Nisyros celebrated one of the most significant international distinctions in its history with the official ceremony marking the inclusion of the Nisyros Geopark in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network.
The ceremony took place on August 23 at 7:30pm in Town Hall Square as part of the Nisyros Geopark Festival 2026, bringing to a close an effort that lasted around five years and required systematic work, scientific support and a series of interventions across the island.
Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), Nisyros Mayor Christofis Koronaios described the international recognition as a historic event for the island.
“It is the most important recognition. It is the greatest recognition for our island since Homer’s reference to it in the Iliad,” Mr Koronaios said, referring to Homer’s mention of Nisyros among the islands that sent ships to the Trojan War.
The mayor also spoke about the difficult process that preceded the achievement, noting that the effort required several years of work.
“It took five years of work to prepare the dossier and all the infrastructure that was required,” he said.
The project included interventions at the volcano, safety-related works and signage, while the scientific preparation of the nomination dossier also proved particularly demanding.
Mr Koronaios highlighted the people who contributed to securing the international recognition, including Evi Nomikou, professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Panagiotis Nastos, professor at NKUA, and Professor Dimitris Emmanouloudis.
According to the mayor, joining the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network creates significant opportunities for Nisyros’ international profile, but, more importantly, strengthens efforts to protect its distinctive natural and geological environment.
“It will help a lot to make the island known worldwide. But I believe it will also help us greatly in protecting the environment,” Mr Koronaios told ANA-MPA.
Goal is to attract visitors who respect the island’s character
The municipal authority also sees significant opportunities in tourism.
Mr Koronaios made clear that the goal is not to attract mass tourism but to pursue a development model that respects the island’s character and capacity.
“It will help sustainable tourism, because the goal is sustainable development and not overtourism. We want quality tourism,” he said.
A key moment of the ceremony was the appointment of Giorgos Koumoutsakos, Greece’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, as an honorary citizen of Nisyros, in recognition of his contribution to the successful completion of the process.
The mayor told ANA-MPA that Mr Koumoutsakos “played a decisive role” in promoting the nomination before the relevant committees. His efforts helped secure the agreement of all members and led to a unanimous decision in favour of Nisyros.
The ceremony marked the culmination of a five-year collective effort while also opening a new chapter for the island.
Nisyros now aims to build on its UNESCO recognition through the protection of its unique geological heritage, greater international visibility and the development of a sustainable, high-quality tourism model.
