One-day Conference
“The Road is the Sea – Prospects of the Maritime Profession”
Press release
May 16, 2022
Municipal Theatre of Corfu
On the occasion of the International Day for Women in Maritime, established by the IMO, the President of the Eugenides Foundation & IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis, participated in the one-day conference “The Road is the Sea, Prospects of the Maritime Profession ” which took place on Monday 16 May 2022 at the Municipal Theater of Corfu.
Co-organizers of the day were the 3rd Regional Administration of the Hellenic Coast Guard, The Region of Ionian Islands, the Eugenides Foundation, the Magazine Naftika Chronika, the Directorate of Secondary Education of Corfu, the Corfu Port Authority, and the Municipality of Corfu.
Representatives of the organizations that co-organized the event addressed welcome remarks, Mr. Evangelos Kyriazopoulos, Secretary-General of Ports, Port Policy and Maritime Investments of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Mr. Evrianidis Sapounas, Director of the 3rd Regional Administration of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Mrs. Rodi Kratsa Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands, Mr. Elias Bisias, Director of the magazine Naftika Chronika, Mrs. Meropi Ydraiou, Mayor of Corfu, Mr. Spyridon Zervopoulos, Managing Director of the Corfu Port Authority and Mr. Charilaos Alamanos, Director of Directorate of Secondary Education of Corfu. Also, MPs Stefanos Gikas and Mr. Dimitris Biagis addressed the audience, while Mr. Pavlos Tiftikidis, Director of the Merchant Marine Academy of Epirus, and Ms. Anthi Ntavakou, representative of the Directorate of Seafarers’ Training were present.
The conference attended 220 students from the 1st Vocational School of Corfu, the 1st High School of Corfu, the 5th High School of Corfu, the High School of Argyrades, and the High School of Agios Ioannis Corfu. The students were advised by Mr. Evriviadis Sapounas on how to start their careers in the maritime industry, and about the maritime history and tradition of the island in the maritime profession. Mr. Spyridon Kafritsas, professor of Maritime Courses of the 1st Vocational School of Corfu, and Mr. Dimitris Synodinos, Master, Captain of the passenger-vehicle ferry ERMIS, shared their experience and their love for the sea, emphasizing the great prospects that the maritime profession offers to young people.
Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis, following the video for the 70 years of the International Maritime Organization’s contribution, also stated the IMO’s contribution to world shipping, the importance of celebrating International Day for Women in Maritime, his personal experience and journey in the world of Shipping, the new skills and knowledge that should be acquired by the seafarer today, the increased needs of the digital age and automation, but also for the enormous possibilities a career in the maritime industry offers.
He stated that with the cooperation of both the state and all the stakeholders, an effort should be made to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women in the maritime industry.
