Friday, February 8, 2008

PRESS RELEASE - INTERNATIONAL ACTION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE OF SANTORINI

Subject: WEDNESDAY, 5 DECEMBER, Press conference and Concert for the sunken ship SEA DIAMOND, the toxic depth bomb in Santorini.

The new non-governmental organization is based in Greece, in the Municipality of Thera, Cyclades, Municipal District of Emporio. The purpose of the organization is to develop activity for the protection of the natural and cultural environment, aiming at a higher quality of life for the inhabitants and visitors of Santorini.

The major problem that Santorini encounters in the field of environmental pollution is the sunken ship (since April 2007) Sea Diamond, which is still at the bottom of caldera, near the port of Athenios.

Our organization has been actively interested, collecting information by other environmental organizations (ARCHIPELAGOS, MESOGEIOS SOS, WWF) and agencies, in order to establish a procedure for the avoidance of the existing and anticipated pollution.
Our common position is the effective management of the problem.

More specifically, according to the scientific studies conducted by the organization “Archipelagos, Institute of Marine & Environmental Research of the Aegean Sea”, in the event that the wreck is not salvaged immediately, the pollution will be enormous due to the corruption of the materials. Apart from the diesel pollution, there are three more serious risks:
huge quantities of asbestos that have been trapped in the wreck,
a very rapid chemical process of electrolysis, threatening ships and moorings,
huge quantities of non-biodegradable toxic chemical substances, most of them water-soluble, therefore capable of passing into the ecosystems without any possibility to be limited by any means whatsoever, having a negative effect on the health of people and marine organisms, not only in the Aegean Sea, but in the major area of the Mediterranean seas where they are transferred by currents.
The Sea Diamond is truly a toxic depth bomb.

The members and friends of the organization, wishing to contribute in highlighting and solving the problem that the world-wide interesting island with the unique beauty has, have scheduled for Wednesday, 5 December 2007, in the KITTARO, 48 Ipeirou and Aharnon, Athens:

A) Press Conference, at 8 pm, with the cooperating environmental organizations, and with the attendance of guest representatives of the competent agencies.
B) Concert, at 9 pm. Performers: Mariza Koh, Lizeta Kalimeri, Pantelis Theocharidis, Giorgios, Christodoulou, Stelios Mpotonakis, Panos Mouzourakis, Nikos Halvatzis, Elias Vamvakousis and the bands Makrina Xaderfia and Elelef.
Music Supervisor: Liana Malandrenioti.
Entrance fee: 10 euros – price of drink: 5 euros. (The money will cover the basic expenses of the event. We thank the artists and Mrs. Malandrenioti for their disinterested offers.)

Info: Giorgos Diakofotakis, tel.: 698 1419163, e-mail: yd@ath.forthnet.gr.

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