Meeting for the Varibopi Reset initiative
Lunes, 25 Octubre 2021 09:02The great Varibopi-Reset initiative was launched after the immediate mobilization of the VIANEX Group and the President and CEO of the VIANEX Group, Mr. Dimitris P. Giannakopoulos, for the reconstruction of Varibopi after the devastating fire that broke out in the area at the beginning of last August.
Specifically, on August 5, 2021, just 2 days after the great fire in the wider area of Varibopi, was rekindled, VIANEX and Mr. Giannakopoulos wanted to stand by the State in its effort to restore the environment of the area which had suffered a devastating blow. As a guardian of values and culture, VIANEX led the effort to reforest, regenerate and restore the area by announcing the launch of the Varibopi-Reset initiative. This aims to secure the future of the Greek people by restoring one of the most important oxygen-rich environments in Attica.
In this context, and in collaboration with the Agricultural University of Athens, and also with the assistance of the research body of the National Observatory of Athens "BEYOND Center of Excellence"(http://www.beyond-eocenter.eu/index.php), our primary step is the preparation of scientific research for the overall plan for the renewal of Varibopi.
In this effort, VIANEX, in a spirit of collegiality and solidarity, invited other interested companies to help and cooperate, so that catalytic actions that will have a substantial impact on the restoration of the wider area can be carried out.
The first meeting of the participants in this great initiative took place on Friday, October 22. The initiator, Mr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, Presdent and CEO of VIANEX, welcomed the Rector of the Agricultural University of Athens, Prof. Spyridon Kintzios and the Vice-Rector of the Agricultural University of Athens, Prof. Stavros Zographakis, to inform all participants on the progress of the research process.
In his address, Mr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, President and CEO of VIANEX, thanked everyone who responded to the call for the effort to restore Varibopi, noting that everyone’s participation “constitutes a positive example showing that when we join forces and people, we can produce results that we can be proud of”. Especially with regard to Varibopi, as he said, “it is our second home, the place that has hosted our businesses for decades and it is the professional home of hundreds of our employees”. Referring to the fires and the day after them when the extent of the destruction was revealed, Mr. Giannakopoulos stressed that “We can all do our bit to make the area even better, even greener than it was before. And your participation in the Varibopi reset project proves it.”
Finally, on the launch of the project as a whole, Mr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, noted the following: “During the hard times of the fire, when I made the decision to address the call for the regeneration of our area, I tried to think of the ideal organization that would undertake the scientific work for the project and I believe that the Agricultural University of Athens is the guarantor of this project. Indeed, its research program and academic collaborations prove this. With our financial support, the Agricultural University of Athens is the heart of Varibopi reset. I would like to thank both the Rector of the University, Mr. Spyridon Kintzios, and the Vice-Rector, Mr. Stavros Zographakis, who responded without hesitation to our call and will basically deliver a comprehensive plan-proposal for the overall regeneration of the area, in addition to the projects needed in the first phase to address the effects of the floods. This plan will be handed over to the competent State agencies so that they have the opportunity to implement a comprehensive and scientifically correct overall regeneration of the area.”
During his speech, the Rector of the Agricultural University, Prof. Kintzios, introduced the working group that will prepare the study and will consist of scientific staff from 9 Departments of the Agricultural University. Talking of the purpose of the study, Prof. Kinzios stated that it was “The development actions to restore and develop burnt forest ecosystems, public suburban-urban areas and cultural sites in the wider area of Varybopi and the planning of forest management with the aim of fire protection”. The main objects of the study will be the following:
(a) Delimitation and calculation of the burnt areas with different land uses
(b) Monitoring the hydrogeomorphological data from the burned areas
(c) Monitoring the progress of natural regeneration in the burned areas
(d) Collection of seeds and production of planting material
(e) Actions for urban and suburban greenery
(f) Study on protecting residential areas from future possible fires
Concluding, the Rector, Prof. Kintzios, with the assistance of the Vice-Rector, Prof. Zografakis, presented the individual actions and steps that will be carried out in the context of the research to ensure that it is scientifically sound and constitutes a comprehensive guide for the complete and proper restoration of the area to its previous condition.
The Rector of the Agricultural University of Athens, Prof. Spyridon Kintzios, said of the cooperation and the initiative: “The Agricultural University of Athens is one of the country’s leading institutions in environmental matters, and we have all the know-how and scientific staff to consistently and methodically implement a sound and comprehensive proposal. We are very honored to be part of this great initiative that aims to be of great benefit to the entire society.”
In the next few days, Mr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos, President and CEO of the VIANEX Group and the Rector of the Agricultural University of Athens, Prof. Spyridon Kintzios, will meet with Mr. Kostas Skrekas, Minister for the Environment and Energy, to inform him about the initiative and on how it is will continue.
It is worth noting that a total of 97 companies have responded to the call from VIANEX and Mr. Dimitris Giannakopoulos and have declared their intention to assist by all means possible.
The meeting ended in a spirit of consensus and optimism for the way ahead. For the restoration of the rich environment of a historical site, with actions that will show the way for a better and greener future, as a legacy for the next generations that is worth fighting for.
