{"id":1374,"date":"2026-07-23T23:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T23:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.fotoessa.gr\/?p=1374"},"modified":"2026-08-04T12:19:49","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T12:19:49","slug":"guardians-of-the-coasts-workshop-3-beaches-from-collective-memory-to-shared-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.fotoessa.gr\/index.php\/2026\/07\/23\/guardians-of-the-coasts-workshop-3-beaches-from-collective-memory-to-shared-vision\/","title":{"rendered":"Guardians of the Coasts \u2013 Workshop 3: Beaches – From Collective Memory to Shared Vision"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Collective memory as a tool for co-creating the future of our coasts<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is worth carrying forward from the beaches of yesterday to the beaches of tomorrow?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This question guided the third experiential workshop of the Erasmus+ project Guardians of the Coasts<\/strong>, entitled \u201cBeaches: From Collective Memory to Shared Vision\u201d<\/strong>, organised by Aspasia Protogerou <\/strong>and Yannis (John) Sourelis <\/strong>for FOTOESSA \u2013 Centre for Education, Research and Action<\/strong> on 23 July 2026<\/strong> as part of the project\u2019s adult capacity-building programme.<\/p>\n

The workshop introduced a third distinct educational dimension within the project methodology. The first workshop had focused on strengthening a community of active citizens through storytelling, while the second had explored the relationship between people and place through Narrative Inquiry. The third used collective memory<\/strong> as a starting point for co-creating a shared vision for the future of coastal areas.<\/p>\n

Beaches are not merely natural landscapes or places of recreation. They are places of history, culture, memory and human experience. Understanding how previous generations communicated, created, sought refuge and lived along the coast can help communities identify which values and practices deserve to be preserved and carried into the future.<\/p>\n

History was therefore approached not simply as a retrospective account of the past, but as a living educational resource capable of strengthening dialogue, critical reflection, active citizenship and the collective development of a shared vision.<\/p>\n

Three journeys through the history of the coast<\/strong><\/p>\n

The educational process began with three presentations delivered by individuals with extensive knowledge of the history and cultural heritage of the local area:<\/p>\n

– <\/strong>Archaeologist and researcher Nikos Moraitakis<\/strong> presented beaches as places of communication from antiquity to the present day. He highlighted the significance of coastal landmarks and ancient beacon systems, which formed part of communication networks used to transmit messages along the coastline and towards inland communities.<\/p>\n

– Zacharo Fratzeskou<\/strong>, researcher of the history of Palaia Fokaia, explored beaches as places of refuge and creation. Drawing on personal and recorded testimonies, she presented the experiences of the Asia Minor refugees who settled in the area after 1922, the hardships of life in tents, the solidarity that developed within the new community and the transfer of maritime knowledge and cultural traditions to their new homeland.<\/p>\n

– Giota Drakou<\/strong>, researcher of local folklore, presented beaches as places of recreation and community life. Through oral testimonies and photographic material, she described how families from the inland region of Mesogeia spent the summer months along the coast, constructing temporary shelters and combining rest with collective living, play, music and human connection.<\/p>\n

Together, the presentations introduced the four concepts that structured the workshop:<\/p>\n

Communication \u2013 Refuge \u2013 Creation \u2013 Recreation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

From historical knowledge to collaborative learning<\/strong><\/p>\n

Participants were then divided into mixed working groups. Each group explored one of the four concepts, examining its positive and negative dimensions in both the past and the present.<\/p>\n

The aim was not to compare different periods in order to determine which was \u201cbetter\u201d. Instead, participants were invited to consider what should not be lost from the past, what should be left behind, which aspects of the present remain valuable and what needs to change.<\/p>\n

Through this process, historical knowledge became a starting point for dialogue, critical reflection and collaborative learning. Participants did not remain passive recipients of information. They used the historical narratives to reconsider the present and imagine the future.<\/p>\n

The values and practices we want to carry forward<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although each group worked on a different concept, the outcomes revealed remarkable convergence.<\/p>\n

Participants repeatedly identified shared values such as:<\/p>\n

freedom, cooperation, solidarity, human communication, creativity, simplicity, education, collective awareness and responsibility for the common good.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They also highlighted practical approaches that could contribute to the future of coastal places:<\/p>\n

voluntary personal contribution, protection of natural resources, circular and sharing economy practices, experiential learning and play, and the preservation of historical memory and cultural heritage.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Participants therefore came to view beaches not simply as natural environments or tourist destinations, but as places where communities are built, human relationships are formed and cultural values are transmitted.<\/p>\n

In this way, the workshop achieved its central objective: transforming collective memory into a shared vision for the beaches of the future.<\/p>\n

The participants\u2019 experience<\/strong><\/p>\n

The evaluation questionnaires confirmed the workshop\u2019s positive educational impact. Participants described the experience as engaging, meaningful and creative.<\/p>\n

They particularly valued:<\/p>\n