A small municipality with great results

In the heart of summer, we made a long journey to find ourselves on the beautiful Cycladic island of Anafi where we were overwhelmed by wonderful emotions and hope for the future. A beautiful place that, thanks to the love of its inhabitants, keeps its pristine beauty completely untouched. Clean beaches with no excessive interventions, a small port that is perfectly taken care of by fishermen and boat owners operating in the area, a clean seabed without waste and plastics and a marine litter collection station that works seamlessly.

This sight, quite unfamiliar to us as we usually come across a completely different picture in the places we visit, gave us the opportunity to focus on our research activities and dive to free two reefs from abandoned fishing gear. We talked in detail with the fishing community of the island and had a very interesting discussion with the mayor of the island. Among other things, together we planned the next steps of our cooperation and were informed about the efforts of the residents to become a completely plastic-free island. The locals no longer use plastic bags for their shopping, they use a Water Kiosk to supply drinking water and hope to eliminate single-use plastics.

Such hopeful messages from a small and distant place that seems to be walking with all its might for a better and sustainable future!