VOTE FOR METEORA CLIMBING !!!!!!!!!!!! (at the end of the text) We are the temporary Committee of Meteora Climbers and we deem that we express thousands of Greek and foreign climbers, and not only. Please sign our petition in order to promote our goal to continue the long tradition of climbing in the Meteora rocks, which according to the ethics established by our community is fully compatible with the protection of the World Heritage Site, archaeological site and sacred place of Meteora. The issue of climbing in Meteora has recently taken publicity, presented partially by third parties or individuals. This is the first official and precise announcement on the issue by the Greek climbers community. Meteora is for us the sacred place of the greek climbing in the sense that the entire environment is highly respected and our actions there are governed by rather strict rules for absolute protection and preservation of the rocks, and minimum intervention, according to the principles of the renowned Saxon climbing ethics, to which we owe the preservation of many fragile ecosystems in Europe and elsewhere. This approach was followed and consolidated, not accidentally, in Meteora during the 70s by the German pioneer climbers, who came into communication with the regional archaelogical authorities, the bishop and the monasteries, and took permission in order to climb the rocks in the area. Climbers in Meteora are not simply aware of not leaving any trace by their passing on the rocks but also owe to have developed sufficient mental and physical competences. In contrast to other renowned climbing areas, climbers in Meteora are supported less by technology and more by their own capabilities. Meteora is for us a test for the body, the spirit and the soul. Thus, the activity retains the inner character it had for the first pioneer climbers who confronted the vertical, the unknown and the unreachable. The feeling might not differ much from that, the first climbers experienced , those who have chosen the Meteora rocks to climb seeking for the divine, as the relevant sources indicate. Their wonderful works, that time has still not erased, depict in the best way the power of their faith. They lay on the huge rock blocks of Meteora indicating, in a sense, that climbing was for them a way of life. Nowadays some of those works, in the most difficult to reach rocks, are approachable only by climbing; only climbers are able to reach, admire and appreciate them and no one else. Contemporary climbers discovered the area four decades ago; climbing in Meteora, though, constitutes a deeply rooted tradition. The greatness of Meteora, apart form the monks, challenged and still challenges ordinary citizens. According to the oral tradition, risky shepherds and hunters tried to climb the vertical rock towers. Folk customs and traditions, such as the climbing for St George with the scarfs celebration and that of the Mikro Agio Pnevma, that still exist, indicate the special connection of the locals with their natural surroundings. This connection is expressed by all those people who occasionally or regularly deal with modern climbing. It is not easy to resist to the attractiveness of the rocks when you live under their shadow, it is not easy not to long to see the view from their very top. Nowadays this long, rich and special climbing tradition in Meteora seems to be in danger. All started when the regional archaeological service published a plan which included the restriction of the activities in the area of Meteora, which has been officially characterized as a sacred place and monument of global heritage. The plan included obvious inaccuracies about our activities and actually prohibited climbing in the most remarkable rocks, in the name of a doubtful protection of nature and monastic life. Under the same spirit the Central Archaeological Council rejected a request of the Hellenic Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing for organizing an international climbing festival in the area. Whereas it was announced that a new Presidential Degree is going to be published specifying the restrictions of an older law on the use of land in the sacred area of Meteora. The content of the Presidential Degree is still not known though. However, we all have good reasons to be worried about, mainly because so far the draft of the Presidential Degree has not been announced and also because there has not been a consultation on the topic. Neither the climbing community was informed on its content and asked to express their position nor the local authorities, who are the main interested parties to know better the natural environment and the problems of the area. We are also worried because in our country the strict restrictions imposed are presented as the only solution to protect specific areas. While in other civilized countries a worthy effort takes place, in order to renegotiate the terms of the accessibility of the natural environment, in public and private areas, in our country we still consider prohibitions an acceptable solution. What are the results of the strict prohibitions, as we have seen them in many many other cases? Infringement and arbitrariness. What is the meaning of the strict prohibitions when they cannot be implemented? An area as Meteora cannot be fully supervised. The easiest way to confront complicated problems is to impose prohibitions, whereas the hard way is true protection, dialogue, mutual understanding and compromise. All these demand maturity. So, we would like to inform that: 1. We coexist in harmony with the monks for half a century and we respect the agreement made, not to climb the six rocks where active monasteries exist. We keep the long term climbing tradition of the area, which is still alive as the local folks prove as well as the spontaneous climbing of the children born near the rocks or the lifting of animals on the top of the rocks for feeding or the activities of the monks who want to visit or operate in churches, unreachable without our help. 2. We renounce in principle and through our doubtless actions the absolute and non-negotiated respect of the nature of the area by the climbers. Climbers are the most fanatic supporters of the preservation of the specific area and due to our activity we are the only ones to know every piece of land, rocks, plants and leftovers of human activity on or near the rocks. We keep essential evidence, that no one else has. 3. We will keep climbing in the area of Meteora, because this way we express our need to pray in our own way, which has many in common with the feelings of the monk-climbers, with total respect of the archaeological, natural, cultural, sacred area of Meteora retaining the strongly established ethics for protection and preservation of the area. 4. We ask for a serious and civilized discussion on the issue and we stay reserved until it becomes true with terms of democracy, respect of all citizens and professional arguments. On behalf of the temporary Committee of Meteora Climbers Aris Mitronatsios, President of the Kalambaka Mountaineering Club, Ass. Mountaineering Instructor of HFMC, resident of Meteora George Voutiropoulos, Political Scientist, Mountain Guide and Mountaineering Instructor of HFMC Dora Nousia, Computer Engineer, Ass. Mountaineering Instructor of HFMC Vassilis Theodorou, gas fuel technician, nurse, rescuer, firefighter, Ass. Climbing Instructor of HFMC, resident of Meteora https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/YPOYRGEIO_POLITISMOY_AThLITISMOY_TIS_ELLADAS_PERIFEREIA_ThESSALIAS_Na_min_ekdothei_PD_gia_ta_Meteora_horis_dialogo_kai_o/?nMTUogb
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 19:56:29 +0000
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