{"id":1350,"date":"2026-05-17T16:52:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T16:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.fotoessa.gr\/?p=1350"},"modified":"2026-06-20T20:36:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T20:36:59","slug":"guardians-of-the-coasts-protecting-the-sea-begins-by-knowing-it-project-partners-meet-with-activist-divers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.fotoessa.gr\/index.php\/2026\/05\/17\/guardians-of-the-coasts-protecting-the-sea-begins-by-knowing-it-project-partners-meet-with-activist-divers\/","title":{"rendered":"Guardians of the Coasts: Protecting the Sea Begins by Knowing It – Project Partners Meet with Activist Divers"},"content":{"rendered":"

How does the desire to protect the sea begin?<\/strong><\/p>\n

For those who experience the sea only from the shore, it is often perceived as a beautiful landscape. For those who have explored the underwater world, however, it becomes something much more: a living ecosystem, full of life, delicate balances and stories that remain invisible to most people.<\/p>\n

This unique perspective was shared with the partners of the Erasmus+ project “Guardians of the Coasts”<\/strong> during their visit to Diveness Diving Centre<\/strong>, where they met with Angeliki Spanea<\/strong> and Giannis Angelakos<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The meeting, organised by FOTOESSA<\/strong>, brought together the Portuguese partners Rita Sousa<\/strong> (Aequalitas) and Rafaela Fortunato<\/strong> and Beatriz Pereira<\/strong> (Impactrip) to explore the importance of experiential learning, long-term environmental volunteering and the powerful connection between people and the marine environment.<\/p>\n

Angeliki Spanea presented the thirteen-year journey of the Save the Sea<\/strong> initiative, the organisation of underwater and beach clean-up campaigns, the collaboration of volunteer divers from across Greece and the educational activities of the Eco Mermaids<\/strong>, a programme designed to introduce children to marine conservation through play, discovery and direct experience.<\/p>\n

Throughout the discussion, it became clear that environmental protection does not begin with regulations alone. It begins when people develop a genuine relationship with nature and experience first-hand the fragile beauty of the ecosystems they seek to protect.<\/p>\n

One of the most memorable reflections shared by Angeliki was:<\/p>\n

“We are doing this for 13 years and this is the first time that somebody is calling me not to help me from the municipality.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Her words highlighted the importance of recognising local initiatives as equal partners in environmental governance and community action.<\/p>\n

She also offered a thought-provoking reminder of individual responsibility:<\/p>\n

“There is not such a law forbidding you to take the rubbish from the ground or from the sea.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

In just one sentence, she expressed a fundamental principle of active citizenship: meaningful change often begins when individuals choose to act, rather than waiting for someone else to take the first step.<\/p>\n

Equally inspiring was her description of the volunteer spirit that has sustained these initiatives for more than a decade:<\/p>\n

“It’s 30 divers that are coming from other areas. They are not even staying here. And they came to help us.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

This simple observation illustrates how care for the marine environment can unite people from different places, backgrounds and experiences around a shared purpose.<\/p>\n

The meeting with Angeliki Spanea reminded everyone that we do not protect only what we know.<\/p>\n

We protect what we have learned to love.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And love for the sea grows when we experience it not merely as a landscape but as a living world that deserves our respect, our care and our responsibility.<\/p>\n

Through encounters such as this, the partners of Guardians of the Coasts<\/strong> continue to gather experiences, perspectives and good practices from people whose everyday actions demonstrate that active citizenship often begins with a simple decision:<\/p>\n

to care.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How does the desire to protect the sea begin? For those who experience the sea only from the shore, it is often perceived as a beautiful landscape. For those who have explored the underwater world, however, it becomes something much more: a living ecosystem, full of life, delicate balances and stories that remain invisible to<\/p>\n

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