The Special Secretariat for Mountainous Areas launched the Dialogues on Mountainhood on Friday, 26 June 2026, in Dimitsana, Arcadia. This new nationwide initiative aims to co-shape public policies that respond directly to the real needs of Greece’s mountainous regions.
A Structured Dialogue for Policy Co-Creation
The Dialogues identify both challenges and opportunities in mountainous areas, highlight practical solutions, and share successful local practices. Organised under the coordination of the Special Secretariat for Mountainous Areas, the initiative brings together stakeholders from government ministries, local authorities, the private sector, and civil society.
First Edition Focuses on the Peloponnese
The inaugural event centred on the Peloponnese region and addressed key issues including the condition of mountain roads, the high maintenance costs of homes in traditional settlements, sustainable use of forest resources, the need to integrate mountain-specific characteristics into national horizontal policies, interest in enrolling in local technical schools, development of mountain tourism, and the multifaceted role of local cultural associations.
Government initiatives, best practices from municipalities, and insights from civil society and the business community were also presented — all with the shared goal of building sustainable futures for mountain communities in the Peloponnese.
Broad Participation and High-Level Attendance
The event drew strong local interest, with over 110 participants, including:
- Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Thanasis Kontogeorgis
- Deputy Governor of the Peloponnese Region Christos Lamproupoulos
- Vice-Governor of Elis Nikolaos Korovesis
- Mayors of Gortynia (Evstathios Koules), Megalopolis (Konstantinos Michopoulos), Epidaurus (Tasos Chronis), and South Kynouria (Manolis Dolianitis)
- General Secretaries from multiple ministries: Public Health (Christina-Maria Kravvari, Ministry of Health); Demographic and Housing Policy (Konstantinos Gloumis-Atsalakis, Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family); Tourism Policy and Development (Vasiliki Koutsoukou, Ministry of Tourism); Forests (Stathis Stathopoulos, Ministry of Environment and Energy); and the Labour Inspectorate (Director of DYPA, Ministry of Labour and Social Security)
- Christos Kyriakoglou, General Director of Strategic Planning and ESFA Implementation, Ministry of National Economy and Finance
- Representatives from local enterprises and civic organisations
In his remarks, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Thanasis Kontogeorgis stated: “The establishment of the Special Secretariat for Mountainous Areas within the Presidency of the Government marks a historic turning point — for the first time, the Greek state has a dedicated, institutional pillar focused exclusively on implementing policies for mountainous regions.”