ESIN holds online AGM & Webinar

The European Small Islands Federation (ESIN) held its first online conference, Members’ Day and AGM from 16 November-18 November. At a time when ESIN members are not able to travel due to Covid-19, they managed to finalise their work plans through a day of zoom groups, learning about the next EU planning period and exchanging meaningfully on the conference theme “re-imagining the Future of our Islands” with a number of island speakers as well as representatives of Directorates-General of the EC : Terry Stavropoulos, DG REGIO and Georgios Mathioudakis, DG AGRI as well as Tonino Picula, MEP, who heads the SEARICA (European Parliament Intergroup Seas, Rivers, Islands & Coastal Areas) intergroup.

ESIN is pleased to note that SEARICA is one of the largest and most effective Inter Groups within European Parliament, with 107 MEPs as registered members. ESIN is keen to engage long-term in the EU rural vision, and welcomed Mr Picula’s proposal to meet regularly throughout the year.

The ESIN Federation will also be looking at cooperation projects on Green Deal/ Smart Islands north and south, which despite Brexit will continue to include the Scottish islands Federation as a valued member of the Federation.

The AGM was also the opportunity to trial an island culture zoom evening event. Deemed a real success by all the participants, this really showed that in Covid times, it is more important than ever to draw strength and pride from our resilient island culture. ESIN will be looking at planning more events if this kind in the future.