The Project

The Transnational Cooperation Project named "DIVE IN OUR ISLANDS", is the result of a decision dating back in 2008, a decision of three Development Agencies of coastal-insular areas of the eastern frontiers of Europe who want to prove that when they set common goals they can achieve them overcoming all difficulties and controversial conditions and minimize the distance between the areas promoting their common characteristics and the need for networking.

The cooperation of our three Local Action Groups of Axis 4 of the Operational Program "Fisheries" of the Greek and Cypriot Republic proved in a very short time that the LAGs are able to plan and implement ambitious common projects in a professional way producing important outcomes for the sustainable development of their areas.

An important factor of success was the participation and the support of the National Managing Authorities responsible for the National Operational Programs of Axis 4 EFF, and we thank them for their trust. We also thank all of the contributors for the success of the project - and they are many - and they all worked very hard.

Contemplating with and using "Diving Tourism" as a one of the tools for sustainable development is a Strategic Goal for our areas. This cooperation makes us more confident for the future of our areas and makes us commit to continue our hard work together for more results and better outcome in the future carving new paths along with our long historic and ethnic common bonds between Greece and Cyprus.

The Transnational Cooperation Project titled "DIVE IN OUR ISLANDS", is the result of a common vision based on the philosophy of the "LEADER" approach, the bottom-up approach, the idea of collectivity in planning and the idea of pilot actions. These are the basic ingredients, for a successful approach of sustainable development of our areas. The Lead Partner is Lesvos Local Development Company S.A. from Greece along with the Dodecanese Development Company and the Larnaca District Development Agency from Cyprus.

The Cooperation was part of the original local programs and was amended to fulfill our common goals. The idea was simple to create a common tool for promoting the comparative advantages of the areas as far as diving activities and tourism are concerned.

For implementing the common projects it was necessary to collect and process local data in order to be able to create from scratch publications, digital applications (Ios & Android) and a web site that will improve the visibility and the exposure of our areas in the international tourism markets, especially niche tourism markets such as those of diving interest.

The participation in a network and commonly planning and implementing actions is a standard goal for all of our three companies especially under the principles of applying actions on sensitive environmental areas and for the first time "Fisheries areas". We have been inspired by the idea that we need to be effective in organizing a community under specific goals which are widely accepted by the local communities. At the same time we need and we believe we have managed to provide answers to our common Strategic Development Goals of our Local Programs such as:
1. Improving the attractiveness of the areas managing the uniqueness of our natural resources and the opportunities they provide.
2. Differentiate the touristic product, investing in the alternative approach of an integrated touristic destination based as well in diving activities.
3. Enhancing the local human resources by exposing people into new practices and in a process of using new ideas and innovative practices.
4. Creating the need to explore new ideas in the European context for local, sustainable development, especially as far as the marine environment and marine biodiversity are concerned due to the high pressure they are under.

As a result we believe we have put forward the need for extroversy especially in our insular areas, their interaction with other communities and the feedback from them in socio-economic terms. The current transnational cooperation plan is a simple one, but at the same time it marks a new beginning for our areas. We strongly believe that it will help us in our future efforts in order to preserve our areas and their characteristics which are vulnerable to the human intervention showing at the same time the way for sustainable development. For all of us the FLAGs teams and people working on the project this cooperation has been a valuable experience and we cherish the bonds we created, the exchange of trust and knowhow. The experience of networking is not always fruitful. In our case we realize we had the privilege of producing important outcome and at the same time the challenge to commit to future common planning and vision for our areas.