On September 7, 2023, the Lesvos Mission Blue Project, co-powered by the Center of Excellence in Sustainability-ACG, hosted an informative Open Day event in Petra, Lesvos. The event was dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of protecting, preserving and revitalizing the marine environment in Petra, Lesvos and was an invaluable first step to bringing together and “engaging coastal communities – those most at risk of adverse climatic events – and empower them to take local conservation into their hands…for the health of our communities, ecosystem, planet, youth, economies and mental wellbeing – now is the time to come together, and we hope you’ll join us on this mission” (Dr. Chloe Buiting, Partnership Statement).
In addition to the expression of interest in further developing the Lesvos Mission Blue Project by the regional and local authorities and the public, Ms. Meaghan Cuddy, Ocean Policy Analyst of the Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs (OES/OPA) of the U.S. Department of State extended her support to the Lesvos Mission Blue Project. She sent a recorded message in which she not only expressed her office’s backing for the project but also extended an invitation for the project to participate in the ‘Our Ocean Conference 2024,’ scheduled to be held in Athens in 2024. This conference, powered by the U.S. Department of State, presents a valuable opportunity for the Lesvos Mission Blue Project to further its goals on an international stage.