Voice of Greece and “Fair Winds and Following Seas” attended and covered the 17th Panhellenic Small Islands Conference, held on Kasos, with representatives from local government, the national government, the European Parliament, and scientific organizations.
Discussions focused on the issues, challenges, and initiatives affecting Greece’s small but vital island communities with fewer than 1,000 residents.
Spyros Fardellos, a veteran merchant marine engineer, former deputy mayor of Spetses, and board member of the Greek Network of Small Islands, talks about his home island and the challenges it has faced in recent years, particularly its growing demographic concerns.
He also shares memories of life at sea:
“I first went to sea in 1973 aboard the 36,000-ton tanker M/V DESERT PRINCES, which I joined in the Persian Gulf, where my father was also serving aboard. My voyages lasted 12 or 14 months, whereas today seafarers spend shorter periods away. Of the 15 boys in my class, 14 went to sea. Young people have everything to gain by choosing a career in shipping.”
Produced and presented by Antonis Karagiannakis