Gavdos hosts third international Smart Islands conference on small-island sustainability
The island of Gavdos is hosting the 3rd International Smart Islands Conference on September 22 and 23, bringing together local government officials, academics and diaspora representatives to discuss sustainable development strategies for small islands.
The conference is organized by the International Hellenic Association (IHA) in cooperation with the municipalities of Gavdos, Vari–Voula–Vouliagmeni, Kifisia, Platanias, Kalymnos and Megisti. It is co-organized by the Region of Crete and the regional unions of municipalities of Crete and Central Macedonia, and is supported by the Municipality of Chania. The event follows earlier editions held on Pserimos in 2024 and Kastellorizo in 2025, according to the organizers.
Sessions are taking place at the stone theater in Sarakiniko and run under the auspices of Greece’s Ministry of Interior and the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE). The organizers said the conference aims to bring together representatives of local government, the state, local communities, the Greek diaspora, academia and the private sector to discuss shared challenges facing small islands.
Topics on the agenda
According to the published program, discussions center on the exchange of views, presentation of good practices and formulation of applicable proposals for small islands, with emphasis on energy, water, education, health, digital transformation and accessibility. Listed themes include the geopolitical significance of small border islands, sustainable and alternative tourism, energy autonomy and climate resilience, water resource management on islands without natural water sources, digital transition, social welfare and quality of life, and a vision for Gavdos over the next decade — a topic tied to a study presented by Nikos Drakonakis, chairman and managing director of ETAM S.A., titled “The Vision of Gavdos for the Next Decade.”
Speakers listed for the opening day include Lilian Stefanaki, mayor of Gavdos; Stefanos Gikas, Greece’s deputy minister of maritime affairs and island policy; Fotis Maggos, secretary general for the Aegean and island policy; and IHA president Nina Gatzouli, along with mayors from Platanias, Sitia, Kalymnos, Kea, Chania and Apokoronas taking part in panel discussions on local government. A separate session brings together IHA diaspora members to discuss the association’s role in supporting Gavdos.
The second day’s sessions address island connectivity and transport accessibility, energy autonomy and climate resilience, water resource management, digital transition, and social welfare, with academics from institutions including the Technical University of Crete, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Florida Atlantic University among the listed speakers. The conference concludes on September 23.
The organizers describe the gathering as intended to produce concrete proposals for small islands rather than only theoretical discussion, alongside sessions on experiences tied to sustainable and alternative tourism. The conference is also one of several island-focused events taking place across Crete this month.
