The Need

The Silva Project is dedicated to protecting Greece’s biodiversity through nature preservation and education. One of our goals is to ensure the survival of the endangered Skyrian horse, or Skyrian Alogaki. To learn more about the Skyrian horse click here.

In addition to the Silva Project's environmental goals, the Silva Project has developed plans for the future that the Project hopes will address the substandard condition of the human environment for people with disabilities.

The struggle of people with disabilities to achieve complete social inclusion in Greece is often overlooked. According to the 2002 European Disability Forum, the consequences of this ignorance are social exclusion, poverty and its corollaries of “long term unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse, chronic illness, family break-ups, social welfare cuts, indebtedness, school drop-out and homelessness.” It also concluded that the principal causes of social exclusion are limited access to social environments and unemployment. The need for change in Greece could not be any greater: it received the lowest score in the European Union for social services offered to people with disabilities in a recent study by the European Commission for Employment and Social Affairs.

The purpose of the Silva Project's future plans is to promote structural change that will improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through increased social inclusion. Greater occupational and recreational opportunities will create an environment in which integration and acceptance by Greek society is encouraged. It is our hope that these interactions begin to eliminate prejudice against people with disabilities in Greece.

The Silva Project plans to use native Greek wildlife as a vehicle to acheive the increased social inclusion described above. Our programs protect native Greek wildlife while fostering a greater connection between man and nature. The need for environment protection is imperative. A 2002 study by the University of Patras, “Environmental Organizations in Greece,” suggests that there is currently a dangerous apathy toward the Greek environment. This indifference has caused many species, including the Skyrian horse, to face extinction.

The Silva Project believes that the resources needed for a healthy and full life often come from nature. By preserving biodiversity, we protect not only the environment but also enhance our communities. Through current and future programs, including horseback riding, art, theatre, environmental education and vocational training, we seek to enrich the lives of people with disabilities. Ultimately, the Silva Project hopes to preserve and compliment the natural splendour of Greece with a humanistic grandeur of equal majesty.