Ouranoupolis Workshop
Delos2 Workshop
Providing guidance for sacred natural sites in developed countries
24-28 October
Ouranoupolis, Halkidiki, Greece
The Ouranoupolis Statement
Spanish version
List of Participants
Spanish version
List of Case-studies
Spanish version
Blessings and guidance of HAH The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,
Archbishop of Constantinople and New Rome
Spanish version
THE SECOND WORKSHOP OF THE DELOS INITIATIVE
The
second workshop of the Delos Initiative was held on 24-28 October, in
Ouranoupolis, a town next to the Holy Mountain of Athos, in Halkidiki,
Greece. Thus the Delos Initiative, in the framework of the Task Force on
Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas of IUCN/WCPA, continued
its activities after the first successful workshop that was held in
November 2006, in the Monastery of Montserrat, Spain.
The Ouranoupolis meeting was hosted by Med-INA and was attended by 22 participants from 11 countries. Among them there were representatives of the Holy Community of Mount Athos, the Halkidiki Prefecture, the Greek Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works, as well as members of the conservation and religious communities. The meeting was honoured by a message of blessings and guidance of HAH The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople and New Rome (click here to read text).
During the workshop, experiences from Mount Athos in Greece, Jabal Lâ’lam in Morocco, the San Francisco Peaks of California, Mani San Mount in South Korea, Solovetsky Islands of Russia, Buila Vinturarita in Romania, Foreste Casentinesi of Italy, Dhimurru in northern Australia, Poblet Monastery and Sakya Tashi Ling in Catalonia, Spain, Rila Monastery in Bulgaria and the Chryssopigi Monastery in Crete, Greece, were presented and discussed.
The
participants explored ways of strengthening the conservation of the
natural and spiritual heritage in these areas and in other similar
sites, as well as the role IUCN and the conservation community could
play. The conclusions of the workshop were incorporated in the
Ouranoupolis Statement, a document that includes the lessons drawn from
the case-studies presented, guidelines that concern the management of
monastic lands,
guidance
for sacred natural sites in developed countries and the necessary
actions that must be taken towards the IUCN World Conservation Congress
that will be held in Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain) in October 2008. The
text is currently in draft form, but will be finalised and circulated
broadly soon.
The organisers of the Workshop would like to express their gratitude to HAH The Ecumenical Patriarch for his message, the Holy Community of Mt. Athos, the Monasteries of Cryssopighi in Crete, Ormylia in Halkidiki and Varlaam in Meteora for their contribution, the Prefecture of Halkidiki and the Board of Med-INA (the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos) that covered the Workshop costs, with the support of the A.G. Leventis Foundation.
Final programme
The Delos2 Workshop
Ouranoupolis, Greece, 24-28 October 2007
This 5-day programme, besides the presentations and debates, includes a circumnavigation of the Mt. Athos Peninsula with a view from the sea of its major monasteries and two parallel field trips (A) to the Meteora monastery area of Thessaly in Central Greece and to (B) to the Vergina archaeological site and to Byzantine Thessaloniki (Byzantine Museum and churches). more
The Delos2 Workshop
Ouranoupolis, Greece, 24-28 October 2007
First announcement
Background:
The Delos Initiative on sacred natural sites in technologically developed countries was launched in 2004, in the context of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) of IUCN and its Task Force on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas (TF/CSVPA). The Delos1 Workshop was held in Montserrat, Catalonia, Spain on 23-26 November 2006. The Initiative is co-ordinated by Thymio Papayannis and Josep Maria Mallarach.
Theme:
‘Providing guidance for sacred natural sites in developed countries’
Objectives:
The following objectives have been agreed for this second Delos working meeting:
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Presentation and critical analysis of further case studies.
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Process for the development and dissemination of guidance to managers of sacred natural sites.
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Advice to monastic communities on the ecological management of their natural sites.
Programme:
The 4-day programme, besides the presentations and debates, will include a field trip to the Meteora monasteries of Thessaly in Central Greece and a circumnavigation of the Mt. Athos Peninsula with a view from the sea of its major monasteries. A detailed programme will be circulated in early July and placed in the Delos website (see below).
Participation:
Given the particular character of the Workshop, participation will be by invitation and limited to 20 persons. If you are interested, please contact the Workshop secretariat (see below) to be considered for an invitation. Also indicate whether you would require financial assistance for travel costs.
Venue:
The venue of the Workshop will be Hotel Eagles Palace in Ouranoupoli, Halkidiki, Greece view map (info@eaglespalace.gr ).
Workshop secretariat:
Irini Lyratzaki
Med-INA (Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Anthropos)
23 Voucourestiou Street, Athens, Greece
T: +30 210 3600712, F: +30 210 3629338,