Thirty-three communication professionals from BirdLife International partner organisations across 22 European countries gathered on the island of Lemnos, Greece, from 18 to 22 May 2026 for the annual meeting of BirdLife’s Communication and Mobilisation Working Group. The meeting was hosted by the Hellenic Ornithological Society (BirdLife Partner in Greece), bringing together communication experts working to protect and restore nature across Europe.
The meeting took place within the framework of the European Restore Nature campaign. Lemnos was a particularly fitting location for the event. The island is home to a unique mosaic of habitats in the North Aegean, including internationally important wetlands, extensive coastal dunes, small offshore islets and the largest Posidonia seagrass meadow in the Eastern Mediterranean. Together, these habitats form an ecosystem of exceptional ecological value, highlighting the importance of protecting and restoring nature.
Lemnos is also home to the “Reviving Lemnos” project, one of seven large-scale restoration initiatives funded by the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme. The project is implemented by the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the Municipality of Lemnos and the environmental organisation iSea, under the coordination of BirdLife Europe. Its goal is to restore the marine and coastal ecosystems of eastern Lemnos, strengthen their resilience to climate change and support a sustainable development pathway for local communities.
Throughout the meeting, representatives from BirdLife partner organisations exchanged experience and expertise on communicating conservation and restoration actions, as well as on developing effective communication strategies that inform, inspire and mobilise citizens. The programme included workshops, presentations, case studies and discussions on international campaigns such as Hands Off Nature, alongside training activities and a landscape photography workshop aimed at strengthening participants’ storytelling and communication skills for environmental initiatives.
Over five days, participants had the opportunity to explore Lemnos’ unique ecosystems and see first-hand how nature restoration can be combined with sustainable local development. They visited the wetlands of Chortarolimni and Alyki, where they observed a rich variety of birdlife and learned about the crucial role these sites play as migratory stopovers and breeding grounds. They also visited Keros and the Plaka area, where the iSea team presented the restoration actions being implemented through the Reviving Lemnos project.
As part of their introduction to the island, participants also visited a traditional mandra (farmstead) and learned about Lemnos’ long-standing pastoral traditions. They discovered local products and practices that form an integral part of the island’s cultural identity, highlighting the close relationship between people, local production and the natural environment.
The group also visited the Environmental Information Centre in Kalliope, where they met with representatives of the Municipality of Lemnos. During the meeting, the goals and activities of the Reviving Lemnos project were presented, underscoring the importance of cooperation between local and European stakeholders in addressing today’s environmental challenges and protecting biodiversity.
The meeting highlighted that nature restoration depends not only on scientific knowledge and technical interventions, but also on the ability to inspire and engage people. Through the exchange of experiences and best practices, BirdLife partners reaffirmed the crucial role of communication in building a strong social alliance for biodiversity conservation and the successful implementation of nature restoration efforts.