In Demati of eastern Zagori, a group of young people is attempting to reopen the discussion about the future of mountainous regions, choosing to live and create in the mountains. The initiative "The High Mountains", which was founded in 2016, began with mountainous organic production and evolved into an initiative focused on the holistic, livable development of mountain communities.
As Vasilis Nakkas, educator and head of tourism and educational programs, points out, the focus has shifted toward creating infrastructure, services, and networks that can support people who already live in the mountains or are considering returning. The central pillars of their work are decentralization, mountain-based production, education, and fair, solidarity-oriented tourism.
Life experience in the mountains highlights deep structural problems: institutional gaps, bureaucracy, lack of support for small producers and collective initiatives, as well as the ongoing abandonment of mountain areas. Life in the mountains is not presented as a romantic escape, but as a demanding choice that requires persistence, self-organization, and collective action, while offering different rhythms, physical alertness, and a deeper connection to place.
The "High Mountains" actively participate in the formation of a broader ecosystem in Epirus, together with Social and Solidarity Economy actors and research initiatives. Among other things, they develop support networks for those who want to settle in the mountains, a fair supply chain without intermediaries, and the first Socially Supported Mountain Production network in Greece.
The articulated vision concerns vibrant mountain villages with production, social life, infrastructure, and tourism that functions complementarily rather than dominantly. The re-inhabitation of mountain areas is not presented as an easy solution, but as a necessary prospect for the future, provided that the appropriate support structures are created for those who choose to live and create in the mountains.
Find the full article at reader.gr