The General Assembly of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), hosted this year by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (HSPN) in Hersonissos, Heraklion, Crete from 28 to 30 May 2025, concluded with great success.

A landmark moment of this year’s Assembly was the election of HSPN’s President, Nikos Petrou, as the new President of FEE’s Board of Directors. It is the first time that a Greek has taken on this prestigious role, highlighting the long-standing and substantial contribution of HSPN to the international organization.

Nikos Petrou stated:

“After nine years on the FEE Board of Directors, including the last four as Vice President, this is a particularly important and deeply honouring moment for me. The General Assembly’s decision reflects the trust placed in me by our 110 member organizations. Recent major geopolitical developments have pushed the intensifying climate and environmental crisis into the background. The growing polarization among countries and the erosion of democratic achievements and rights make quality education for sustainability more essential than ever. Our six programmes can play a vital role in addressing both current and emerging challenges— a role I pledge to support with all my strength.”

In an emotional moment, outgoing FEE President Lesley Jones passed the baton to Nikos Petrou, saying:

“ I cannot think of a better place to end my tenure as FEE President and I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to HSPN for organising this important event. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as President over the last 9 years and I leave knowing that our current Vice President, Nikos Petrou will take over the helm at FEE and lead with passion, commitment and vision.  It has been a pleasure to share our common purpose with Nikos over the last several years and I know that FEE will continue to have an even greater impact into the future.”

The General Assembly included a series of important discussions, as well as the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between HSPN and the Region of Crete. This Memorandum establishes a new strategic alliance to enhance green education, mainly focusing on UNESCO’s Greening Education Partnership, promote sustainable tourism, and support climate action initiatives with the involvement of local communities and educational institutions.

The Regional Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, remarked:

“Hosting such a high-level international event in Crete is both an honour and a recognition of our efforts to make the island a model for regional development focused on people and the environment. The election of Nikos Petrou as President of FEE is a particularly significant moment for our country, showcasing the international trust in the vision of the Greek environmental community. The Region of Crete is fully committed to advancing green education and sustainability. The signing of the Memorandum marks the beginning of a strategic partnership with global reach.”

FEE CEO Daniel Schaffer emphasized:

“It was with great excitement that the FEE’s members from all corners of the world gathered on the beautiful Greek island of Crete for our biennial General Assembly. This event that is the most important in our calendar allows us, in addition to the mandatory points required at a General Assembly, to also present, discuss and develop future strategies for Education for Sustainable Development, and to ensure we continue to grow our positive impact through our network and programmes.

We are most grateful to HSPN for rising to the challenge of hosting this important event. HSPN has been a leading member in our organization, and has been fully engaged and committed to FEE activities and governance for many years. We are also looking forward to the new FEE’s presidency of Mr. Nikos Petrou who is the current HSPN’s President, after our former President Ms Lesley Jones, who served in this position for almost nine years, stepped down.”

Around 80 representatives from 65 countries participated in the General Assembly, exchanging experiences and best practices from FEE’s global programmes: “Blue Flag”, “Green Key”, “Eco-Schools”, “Young Reporters for the Environment”, and “Learning about Forests and Ecosystems”, as well as thoughts on key global challenges.

The International Directors of FEE’s international programmes were present, and they emphasised Greece’s critical role—through HSPN’s efforts—in promoting environmental education and sustainable tourism.

Johann Durand, International Blue Flag Director, stated:

“The 2025 FEE General Assembly in Crete underscores the global importance of the Blue Flag programme in advancing sustainable tourism and coastal excellence—across Crete, Greece, and more than 50 countries worldwide. Greece’s enduring leadership, driven by HSPN, continues to inspire. This gathering affirms the Blue Flag’s strategic role in aligning with and exceeding global sustainability goals, frameworks and directives, empowering public authorities, private enterprises, and civil society to enhance coastal stewardship for both local communities and international visitors.”

Finn Bolding Thomsen, International Green Key Director, added:

“Crete was the ideal setting for celebrating the latest achievements and discussing future developments. HSPN has been one of the main leaders in supporting the growth of the Green Key and Blue Flag programmes throughout the years, and it has ensured that these programmes are now leading the way in sustainable tourism in Greece”.

Pramod Kumar Sharma, FEE Senior Director of Education, noted:

“This year’s General Assembly marks a pivotal point in our collective journey to transform education. As a key contributor to shaping the Greening Education Partnership, FEE is helping define what meaningful, system-wide change in sustainability education looks like. The commitment of members such as HSPN demonstrates how national leadership can drive global progress—and move environmental education to the heart of how and why we teach. Let us renew our commitment to work in a true sense of partnership to help green transitions for a better world”.

Hosting the Assembly was made possible through the support of the Municipality of Hersonissos, the Metaxa Hospitality Group, and Avra Tours S.A. The hosting of participants was supported by the Cretan Hospitality, MITSIS GROUP, GOLDEN Hotels, Nana Hotels, and the Greek Federation of Hotel Managers. Aegean Airlines was the official air travel sponsor.