Peliti

PELITI is a Greek Non Profit Organization for the protection and dissemination of Traditional Seeds, otherwise known as Local Varieties. These are freely reproducible Common Goods belonging to the Public Domain.

PELITI’s (www.peliti.gr) main actions include seed collection and distribution, a seed bank with 4000 accessions, annual seed festivals – local and national – publishing of relevant books and guides, providing environmental education for school children and for communities, action for a just legal framework on seed marketing through co-operation with other European organizations.

PELITI is based in the city of Drama in northern Greece. It was founded in 1995 by Panagiotis Sainatoudis.

Panagiotis Sainatoudis was honored in 2009 as the ”Guardian of Mediterranean biodiversity” by the Mayor of Rome and the Bioversity International.

Ιn 2013 the President of the Hellenic Republic honors Peliti for his voluntary contribution to the country.

There are now (2018) 16 lively local chapters in various geographical areas of Greece and one in Bulgaria, which disseminate knowledge about saving seeds as well as the seeds themselves. In parallel, there is a network of more than 200 seed guardians throughout the country who protect the purity of specific varieties. All seeds are distributed for free. The publications are sold and this income, along with the donations, supports the basic expenses of PELITI. All the people that work at Peliti are volunteers.

We at PELITI take the view that we must assume responsibility for what is happening at the personal and global levels. It is a vital imperative that our vision of the world shape developments. Accordingly, each one of us must contribute to the solution in whatever way we can. It is our responsibility to focus on positive action. When we do this, everything improves: it is like magic. During the numerous environmental education events, we explain that everybody has the capacity to use their knives and forks as levers for the achievement of a better model of agriculture and an improved state of the planet .

In April 11-14, 2018, Peliti will be organizing the 18^th Peliti Seed Festival and the 2nt Olympic Seed Festival, on its land in Mesohori area of Paranesti, in Northern Greece.

Τhe Peliti Seed Festival has been described by the Australian seed savers as “Largest Seed Exchange in the World”.

Contact:

Mr Panagiotis Sainatoudis

Founder of Peliti and general coordinator,

Fb: Peliti & Olympic Seed festival

If you want to support financially the Peliti or Olympic Seed Festival you can send your donation to:

Piraeus Bank Greece

IBAN: GR10 0171 1960 0061 9804 0030 332

SWIFT-BIC: PIRBGRAA

Beneficiary: Alternative Community of Peliti