Evia meta: Receipt of the “Culture Is and Goes Everywhere” Integrated Development Strategic Planning Study for Culture

On September 26, 2022, the Integrated Development Strategic Planning Study for Northern Evia’s Culture was delivered. The study was assigned last October to ETAM S.A. Consulting Services, a company with extensive experience and expertise in this field, by the Committee for the Reconstruction of Northern Evia and funded by the INTERAMERICAN Group.

The Study was received by the Monitoring and Receipt Committee, which consists of Mr.  Stavros Benos, President of the DIAZOMA Association and Head of the Committee for the Reconstruction of Northern Evia, Mr. George Veliotis, General Manager of Life & Health of the INTERAMERICAN Group, Mr.  Yiannis Rountos, former Director of the Corporate Affairs Division, External Communication and Social Responsibility – Sustainability of INTERAMERICAN and the sponsoring company’s representative, and Ms. Maria Sofikitou, Archaeologist and Director of the DIAZOMA Association.

The Strategic Planning Study comprises the following five chapters: a) summary, b) current situation, c) S. W. O. T. analysis, d) strategy specialization, e) projects and actions, which have been costed and are ready for inclusion in the I.T.I. of Northern Evia, as well as their beneficiaries. The Study has also considered the local community’s vision, having recorded the public consultation, which is incorporated in its annex.

Moreover, the Study connects the region’s cultural product with agri-food, the economy of culture, and the New Forest, which forms the core of the holistic and anthropocentric planning of the Regeneration Program for Northern Evia.

During the meeting, Mr. Yiannis Rountos stated, among other things, that “EVIA META responds to the fundamental triptych of Sustainable Development, the needs of the Economy, Society and the Environment, and most of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals are covered by the projects: health, work, urban life and transportation, environmental regeneration, culture-education, and other Goals”.  He also noted that EVIA META is a good pilot programme for reconstructing other areas in the country.

Mr. George Veliotis expressed the Group’s satisfaction with the excellence of the study prepared by ETAM S.A. and thanked its creators, Mr. Nikos Drakonakis and Ms. Chrysa Pangalou. He also congratulated Mr. Benos and his associates for the holistic nature of the Reconstruction Programme.

Finally, Mr. Benos thanked the consultants for their exemplary Study and the INTERAMERICAN Group for its substantial contribution to the implementation of this project.   Mr. Benos referred to the importance of creating permanent institutions in the field of culture and thanked the Minister of Culture, Ms. Lina Mendoni, and the country’s three major institutions, the Thessaloniki Film Festival, Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall, and the Greek National Opera for their full support to the Programme.  He also pointed out how the Study provides for the creation of a favourable environment for the promotion of the economy of culture and the creative industries in the two fire-stricken areas. Finally, he drew attention to how crucially important the constructive cooperation developed in the last year with the local community has been for the Programme.

All studies are due to be completed and delivered shortly.

The “Culture Is and Goes Everywhere” Integrated Development Strategic Planning Study for Culture is available, in Greek, on the link below:

Μελέτη Ολοκληρωμένου Αναπτυξιακού Στρατηγικού Σχεδιασμού για τον Πολιτισμό – ETAM. AE