Revive Our Ocean Greece Program page
In a landmark event for marine conservation in Greece, the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF) was proud to collaborate with Revive Our Ocean and National Geographic Pristine Seas, both co-producers of the film, for a sold-out special screening of Ocean with David Attenborough at the Megaron Athens Concert Hall.
The evening brought together scientists, fishers, policymakers, civil society, and government—including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis — to unite behind a shared vision: protecting and reviving the Greek seas. The night opened with a panel discussion, “Achieving the 30×30 Target in Greece” featuring marine experts, practitioners, and government representatives exploring the country’s path to effective marine protection and new marine reserves. A common theme echoed throughout the evening: give the ocean space to breathe, and it will recover—benefiting biodiversity, fisheries, tourism, and local communities.
The event also marked the launch of Revive Our Ocean Greece, a national initiative led by the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF) as the in-country partner of the global Revive Our Ocean movement. The initiative seeks to inspire, enable, and equip local communities to create effective, no-take MPAs across Greece — to benefit fisheries, tourism, and coastal livelihoods throughout our seas.
Throughout the evening, marine leaders—including executive producers of the film Kristin Rechberger, Founder of Revive Our Ocean and Dr. Enric Sala, Founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas—shared a common message: when we give the ocean a chance, it recovers. They highlighted that locally led protection, grounded in science and collaboration, can restore marine life while supporting coastal economies.
In his keynote address, Prime Minister Mitsotakis reaffirmed the government’s dedication to safeguarding Greece’s marine environment and emphasized that protection and prosperity can —and must— go hand in hand:
“By protecting our seas and managing our resources wisely, we can not only preserve nature but also create new opportunities for the people who depend on it.”
For CPF, it was a proud moment to see so many sectors come together around one shared vision: a thriving ocean that sustains both people and nature. The event included several exhibitions conceived by designer Marcello Licitra, including a photo exhibition featuring ocean photographs from Yannis Issaris, Vangelis Paravas, and Enric Sala. Each photograph was paired with a message about the state of the Mediterranean seas and the power of effective marine protection, echoing the film’s call to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. The event also showcased an interactive exhibition, “The Lines We Draw Together” which invited guests to take a reclaimed buoy, write what a healthy ocean means to them, or simply tie it to the mesh — turning invisible boundaries into a visible line of care and commitment to the 30×30 goal: protecting 30% of our ocean by 2030.
The Ocean with David Attenborough special screening event was organised by Revive Our Ocean and National Geographic Pristine Seas in collaboration with the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF).
Production director: Andriana Theochari
Photography exhibition credits: Enric Sala, Yiannis Issaris, and Vangelis Paravas
Installation and design: Marcello Licitra
Event supporters: Athinas I. Martinou Foundation, A. G. Leventis Foundation, National Geographic Pristine Seas, EKKOMED, and Megaron The Athens Concert Hall
Event Communication Sponsors: ERT, Kathimerini, 24MEDIA
Video credits: CPF/Angelos Tsatsis
Photo credits: CPF/Mariliza Kapsabeli
Program
Welcome, Blue carpet and press line
Remarks by event’s supporters
Roundtable Discussion on Marine Protected Areas in Greece and the 30 x 30 Target
Moderated by Vangelis Paravas, Scientific Advisor, Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF), with panelists:
Dr Costas Triantis, Chief Executive Officer, NECCA | Associate Professor of Biodiversity of Ecosystems at National Kapodistrian University of Athens
Dr Alkistis Parpoura, Director, General Directorate for Fisheries, Ministry of Rural Development and Food
Demetres Karavellas, General Director, WWF Greece | Representative of initiatives We Sea You & 30 x30 target in Greece
Konstantina Ntemiri, Director, Hellenic Ornithological Society
Michalis Krosman, President of the BoD, Professional Fishers Association of Amorgos “Hozoviotissa”
Dr Maria Salomidi, Researcher, Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research
Costas Triantafyllou, Regional Manager, PADI
Refreshments, photography exhibition, immersive installation in the Atrium of the Megaron
Remarks by Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and Founder of Pristine Seas, and Kristin Rechberger, Founder of Dynamic Planet & Revive Our Ocean.
Remarks by Anni Mitropoulou, Executive Director, Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF), and Maria Damanaki, Former EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Advisor for Oceans 5
SPECIAL GUEST SPEECH: Greek Prime Minister, KYRIAKOS MITSOTAKIS
Screening Ocean with David Attenborough
Closing remarks by the co-organizers Kristin Rechberger, Founder of Dynamic Planet & Revive Our Ocean, Dr Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and Founder of Pristine Seas, and Anni Mitropoulou, Executive Director, Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF).
The event was organised by Revive Our Ocean and National Geographic Pristine Seas in collaboration with the Cyclades Preservation Fund (CPF). Important note: Although Sir David Attenborough is not involved with the initiative, REVIVE OUR OCEAN is a proud co-producer of the film.
We are grateful to the event’s SUPPORTERS
Event COMMUNICATION SPONSORS
