/ PETRA TILOS
PETRA TILOS
Petra Tilos is a grassroots, community-led initiative on the island of Tilos that aims to activate, educate, and raise awareness around the history, environmental significance, and potential restoration and reuse of drystone constructions.
​
The initiative invites the local community to collectively explore the history and heritage of dry stone practices in Tilos, while co-designing and co-developing next steps for their preservation and revitalization. It is a project designed by the community, for the community and for anyone interested in traditional craftsmanship, sustainable building techniques, and environmental sustainability in small communities.
​
Petra Tilos promotes hands-on learning, intergenerational knowledge-sharing, and community collaboration as essential tools for sustainable development and cultural preservation.
​
COMM'ON collaborates with Petra Tilos to support its community-building process and the long-term growth of the initiative.
PROJECT RESULTS
2023-24 /DOCUMENTARIES
During the winter of 2023-24 Petra Tilos team researched and recorded oral history interviews around the theme of drystone building.
With the support of cinematographer Nefeli Papaioannou, oral history narrations from 3 generations of Tilos residents, that work or have worked with stone techniques were recorded and 5 mini documentaries were created:
​​
"Drystone and Agriculture"
"Drystone and Water"
"Drystone Technique"
"Drystone and Collective Work"
"Country Life in Tilos"
​​
You can watch the documentaries at Petra Tilos YouTube channel (in Greek with English subtitles).
This mini doc series was funded by Athina I. Martinou Foundation under Points Of Support programe.
march 2024 /drystone school
In March 2024 the first Drystone School of Petra Tilos took place in Tilos with the participation of the local community.
During the 11 days of the school, 5 local teams and more than 30 participants from the local community implemented 5 different parallel events alongside the 4 "learning by doing" days for restoration techniques for drystone walls and paths.
More than 90 people participated in the activities that included screenings, talks around around environmental sustainability and archaological drystone builds, storytelling of local gardeners, building lessons and drystone restoration of ~100 meters drystone wall, walking routes, games for children on the thematic of stones
and community pic nics!
march 2025 /2nd drystone school
In March 2025 the second Drystone School of Petra Tilos took place in Tilos with the participation of the local community, 2 days of coming together, building and restoring the walls of Agios Antonios trail.
Two full days, dedicated to the craft and art of stonework, with the participation of members of the local community! In two days, approximately 30 participants -of all ages- joined the workshop and restored part of the path bwtween Megalo Chorio and Agios Antonis.
In parallel to the workshop, Petra Tilos team organized a screening event at the kafenio (cafe) in Megalo Chorio , featuring two short documentaries: Collective Work and Life in Old Tilos that were produces by Petra Tilos (in collaboration with cinematographer Nefeli Papaioannou) in 2024.
"Petra Tilos" is an initiative of a small group of people that want to engage and activate their community to collectivly learn and research the history of the dry stones constructions of Tilos Island.
​
The project is developed by a team of locals, with the suppost of AC Tilos, Blue Star Ferries and the Municipality of Tilos, in cooparation with COMM'ON and Tilos Youth Group (Enosi Neon Tilou).
​
From October 2023 to March 2024, the initiative was carried out with the support of the Athina I. Martinou Foundation, as part of the Points of Support program, co-funded by ten charitable organizations.
​
From September 2024 to April 2025, the project has received funding and is carried out under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.