Polish LAG Visit to Chalkidiki & Working Meeting, 4-5/10/2022

The working meeting held within the framework of the Transnational Cooperation Plan, of the “Cult In Tour” Program on October 4 & 5, in Chalkidiki, was successfully completed. The Program is implemented within the framework of measure 19.3 “Support for the preparation and implementation of cooperation (transnational and inter-local)” of the CLLD LEADER Local Program (RDP 2014-2020).

Partners of the Plan are the Development Association of Chalkidiki S.A. O.T.A. and the Polish Local Action Group “Lokalna Grupa Działania „Puszcza Białowieska” – Local Action Group “Białowieska Forest”. The purpose of the cooperation is to undertake actions to interconnect the rich cultural and natural resources of the two regions with their offered tourist product. The Plan focuses on the less favoured areas of mainland Chalkidiki.

The meeting was welcomed by the Deputy Governor of Chalkidiki, Mr. Ioannis Giorgos, the President of the Development Association of Chalkidiki S.A, Mr. Giorgos Pasalis, and the President of the Polish LAG, Mr. Eugeniusz Kowalski. The meeting was attended by Ms. Olga Savvidou, General Manager of the Development Association of Chalkidiki S.A, Ms. Georgia Karagianni, Deputy General Manager, as well as other executives of the company. Present in the meeting were also executives from the Polish LAG, as well as from the external partner of the Development Association of Chalkidiki S.A, the company ETAM SA. Additionally, the working meeting was attended by: the Governor of the Hajnowka region of Poland, a tourism specialist participating in the Program, representatives of the public relations departments, the event organizer of the Bialowieza Forest, the person responsible for the management and coordination of international projects of the Municipality of Hajnowka.

During the working meeting on the 1st day, the partnership presented the actions of the Program completed so far as well as – in some cases – the method and methodology of their implementation, while the future planned actions of the Program and the corresponding steps were also presented.

In addition, opinions and experiences were presented regarding the actions of the Program, with the aim of strengthening the cooperation of the partners and the exchange of know-how.

On the 2nd day, the partnership had the opportunity to visit important cultural and natural resources of the region, to learn about and discuss the rich history that governs them. Furthermore, the partnership renewed the appointment for its next meeting to be held in Poland, in the spring of the new year.