatives, educational programmes, support for vulnerable families, care for stray animals and community-based actions that promote social cohesion.

The discussion focused on the importance of education as the foundation of active citizenship. Participants explored how environmental responsibility, volunteering and civic participation are not innate behaviours but values that are cultivated through learning, personal experience and continuous engagement with the community.

As Ms. Ioannidou emphasised:

“Education is the foundation of everything. Without education, there is nothing.”

This statement reflects one of the fundamental principles of the Guardians of the Coasts project: protecting our coasts begins by educating citizens who understand the value of common goods and recognise their own capacity to contribute to their preservation.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of personal responsibility as the starting point for collective action.

“If you do not do it yourself, then unfortunately we cannot expect others to do it.”

Active citizenship goes beyond expressing opinions. It is demonstrated through personal commitment, consistency and everyday acts of service to the community.

Another particularly inspiring moment came when Ms. Ioannidou reflected on the values of equality, dignity and respect:

“What you need is exactly what every other human being needs. It does not matter what colour, religion or country they come from.”

This perspective closely reflects the principles of intercultural education and social cohesion that underpin both FOTOESSA’s work and the Guardians of the Coasts project, which promotes dialogue, cooperation and participation as essential tools for building resilient, inclusive and sustainable coastal communities.

Through meetings with educators, researchers, local authorities, civil society representatives and community leaders, the project partners continue to collect experiences, good practices and diverse perspectives that will contribute to the development of the project’s educational Toolkit and strengthen coastal communities in both Greece and Portugal.

The meeting with Anastasia Ioannidou reminded us that active citizenship does not emerge by chance.

It is cultivated.

Through education.

Through personal example.

And through people who dedicate their lives to creating communities that are more participatory, compassionate and inclusive.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.