On Wednesday, 27 May 2026, the 1st Ocean Lab Forum was held, a new initiative by Safe Water Sports in collaboration with CSR Hellas, at the renewed Ocean Lab premises in Nea Philadelphia. The event was dedicated to an issue of significant social importance: safety in the aquatic environment, drowning prevention, and the reduction of sea-related accidents, highlighting the need for meaningful cooperation among all stakeholders involved.

At the renewed Ocean Lab, the Organization’s first interactive educational space dedicated to water safety, representatives of the State, institutional bodies, the Hellenic Coast Guard, the business community, and civil society participated in a meaningful dialogue on the topic: “Prevention, Education & Partnerships for Water Safety.”

Ocean Lab, which welcomes more than 6,000 students free of charge every year, aspires to serve as a meeting point for education, dialogue, and knowledge exchange on issues related to the sea, water, prevention, and the protection of human life.

As part of the event, Mr. Christodoulos Charalambous, from the Office of the Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus, delivered a greeting on behalf of Ms. Irene Piki.

The panel discussion, moderated by Ms. Alexandra Palli, Chair of the Board of Directors of CSR Hellas, featured Dr. Panagiotis Paschalakis, President of Safe Water Sports; Mr. Kouvaris Drakoulis, General Inspector of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Rear Admiral HCG; Mr. Giorgos Giallouridis, Senior Education Officer at the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth of Cyprus; Ms. Kiki Charalambous, from the Secretariat for Coordination and Support of Government Work of the Republic of Cyprus; Mr. Ioannis Dragounis, Publisher; and Ms. Rouli Christopoulou, Corporate Responsibility Manager at Alpha Bank.

During the discussion, the importance of education, prevention, data utilization, and cooperation among all stakeholders was highlighted. At the same time, the foundations were laid for the co-creation of the National Guide for Safety in the Aquatic Environment, a common framework of principles and guidelines aimed at strengthening safety in water and at sea.

The event underlined that safety in the aquatic environment is not the responsibility of a single organization or institution. It concerns education, the State, tourism, the business community, sea professionals, families, and society as a whole. Lack of awareness, the absence of systematic prevention, gaps in education, and the need for better recording and coordination are challenges that require collective effort and meaningful synergies.

The goal of Safe Water Sports is not only to highlight the problem, but above all to promote the solutions, partnerships, and actions that can create real social impact and contribute to the protection of human life.

Safe Water Sports warmly thanks CSR Hellas for the valuable co-organization of the event, as well as Quality & Reliability for its support.