How can citizens defend a right if they are not aware that they have it?

This fundamental question was 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 from Aequalitas and Impactrip with Mr. Gavriil Kokkinis, President of the Saronikos Municipal Youth Council, lawyer, and active member of the Free Beaches Citizens’ Movement, whose professional and civic engagement has given him extensive knowledge of the legal and institutional issues affecting Greece’s coastline.

The meeting took place during the Portuguese partners’ study visit to Greece and formed another important step in the exchange of knowledge and experience between Greece and Portugal. The visit aimed to introduce the partners to different institutional perspectives, local experiences and community-based practices related to coastal protection, sustainable coastal management and the promotion of active citizenship.

The discussion focused on the legal and social framework governing Greece’s coastal areas, citizens’ rights to free public access to the coastline, and the challenges faced by local communities in protecting beaches as common goods.

Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of raising public awareness of citizens’ rights. Throughout the discussion, participants highlighted that knowledge is a prerequisite for participation and that active citizenship begins with citizens who understand not only their responsibilities but also the rights they are entitled to exercise.

One of the key messages shared by Mr. Kokkinis was:

“People do not know their rights. Therefore, they do not fight for their rights.”

This simple yet powerful statement encapsulates one of the central objectives of the Guardians of the Coasts project: empowering citizens through knowledge, awareness and meaningful participation.

Another important message that emerged during the discussion was:

“The coastline belongs to everyone.”

This statement reminds us that coastal areas are common goods and that their protection cannot rest solely with public authorities or the scientific community. It is a shared responsibility that requires the active involvement of society as a whole.

This vision lies at the heart of Guardians of the Coasts. The project seeks to build bridges of cooperation and knowledge exchange among scientists, local authorities, educators and civil society, promoting good practices for coastal protection while strengthening coastal communities through education and active civic engagement.

Through meetings with representatives of public institutions, researchers, legal experts, active citizens and local organisations, the project partners gather experiences and diverse perspectives that will contribute to the development of the project’s educational Toolkit and other learning resources.

This meeting demonstrated that protecting our coasts does not begin only with legislation, legal procedures or institutional mechanisms.

It begins with awareness.

It begins with knowledge.

It begins with citizens who understand their rights and choose to take an active role in protecting our common goods.

Because our beaches are:

A common good.

A shared responsibility.

A common future.

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.