THE WILDFLOWERS OF NORTHERN EVIA: PLANNING AND SUPPORTING THE FOREST FESTIVALS

The vision for the Reconstruction of Northern Evia is multidimensional, diverse, and exciting. One of its ingredients is the Wildflowers of Northern Evia project.

Wildflowers comprises low-budget projects and actions that cannot be included in the Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) planned in Northern Evia.  Therefore, the DIAZOMA Association has undertaken to finance them in an alternative way through the crowdfunding campaign: THE WILDFLOWERS OF NORTHERN EVIA.

The Wildflowers bouquet includes many actions to help the fire-stricken areas recover economically through culture, tourism, local gastronomy and utilising the forest’s great potential.

A characteristic example is the Forest Festivals, a landmark of the new era dawning for Northern Evia. Forest Festivals are a series of creative actions, designed to unveil the history, cultural heritage and course of the current regeneration of Northern Evia’s Forest before the eyes of the local community and visitors.

The Forest Festivals will recur as an annual institution in different villages or areas of Northern Evia, involving local bodies, associations, residents, visitors and, of course, the municipalities in a coordinating role.

Among other things, producers, craftsmen, artisans, artists, local associations, cottage industries, and residents of the two fire-stricken Municipalities will highlight and promote history, local tradition, methods and techniques (local innovation) in a continuous, recurring and above all festive process bringing together art, tradition, culture, production and gastronomy.  DIAZOMA has assigned the organisational support and coordination of the Forest Festivals to the Cultural Tourism company, Somewhere We Know.

Moreover, the Forest Festivals will interact with both established and new institutions such as the Voices of the Autumn Forest, the concerts organised by Megaron-Athens Concert Hall as part of the Megaron in Northern Evia- Music Bridges programme.  These concerts, given by well-known performers with just a guitar, take place exclusively in villages affected by the fires and locations such as schools, cafes, or cultural venues.

In this context, to encourage the initial acquaintance of tourists with the area, Somewhere We Know is organising a three-day cultural excursion to Northern Evia from 28 to 30 October 2022.  During those days, Voices of the Autumn Forest will be in progress. Audiences will enjoy concerts by Nikos Portokaloglou on October 29 in Gouves and Nikos Stamoulos on October 30 in Milies (Municipality of Istiaia-Aidipsos).

This is just the beginning!

 Be a part of the effort to regenerate Northern Evia by donating at the following platform:

https://dorees.diazoma.gr/en/?fbclid=IwAR2Nq1JjDWsILdMmhuzB9b4CIT5NAqo96pBsHE9e7uHeuG5WURVjpJ9pOzg