Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE), Greece
Description of Organisation:
The Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development, is a non-profit Federation of 112 Mediterranean Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for Environment and Development. MIO-ECSDE (www.mio-ecsde.org) acts as a technical and political platform for the presentation of views and intervention of NGOs in the Mediterranean scene. In co-operation with governments, international organisations and other socioeconomic partners, MIO-ECSDE plays an active role for the protection of the environment and the promotion of the sustainable development of the Mediterranean region and its countries. Its main objectives are to protect the Natural Environment and the Cultural Heritage of the Mediterranean region. The ultimate goal of MIO-ECSDE is to promote Sustainable Development in a peaceful Mediterranean. Moreover, MIO-ECSDE fascilitates the MEdIES network (www.medies.net), an
electronic network of formal and non formal educators of “Education for Sustainable Development”. MIO-ECSDE has been certified the ISO 9001 (2008) ‘quality management system’ certification for: (a) design, development and production of educational material, implementation of educational programmes on environment and sustainable development and contribution to environmental policy formulation and application; (b) design, development, management and implementation of European co-funded and international projects.
Main tasks in the project:
1. Leader for the Med Node (Staff member 1)
2. Leader for WP6 Educational material and other activities (Staff member 2 & 3)
3. Contributor for the communication to public of the web portal, WP3 (staff members 1, 2, 3)
Relevant experience:
1. Experience at policy/advocacy/awareness raising level : MIO-ECSDE since 1993 has been active in the Euro- Mediterranean scene on marine protection issues including marine litter (raising awareness and disseminating information, e.g. through the “Keep the Mediterranean Litter-free Campaign”, relevant publications in 10 languages, the Mediterranean Action Day, beach clean-ups, etc.). In 2008, MIO-ECSDE in cooperation with UNEP/MAP (WHO/MED POL), HELMEPA and Clean up Greece prepared the “Assessment of the status of marine litter in the Mediterranean”. In addition, MIOECSDE participates in the MSFD working groups (GES descriptors, marine litter).
2. Experience in education: MIO-ECSDE since 2002 facilitates an educational initiative called MEdIES (www.medies.net), a pioneer initiative on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) that aims to support the Mediterranean educational community (formal and non-formal) by means of:
a) Educational material produced in many languages,
b) Experiential trainings for educators of Mediterranean countries (more than 40 since 2002, including several international Conferences)
c) The facilitation of a webpage that acts as a platform for ESD educators (~ 3300 members).
So far, priority themes of the educational activities of MIO-ECSDE and MEdIES have been Water, Waste, Food, Consumption, Protected Areas, etc. MEdIES has been selected in a pan-European inventory of innovative practices on ESD by the EC-DG Education and Culture. The purpose of the inventory is to illustrate how the concept of sustainable development has been used and implemented in education practices. MEdIES was selected among 40 good ESD practice examples across all Member States.