Aiming to provide better services to the citizens and visitors of the islands, which due to their geographical location are often dependent on the rest of the mainland, Amazon Web Services has started to create digital applications that relate to the daily life of local communities with the island of Naxos as a pilot.
The announcement of the Naxos Smart Island initiative was made last autumn on the island by a senior AWS executive in the presence of top government ministers.
The company, through digital applications, is expected to test innovative technological solutions on the island in order to support institutions such as public administration, local government, ports, businesses so that they in turn provide a better quality of life and service to the local community, citizens and visitors.
As the Secretary General of the Aegean and Island Policy Manolis Koutoulakis explains to APE-MPA, the creation of digital solutions is linked to serving the social needs that are multiplied on an island due to objective or inherent difficulties due to isolation.
He says that the General Secretariat of the Aegean is the one that coordinates the local bodies in order to complete what the need of the local communities is and then connect it with Amazon Web Services and with specific providers of companies that develop these applications.
He points out that amazon's action is not an investment but a corporate social responsibility initiative that will use Greek insularity as an example for other remote island regions worldwide.
It is noted that Greece was chosen by AWS, mainly for its friendly business environment for the development of innovative approaches, but also because of the challenges of Greek insularity.
Naxos was also chosen based on its size, the coexistence and operation of smaller islands as satellites of the central - large island, due to its geographical diversity and its interconnectivity with other islands.
The Naxos Smart Island pilot project is structured around 4 pillars, under which digital solutions and applications are developed:
α) Sustainable and sustainable development,
B) tele-health,
(c) quality of life and recreation; and
(d) digital literacy and skills.
For the Amazon Web Services program, there is already close cooperation between the General Secretariat for the Aegean and Island Policy and the Chamber of Cyclades and its President Mr. Yannis Roussos as well as the Mayor of Naxos Mr. Dimitris Lianos.
Examples of such digital solutions by Amazon include the transport of blood samples and medicines via drone to and from smaller islands in the Cyclades, as well as telemedicine systems that will connect patients with doctors of specialties not located on the island.
It is noted that the cooperation with amazon led to a parallel discussion with Golden Cargo, a company that innovates in the field of shipping supplies and a tripartite agreement is expected to be signed soon.
Digital platforms related to infrastructure such as digital and remote monitoring of the water management sector will also be developed.
“From the computer we will know at any time the status of the water flow networks and the reserves in the reservoirs, as the General Secretariat invests significant resources every year in the water supply of the islands”, says the Secretary General of the Aegean Manolis Koutoulakis.
It also refers to the digitalisation of the management of passenger ship traffic as Naxos is one of the most important hubs of the shipping industry with more than 40 daily departures during the summer season.
“There will be information for the population and visitors on the exact time of departure, arrival and modification of itineraries, while applications for the yachts will be implemented electronically, which will enable someone to know in advance which place and which service is requested to be provided,” he says.
Other digital applications from amazon will also include platforms for «smart» lighting leading to energy savings, weather stations, fire detection systems, payment systems for taxis, automated parking systems, electric chargers for cars and two-wheelers.
Also an online booking system for museums and other local exhibitions, which can also act as information points for shop and service opening hours and other useful information, such as the nearest pharmacies.
AWS will proceed with the training of civil servants, employees and citizens of the South Aegean in digital skills.
The initiative and the programme for the design, implementation and monitoring of the digital applications aims to transfer good practices and direct solutions to other Greek islands, but at the same time to promote Greek insularity as a living lab for applications in inaccessible and remote areas.
The participation of the General Secretariat for the Aegean and Island Policy is a catalyst for the activation and dissemination of the programme, while there is close cooperation with AWS executives in order to ensure realistic planning and easy transfer of know-how to the rest of the Greek islands.
P. Ts
